Volunteer for a two-week placement in India

Equal Health will be returning to India for our 2026 Camp!

Placements are available for Optometrists, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech Pathologists, Psychologists, Dieticians, Pharmacists, Podiatrists, Teachers, and an Artist.

Imagine waking each morning unable to see the world clearly, or lacking the therapy support to regain independence with everyday tasks. This is the reality that many people in India face, as health services that most Australians take for granted simply are not available.

Opportunities for short term meaningful and life changing travel experiences are now available for health professionals who wish to volunteer their skills, to help underprivileged people access health care in rural India.

It's incredible how a simple pair of glasses or access to therapy can transform someone's life. Restoring clear vision and empowering individuals to regain independence are what Equal Health strives to achieve each year.

According to our team of health professionals and from leaders in communities we serve, Equal Health's programs can be life changing, both for the people we serve and our volunteers.

Please add your name to our Expression of Interest List for our next camp

Equal Health Expression of Interest List

Read experiences of previous volunteers.

YOUR LIFE CHANGING ADVENTURE AWAITS

Equal Health has possible placements available in the following Indian locations:

Katwa, West Bengal – Anandaniketan, Society for Mental Health Care – allied health, nursing, mental health, education, eye care.
Kolkata, West Bengal – Childlife Preserve Shisur Sevay – allied health, education.
Kolkata, West Bengal - Sankara Nethralaya / Elite School of Optometry – eye care, allied health.
Trichy, Tamil Nadu – Society for Education Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI),– eye care, allied health, public health, education.
Trichy, Tamil Nadu – The Spastics Society of Tiruchirappalli – allied health, nursing, mental health.

EQUAL HEALTH PLACEMENT LOCATIONS

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu is one of the southern Indian states and is situated on the south-eastern point of the Indian subcontinent along the Bay of Bengal. The other states in southern India are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala. The population of Tamil Nadu is 63,000,000, making it the seventh most populous state in India with around 56% of the population living in rural areas. According to Indian government statistics, around 20% of people living in the rural areas of Tamil Nadu live beneath the poverty line. The Tamil language has been named as one of the four Classical Languages of India. The origin of the language date back to 500BC and is thought to have been the dominant language of India at one time.

West Bengal

The state of West Bengal is located in East India along the Bay of Bengal. It is India's fourth most populous state, with over 91 million inhabitants. The geography of West Bengal includes the Darjeeling Himalayan hill region in its extreme north, the Ganges delta, the Rarh region and the coastal Sundarbans. The main ethnic group are the Bengali people, with Bengali Hindus forming the demographic majority.

VOLUNTEER KIT

Equal Health provides opportunities for short term volunteer travel experiences for Australian health professionals who give their skills and services, to improve the health and lives of people living in overseas and communities in need. We conduct annual aid camps over a two week period.

 WORKING CONDITIONS

Working conditions for volunteers can be challenging in the rural locations, but despite the challenges volunteers may face, the communities are very appreciative and the work rewarding.

Placements are available to qualified health professionals encompassing eye care, allied health, nursing and education.

Volunteer Introductory Information kit PDF

VOLUNTEER INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION KIT: INDIA CAMP 2026

Required forms to be completed and returned...

Email to: recruitment@equalhealth.org.au

Post to: PO Box 64 Fremantle WA 6959

Application Form and Payments Form For 2026 India Camp

Police Clearance

Identification check

Medical Check

Working With Children Check

The process for applying for a Working With Children Check is as follows:

Collect a paper Working with Children Check application form from an authorised Australia Post outlet.
Complete applicant sections 1 to 4 in blue or black ink, using your full legal name
Contact an equal health committee member (recruitment@equalhealth.org.au), asking for sections 5 to 6 to be signed
Gather original identification documents adding up to at least 100 points as listed in the form.
Lodge the signed form, ID and fee at Australia Post, where staff will photograph you and give you a receipt.
Track progress online and, once approved, your three-year WWCC card will be posted to you.

Note: WWCC will cost $11 to lodge for volunteers/unpaid persons.

Closing date for applications: 30th September

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

DEFAT provides travel advice and information on specific countries, policies, passports and Australian embassies and consulates.https://dfat.gov.au

SMART TRAVELLER

The Australian Government's travel advisory and consular assistance page. Includes all relevant travel updates and tips on health and insurance. https://smartraveller.gov.au

AusAID

AusAID is the Australian Government agency responsible for managing Australia's overseas aid program. This site provides information on the Australian government's overseas aid program and details on the Australian Government's stance on humanitarian and emergency assistance. www.ausaid.gov.au

FORMS

Reimbursement of Expenses Claim Form

THE TRAVEL DOCTOR

The Travel Doctor (TMVC) promotes safe and healthy travel. It guarantees the most up-to-date international health advice and medical services to those intending to travel. https://www.traveldoctor.com.au

TRAVEL HEALTH ONLINE

Travel Health Online provides health and safety information including immunisation recommendations, malaria prevention, transmission, treatment guidelines and prevention of numerous illnesses. Travel Health Plus in Fremantle has now opened up a second clinic in Nedlands, operating on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-5pm.

