Feeling creative? Why not visit the most inspirational country in the world?

Unless you’ve got a spare couple of decades it’s important to stay focused on a trip to India. Full of the bizarre, the unique, the magical and the downright weird (all of which are available from street traders at the right price), if you told travellers they could only book one more flight, they’d be on a plane to Delhi before you’d finished the question. Be warned though, some people never feel like leaving. On this project, you’ll be working with a film production company in Bangalore, a city which will offer plenty of inspiration. You’ll be involved in a range of activities, such as editing and researching and will even have the chance to put forward some ideas for new projects.

What is the music magazine?

Soul City Publications Pvt Ltd was started by Rishi Shah in March 2001 solely out of his love for music. The company currently prints two publications that are circulated nation wide - RAVE Magazine and RAVE Rock. Our most recent publication was launched in the US and is called RAVE*SQ which is lifestyle oriented and circulated only in the US. RAVE Magazine currently has a massive readership of 125,000 that is steadily and surely growing across India!

Why does this project need volunteers?

The company's aim is to reach every music lover in the country through the magazine, events and "Support the Music" and to bring to every individual the joy and understanding of music in all genres and forms. We need students/volunteers who are looking to get a feel for music at every level in India. Your efforts and cultural knowledge of your own country will help to support our cause to promote and develop the condition of music and the arts in India and make people more aware of their steady decline.

Your role as a volunteer

You will work with the magazine in whichever department you prefer and wish to gain experience in: either Editorial or Design. You will get to meet famous Indian musicians, attend live concerts and learn about the intriguing Indian culture first-hand. In addition it will be our pleasure to help educate and introduce western students to the plethora of Indian arts and culture that we cherish so deeply.

The skills you need

It's simple; we're looking for people who have a general love for music! You should be prepared for a fluctuating level of work and be flexible to adapt to whatever projects are being undertaken at the time. You need to be positive, enthusiastic and proactive and prepared for a thrilling experience and valuable insight into the music industry!

Accommodation included

You will be living in a local guesthouse, run by an Indian family, giving you the perfect chance to live alongside the local culture and make friends with other volunteers who you may share your room with.

Accommodation upgrade

If you're looking for a single room with a little more luxury why not upgrade for £200.00 per week?

The Executive Inn has single rooms equipped with air conditioning, en suite bathroom, hot water, a fan and a TV (cable elsewhere on the premises). Shops and telephone facilities are five minutes away. Breakfast will be western style and dinner will be delicious Indian or Chinese cuisine. The distance to the projects is 5-8km and local transport will be available (please budget approximately 100-200 India Rupees per day for your transport).

Project resources and advice

If you can bring any creative things or personal items from home, such as books and photographs, this will be greatly appreciated!

Local facilities

The project is based in the heart of Bangalore. Bangalore is regarded as one of the country's most progressive cities with a current population of nearly 7.5 million. Nicknamed the 'Garden City', Bangalore is surrounded by pleasant parks, a Golf course, shopping centres, markets and copious areas of greenery. The bustling ‘green city' provides good transport connections, so you will be well placed for travel around the city. You will also have easy access to shops, internet cafes and other main amenities.

Food included

All your meals will be provided each day, in the form of breakfast, lunch and dinner, which will be traditional delicious Indian cuisine and are vegetarian-friendly.

Airport pick-up included

If you time your arrival to one of the designated arrival dates then airport pick-up is completely free. Please book your flight to arrive into Bangalore airport (airport code BLR). Should you require a different pick-up time, a charge of GBP£15 will be required to cover fuel and staff time to come and get you. Any additional nights needed at the orientation accommodation, for example if you arrive a day or two early, will be roughly 250Rupees per night, payable directly to the accommodation, or US$45 per night for the accommodation upgrade.

Things that you will need to organize yourself

• Flights to India: i-to-i can secure preferential rates, please ask us
• Travel insurance: i-to-i can secure preferential rates, please ask us
• Visa
• In-country transport (except your airport pickup on arrival date)
• Tours, trips and add-ons: i-to-i can secure preferential rates, please ask us
• Extra food and equipment

What exactly do i-to-i provide?

It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.

Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….

Project sourcing and assessment

We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More

Expert help-desk

Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.

Thorough project briefing materials

Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.

TEFL training

If you are volunteering on a Teaching or Community Development project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More

Airport pickup

It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

Arrival orientation

Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More

Local in-country coordinators

Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More

24/7 emergency support

Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More

Ongoing training

The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More

Supporting our projects

We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More  

Recruiting people like you

We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.

The intangible benefits

Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here

What we will do after you've booked:

• Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
• We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
• Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
• Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
• We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
• We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
• We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
• We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go

What you need to do after booking your place with us:

• Book your flights
• Arrange suitable travel insurance
• Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
  • application from
  • travel details
  • insurance details
  • medical information
  • emergency contacts
• Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
• Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
• Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
• Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
• Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
• Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
• Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
• Get on the plane!

Orientation Information

The following information details what will happen during the first few days of your arrival. We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that aims to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. It's also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in India.

You will arrive on the Arrival date - Sunday and will be met at the airport on that day and will be taken to your permanent accommodation where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. You will be shown your project the next day and will settle into your volunteer schedule. In the first few days a meeting will be arranged to have your orientation where you will be advised about the area.

If you're arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you wish to make your own way please check your on line details 21 days prior to arrival for your accommodation address, or contact your in country co ordinator directly for arrival details.

Insurance

It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.

The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.

If you have already booked but still need insurance then you may still be able to take our tailored policy. If, however it was more than a few days ago then try the links below:

Australian customers - find out more here >>

All other customers - find out more here >>

Flights

As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.

Early Airport Pick-up

If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to the orientation accommodation. Accommodation payment for any extra nights will then be made in country directly to the accommodation (approx 250 rupees per night) or for the accommodation upgrade (approx 45 USD per night).

The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 46.00

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