Community reflections on the volunteer experience

The term “volunteers” in Auroville is a curious distinction, as all Aurovilians are voluntary workers. There is, however, a population of “external” or “temporary” volunteers (including students) who contribute to Auroville and who have a distinct set of needs all of their own. Some call them the “prana”, or life force, of the township, filled as they are with fresh power, energy and inspiration. Most Aurovilians recognize the contribution they bring in terms of expertise, time, work, or goodwill. Most also recognize the importance of their presence for widening of Auroville’s ideals and outreach.

SAVI is the Auroville unit that works with these volunteers to facilitate their smooth transition into Auroville and help them have a positive experience during their time here. And it was the SAVI team that recently called a meeting to update the larger community on the present situation (including a decision by the BCC that volunteers must now contribute Rs 900 a month) and to invite feedback on volunteer issues.

Over 30 people attended the gathering, which began with Dominique of SAVI presenting demographic data on volunteers collected in 2014. Of the nearly 380 volunteers who registered with SAVI last year, roughly 70% were foreigners and 30% Indians. (The number of volunteers and students is below the reality, as this does not include people who directly contact units without registering with SAVI.) Most volunteers stayed an average of 4-5 months, and most were within the ages of 20-29. Most volunteers reported working between 24-32 hours per week, and the second largest percentage reported working between 40-48 hours per week. Not surprisingly, Sadhana Forest hosts the largest number of volunteers, followed by Sacred Groves, Botanical Gardens, Buddha Garden and AV Consulting. Overall, there were 116 units that hosted one or more volunteers in 2014, with the majority of work opportunities coming in the education and environmental sectors.

Dominique then requested feedback on four major challenges facing volunteers, so as, “to prepare a renewed vision for their life and harmonious integration into Auroville”. The topics included volunteers’ integration into the community, the registration/administration process, work relationships with the units and mentoring/follow up.

It was felt that while volunteers often contribute a tremendous amount to the community, there are challenges that sometimes hinder them from further integrating into Auroville. For instance, volunteers working more than 40 hours a week may not have the time to explore other aspects of the township. There are also few social spaces, such as cafes and restaurants, for volunteers to meet each other after hours. In addition, Auroville could improve its hospitality to volunteers by giving them further public recognition within the greater community, perhaps by highlighting the story of one person per month in a public forum. SAVI and the Entry Service could also continue to work closely to facilitate a smooth process from volunteer to Newcomer, a process they have improved significantly in recent times.

Regarding the registration process, meeting participants felt that Auroville should remain open to as many volunteers as it can and should continue to make volunteers feel welcome. This might include creating a simple, creative way to explain the registration process so that it’s easier and more attractive. Data collection should continue so as to understand the demographics of volunteers and to record their contributions to Auroville accurately.

There was also a call to make it as easy as possible for volunteers to work in units, and suggested that the Rs.900 contribution is not a welcoming gesture. It was also suggested that volunteers should have easier access to places like the Solar Kitchen and Matrimandir.

Finally the topic of mentoring, or supporting the volunteers’ experience in Auroville, was looked at. One suggestion was to conduct an Auroville orientation for volunteers, similar to what is is being done for Newcomers. Another perspective suggested increasing communication between volunteers and Aurovilians via home-stays. And, finally, communication between Savi and host units should be clear and constant, so that information flows freely between the two groups working most closely with the person.

Dominique thanked the participants, saying that the meeting had provided feedback and fresh ideas to the SAVI team.