Postcard

www.travelhealth.com.au

AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (ACFID)

ACFID is an independent national association of Australian non-government organisations (NGOs) working in the field of international aid and development www.acfid.asn.au

India – West Bengal Team

Allied Health volunteer positions are available at Childlife Preserve Shishur Sevay in Kolkata and Anandaniketan Society for Mental Health Care in Katwa. Childlife Preserve Shishur Sevay (CPSS) is a family-style, inclusive, small group home for lost and abandoned girls founded in 2006 by Dr Michelle Harrison, an American physician. CPSS is a model of non-institutional care where the girls are nurtured and educated so they can be participating members of society. CPSS is currently home to fifteen (15) girls between the ages of ten and twenty-five years, some of whom have profound disabilities. In 2022 CPSS opened the Children's Smart Centre which offers inclusive education to children with and without disabilities in the community. Currently 30 children, whose ages range between 2.5 and 5 years, attend the centre. Five of the children have disabilities including cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD. The Children's Smart Centre operates from Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 1:00pm. The first visit to CPSS by Equal Health volunteers was in February 2017. Anandaniketan Society for Mental Health Care (AN) is a not for profit organisation that provides residential care to 216 children, adolescents and adults. The residents mostly have intellectual and/or physical disabilities, sensory disabilities and/or mental illness. Many of the residents with intellectual and physical disabilities are orphans. AN aims to serve disabled individuals in rural West Bengal through education, health care, vocational training, and community-based rehabilitation. AN runs a Special School that provides education for children with special needs living in the community. Some of the AN residents also attend the Special School. The residents who are orphans live in the Shelter Home for Girls and Shelter Home for Boys, and the residents with mental health conditions live in the Women's Mental Health Shelter and Men's Mental Health Shelter. The first visit to AN by Equal Health volunteers was in February 2004. Equal Health allied health volunteers work with Equal Health special education teachers to support AN staff, carers and teachers in their work through training, mentoring, and sharing of knowledge and skills.

Special Needs Education volunteer positions for special education teachers are available at Childlife Preserve Shishur Sevay (CPSS) in Kolkata and Anandaniketan Society for Mental Health Care (AN) in Katwa. Childlife Preserve Shishur Sevay (CPSS) is a family-style, inclusive, small group home for lost and abandoned girls founded in 2006 by Dr Michelle Harrison, an American physician. CPSS is a model of non-institutional care where the girls are nurtured and educated so they can be participating members of society. CPSS is currently home to fifteen (15) girls between the ages of ten and twenty-five years, some of whom have profound disabilities. In 2022 CPSS opened the Children's Smart Centre which offers inclusive education to children with and without disabilities in the community. Currently 30 children, whose ages range between 2.5 and 5 years, attend the centre. Five of the children have disabilities including cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD. The Children's Smart Centre operates from Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 1:00pm. The first visit to CPSS by Equal Health volunteers was in February 2017. Anandaniketan Society for Mental Health Care (AN) is a not for profit organisation that provides residential care to 216 children, adolescents and adults. The residents mostly have intellectual and/or physical disabilities, sensory disabilities and/or mental illness. Many of the residents with intellectual and physical disabilities are orphans. AN aims to serve disabled individuals in rural West Bengal through education, health care, vocational training, and community-based rehabilitation. AN runs a Special School that provides education for children with special needs living in the community. Some of the AN residents also attend the Special School. The residents who are orphans live in the Shelter Home for Girls and Shelter Home for Boys, and the residents with mental health conditions live in the Women's Mental Health Shelter and Men's Mental Health Shelter. The first visit to AN by Equal Health volunteers was in February 2004. Equal Health special education teachers work with Equal Health allied health volunteers to support AN staff, teachers and carers in their work through training, mentoring, and sharing of knowledge and skills.

Eye Care volunteer positions for optometrists are available at Anandaniketan Society for Mental Health Care (AN). Anandaniketan Society for Mental Health Care (AN) is a not for profit organisation that provides residential care to 216 children, adolescents and adults. The residents mostly have intellectual and/or physical disabilities, sensory disabilities or mental illness. Many of the residents with intellectual and physical disabilities are orphans. AN aims to serve disabled individuals in rural West Bengal through education, health care, eye care vocational training, and community-based rehabilitation. AN runs a Special School that provides education for children with special needs living in the community. The residents who are orphans live in the Shelter Home for Girls and Shelter Home for Boys, and the residents with mental health conditions live in the Women's Mental Health Shelter and Men's Mental Health Shelter. The first visit to AN by Equal Health volunteers was in February 2004.

