Having worked with development NGOs in the past, I knew I was looking for a volunteer placement in education. I’ve studied education in global contexts, and wanted to get a bit of grass-roots perspective outside of Australia. The way in which Atma works in partnership with other NGOs was also attractive, as it meant that there was more scope to learn more about the industry in general.
Having never visited India before, the opportunity to work in Mumbai was too good to pass up: I finalised my travel plans and arrived in India, ready to volunteer.
One of the first things I did in Mumbai was a 3 hour tour of the Dharavi slum with Reality Tours and Travel. To see a world that is completely different to anything in Australia, so soon after my touchdown in India, made it all very real. The Dharavi tour really illustrated what volunteering with Atma is about, who it’s for, and why the work that I’d be undertaking is important.
My first week with Atma was predominantly a process of learning and being inducted into the organisation. I’ve had a lot of meetings with Summer Starr, the Atma Partnerships Director, who oversees the Searching for Goodness NGO mapping project I’m working on. This has generally outlined areas of research so that I can get up to speed with the terrain of NGO work in Mumbai.
A few meetings with Atma Partner staff have helped to get another, deeper perspective on the work. The Atma Partner initiatives are just incredibly dynamic and creative. It’s great to be around people who are so passionate about their work.
My goals as an Atma volunteer are pretty wide-ranging. The opportunity to really develop a project, as I am now with the Searching for Goodness Project, and explore the direction it can go in is a big part of the appeal. I’ll be given a lot of freedom to try and define my own solutions to challenges that arise, and present them to Summer in order to take the project forward. There are few volunteer roles in the NGO sector that give you the same degree of autonomy. It’s very refreshing. Additionally, volunteering with Atma will give me a real opportunity to see how I might enjoy a career in the sector.
So far, I’m really enjoying working with everyone at Atma. It’s a small team, but clearly works well together. It’s inspiring to see cultural issues just dealt with pretty smoothly, and usually humorously. Atma also works hard to make the learning curve as smooth as possible. They make a great effort to help you find your way around, organise your housing, provide travel advice and include you in a ready-made social circle. I really look forward to diving into this project and creating a sustained impact in the development sector in Mumbai!
