At first meeting, Will comes across as a very enthusiastic, high energy and likeable person wanting to help out in any way he can. He is from London and after having volunteered with the Barack Obama campaign and being thrown in at the deep end he dove straight into the sports programme with us. Since he’s been here, a nice structure and discipline has come in to the programmes and drills have been designed specifically to develop Life Skills. When he goes back, he’s going to pursue Economics at Cambridge University. You can congratulate him on mouse057@hotmail.com We wish Will all the very best and hope that he has many more volunteering experiences with Dream a Dream.
Why did you choose Dream A Dream to volunteer and has it met your expectations?
I chose Dream a Dream very quickly after a couple discussions with Gap Guru. I was really happy I'd get to work with so many different children and I really wanted to do something active so Dream A Dream was perfect. I really wanted to try and give back somehow over my year out (so I am really happy to be recognized) and working with such a great NGO was a privilege. I took a while to find my role but Dream a Dream has always met my expectations and I will come back soon to visit or even volunteer again.
What keeps you going?
Bobbymon! Seriously though (although Bobby is great) the children, because without them I wouldn't be here. There is nothing better than a session going well and seeing the children enjoying themselves. Caffeine helps too.
How has this experience of volunteering with Dream A Dream helped you develop as an Individual?
...It's hard to differentiate between the Dream a Dream experience and my time in India. Since I’ve been in Bangalore I’ve learnt the importance of being laid back (although I haven't quite learnt how to be laid back). It's definitely helped my interaction with children and everyone as a whole...If your interested in people they'll be interested back and if you make an effort, either by learning a name or a language, the children will respect you for it.
Kieran is from Derby, England and has been volunteering with us for a month in the Sports Programme. He has a university degree in Sports Management and has proactively used that to help better the quality of our intervention. In his own quiet way, he has made an impression on the Dream Football programme and most importantly on the children.
We wish him all the best and hope to see him come back and volunteer with us.
You can congratulate him at kierandayaram@hotmail.com
Why did you choose Dream A Dream to volunteer and has it met your expectations?
I found Dream A Dream through the UK company Gap Guru with who I arranged to volunteer for a total of 5 weeks. Having read about the how the organisation works and through which channels, I was really excited to use sport as a tool to help children learn life skills. The experience has definitely exceeded my initial expectations, as a large number of sessions are carried out each week for different groups of children from various backgrounds. It is great to see that the vast majority of the children have the desire to learn new things about their sport and most importantly have an enjoyable time in the process. Admittedly there have been a few ups and downs along the way, but the responses from all situations have been positive and because of this my personal satisfaction is high!
What keeps you going?
Definitely the enthusiasm and passion of everyone at Dream A Dream. It is clear that everyone strives to ensure all the children involved get the most out of the sessions and programmes that they attend. It is great to always hear new ideas and ways in which things can be improved. The end product of this is that the children appreciate what Dream A Dream are doing for them, which more often than not helps them achieve as much as they can.
How has this experience of volunteering with Dream A Dream helped you develop as an Individual?
I would like to think that I have become more empathetic to the children and in some cases it is totally understandable how they react to certain situations. In addition, I think I have become more adaptable as a lot of the sessions require you to think and act instinctively for the good of a particular session (for example, if the coach is absent). Finally, my co-operation with others (both colleagues and the children) has improved, especially due to the language barrier. It is important to develop a bond with the children even if verbal communication is difficult.
Why did you choose Dream A Dream to volunteer and has it met your expectations?
I chose Dream a Dream very quickly after a couple discussions with Gap Guru. I was really happy I'd get to work with so many different children and I really wanted to do something active so Dream A Dream was perfect. I really wanted to try and give back somehow over my year out (so I am really happy to be recognized) and working with such a great NGO was a privilege. I took a while to find my role but Dream a Dream has always met my expectations and I will come back soon to visit or even volunteer again.
What keeps you going?
Bobbymon! Seriously though (although Bobby is great) the children, because without them I wouldn't be here. There is nothing better than a session going well and seeing the children enjoying themselves. Caffeine helps too.
How has this experience of volunteering with Dream A Dream helped you develop as an Individual?
...It's hard to differentiate between the Dream a Dream experience and my time in India. Since I’ve been in Bangalore I’ve learnt the importance of being laid back (although I haven't quite learnt how to be laid back). It's definitely helped my interaction with children and everyone as a whole...If your interested in people they'll be interested back and if you make an effort, either by learning a name or a language, the children will respect you for it.
Kieran is from Derby, England and has been volunteering with us for a month in the Sports Programme. He has a university degree in Sports Management and has proactively used that to help better the quality of our intervention. In his own quiet way, he has made an impression on the Dream Football programme and most importantly on the children.We wish him all the best and hope to see him come back and volunteer with us.
You can congratulate him at kierandayaram@hotmail.com
Why did you choose Dream A Dream to volunteer and has it met your expectations?
I found Dream A Dream through the UK company Gap Guru with who I arranged to volunteer for a total of 5 weeks. Having read about the how the organisation works and through which channels, I was really excited to use sport as a tool to help children learn life skills. The experience has definitely exceeded my initial expectations, as a large number of sessions are carried out each week for different groups of children from various backgrounds. It is great to see that the vast majority of the children have the desire to learn new things about their sport and most importantly have an enjoyable time in the process. Admittedly there have been a few ups and downs along the way, but the responses from all situations have been positive and because of this my personal satisfaction is high!
What keeps you going?
Definitely the enthusiasm and passion of everyone at Dream A Dream. It is clear that everyone strives to ensure all the children involved get the most out of the sessions and programmes that they attend. It is great to always hear new ideas and ways in which things can be improved. The end product of this is that the children appreciate what Dream A Dream are doing for them, which more often than not helps them achieve as much as they can.
How has this experience of volunteering with Dream A Dream helped you develop as an Individual?
I would like to think that I have become more empathetic to the children and in some cases it is totally understandable how they react to certain situations. In addition, I think I have become more adaptable as a lot of the sessions require you to think and act instinctively for the good of a particular session (for example, if the coach is absent). Finally, my co-operation with others (both colleagues and the children) has improved, especially due to the language barrier. It is important to develop a bond with the children even if verbal communication is difficult.
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The actual starting line....
One of the elite athletes completing the final stretch of the full marathon just as the Dream Run was getting started...
A view of the sheet number of people taking part...taken as we completed the route along the waterfront and climbed a flyover to complete the final 2kms....JPG)
The Dream A Dream Team runners proudly carrying placards to raise awareness about our cause...also thoroughly enjoying themselves!.JPG)
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We also sported matching t-shirts...
Runners also got to enjoy entertainment along the way...
The Dream Run group finally made it to the finish line...a few hours behind the the many runners who had represented us in the full and half marathons...
Planting our dreams in Mumbai.....