Nursing volunteer positions for maternal & child health, general and mental health nurses are available at Childlife Preserve Shishur Sevay (CPSS) in Kolkata, and Anandaniketan Society for Mental Health Care (AN) in Katwa. Childlife Preserve Shishur Sevay (CPSS) is a family-style, inclusive, small group home for lost and abandoned girls founded in 2006 by Dr Michelle Harrison, an American physician. CPSS is a model of non-institutional care where the girls are nurtured and educated so they can be participating members of society. CPSS is currently home to fifteen (15) girls between the ages of ten and twenty-five years, some of whom have profound disabilities. In 2022 CPSS opened the Children's Smart Centre which offers inclusive education to children with and without disabilities in the community. Currently 30 children, whose ages range between 2.5 and 5 years, attend the centre. Five of the children have disabilities including cerebral palsy, autism, ADHD. The Children's Smart Centre operates from Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 1:00pm. The first visit to CPSS by Equal Health volunteers was in February 2017. Anandaniketan Society for Mental Health Care (AN) is a not for profit organisation that provides residential care to 216 children, adolescents and adults. The residents mostly have intellectual and/or physical disabilities, sensory disabilities and/or mental illness. Many of the residents with intellectual and physical disabilities are orphans. AN aims to serve disabled individuals in rural West Bengal through education, health care, vocational training, and community-based rehabilitation. AN runs a Special School that provides education for children with special needs living in the community. Some of the AN residents also attend the Special School. The residents who are orphans live in the Shelter Home for Girls and Shelter Home for Boys, and the residents with mental health conditions live in the Women's Mental Health Shelter and Men's Mental Health Shelter. The first visit to AN by Equal Health volunteers was in February 2004. Equal Health nurses work with AN staff, teachers and carers in their work through training, mentoring, and sharing of knowledge and skills.

India – Tamil Nadu Team

Eye Care volunteer positions are available for optometrists. The eye care team work with local Indian partner Society for Education, Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI) to provide eye testing and spectacles in Tamil Nadu. The eye care team also refers patients seen for eye testing, who require surgery, to local eye hospitals such as Athreya Retinal Centre (ARC) or Joseph Eye Hospital (JEH) in Trichy. The majority of presenting visual problems are associated with cataracts and presbyopia (hardening of the crystalline lens requiring reading glasses).

Allied Health volunteer positions (physiotherapy, speech pathology, occupational therapy, psychology, podiatry, dietetics) are available at Society for Education Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI) in Trichy and rural communities in Tamil Nadu, and The Spastics Society (TSS) in Trichy. Society for Education Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI) was established in 1975 and founded by Dr K. Govindaraju who continues to be its chief functionary. SEVAI's main sites include: Shanti School, Raja School, Mettamuradur School, Allur, Biodiversity Training Centre, Amoor Village, and Tuttiapatti Tribal Village. Some of the programs run and/or supported by SEVAI include:

AIDS Program – provides AIDS education, prevention, support and treatment
Women's Development Program – provides vocational training, skills training, AIDS awareness training, Health Awareness training.
Tsunami Housing Project
Transgender Society – supported by SEVAI
Inclusive Education Program – for children with disabilities in the Trichy district.

The Spastics Society (TSS) was founded in 1982 with the specific objective of providing rehabilitation services, education, and vocational training to children with Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Disabilities, to empower, support and enable them to lead independent lives. The services and programs provided by TSS are oriented towards creating an Inclusive Society in which their clients can live their lives with dignity and self-determination, and enjoy the same rights as others in India. TSS programmes include: Early Intervention, Day Care, Home Management, Rural Habilitation, Newborn Screening, Inclusive Education and Community Based Rehabilitation.

Education/Teaching volunteer positions for early childhood, primary and secondary teachers are available at Society for Education Village Action and Improvement (SEVAI) in Trichy and rural communities in Tamil Nadu. SEVAI was established in 1975 and founded by Dr K. Govindaraju who continues to be its chief functionary. SEVAI's main sites include: Shanti School, Raja School, Mettamuradur School, Allur, Biodiversity Training Centre, Amoor Village, and Tuttiapatti Tribal Village . Some of the programs run and/or supported by SEVAI include:

AIDS Program – provides AIDS education, prevention, support and treatment
Women's Development Program – provides vocational training, skills training, AIDS awareness training, Health Awareness training.
Tsunami Housing Project
Transgender Society – supported by SEVAI
Inclusive Education Program – for children with disabilities in the Trichy district.

Nursing volunteer positions for maternal & child health nurses are available atThe Spastics Society (TSS) in Trichy. The Spastics Society (TSS) was founded in 1982 with the specific objective of providing rehabilitation services, education, and vocational training to children with Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Disabilities, to empower, support and enable them to lead independent lives. The services and programs provided by TSS are oriented towards creating an Inclusive Society in which their clients can live their lives with dignity and self-determination, and enjoy the same rights as others in India. TSS programmes include: Early Intervention, Day Care, Home Management, Rural Habilitation, Newborn Screening, Inclusive Education and Community Based Rehabilitation.