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Testimonials Camvol takes feedback from volunteers who went on placements very seriously. This is important to constantly improve what Camvol is offering, and for volunteers to have a truly rewarding experience. Here are some extracts from feedback from the volunteers who worked in India during 2007 and 2008. “Overall the experience was very positive, challenging and rewarding. Initially there was a lot of new information to take in, in terms of Indian culture and volunteering (since I had no previous experience of working with young children and had no idea what slum areas would be like), and so the whole experience was incredibly overwhelming to begin with. However, by working through difficulties (both cultural and volunteer-related), obstacles were overcome and it became a very enjoyable experience. Overall, my experience was an interesting and very positive one. I think no matter how much information people give you, Indian culture is something that you really have to experience in order to understand, and so I would really like to go back now I am a little wiser and have had the chance to reflect.” [Sarah, Project WHY, New Delhi, summer 2008]
"DA is doing fantastic work in India and it felt really good to be part of such an organization. Everyone in the company is very driven by this goal of creating sustainable livelihoods and works hard for it. I was the person who did the ‘odd jobs’ in the communications department. I enjoyed this role very much as I got to see a wide variety of what DA does. They picked up on my skill base (good with computers and writing English) very quickly and gave me tasks involving those skills. Sometimes they would ask to me to do stuff I had never done before like writing proposals, and thus extended my skill base even further. They gave me all the support I needed if I asked for it. Overall, a fantastic experience to be part of a truly great cause." [Harsha, Development Alternatives, New Delhi, summer 2008]
“The team and staff at the organisation were extremely welcoming and helpful, professionally as well as on a personal level, I was entrusted with a fairly complex project through which I feel I genuinely gained new research skills. DA also arranged for us to go “into the field” to experience some of their projects first-hand, and during this trip we were at all times accompanied by project staff answering all our questions, which made a huge difference and genuinely deepened my understanding of development issues far beyond what I had previously read in textbooks. Virtually all of DA’s staff also were extremely generous on a personal level, and I feel that I established some great and lasting friendships! Last but not least, it made a great difference to be on the placement with another Camvol volunteer, both to share and reflect on our experiences, and because it meant that DA, as a comparatively large organisation, was happy to put in the extra logistical effort to enable us to get the most out of the placements. It was great! Thank you very, very much!” [Till, Development Alternatives, New Delhi, summer 2008]
“Trilegal is a highly professional and successful commercial law firm which has links with Allen & Overy (a leading international commercial law firm). Consequently, the work provided was very similar to that which I will receive when undertaking vacation schemes in London. However, through this experience I have received the added rewards of working in a culturally different business environment, and experiencing first-hand the sorts of transactions in which India, one of the most important emerging markets, is involved. The variety of work in which I was involved, and the opportunity to do my own research project on the development of roads in India, has left me with a huge sense of satisfaction.” [Kate, Trilegal, New Delhi, summer 2008] |