Volunteer onboarding guide
Your volunteer journey
Seven steps, from signing up to your first day in a classroom — and on to your 50-hour certificate. Everything happens on the volunteer portal.
Before you begin
Four things worth knowing about volunteering with us.
- A police check is required
- Every volunteer needs a Police Clearance Certificate (PCC). It is a government requirement that keeps children safe. We help you get one in Step 2.
- Roles are in person
- Almost all volunteering happens inside a school, in Mumbai, Pune or Nagpur. Online roles are rare.
- Mostly on weekdays
- Volunteering runs during school hours, so weekend slots are limited.
- All roles are unpaid
- These are voluntary commitments. There is no stipend or salary.
If you are under 18
We accept volunteers aged 16 to 18 only as an exception, and only with a parent or legal guardian alongside them.
The guardian must be present at every stage — orientation, signing the consent form, filling the profile, submitting the PCC (using the guardian's own documents) and every session at the school. No exceptions.
Write to Priyanka before applyingThe seven steps
Tap any step to jump straight to it.
- 1 Register and complete your profile Create your account and upload your photo
- 2 Update your PCC and documents Three ways to do it — we can handle it for you
- 3 Finish orientation Videos and a quiz, or a live session
- 4 Sign the declaration This is what unlocks your coordinator
- 5 Download your ID card Carry it whenever you visit the school
- 6 Meet your school coordinator Their contact appears on your dashboard
- 7 Log your hours 50 hours earns your certificate
Step 1
Register and complete your profile
- Create your account. Go to https://akanksha.magictick.com/?signup=1 and sign up with your email and a few basic details.
- Fill in your profile. Your education, the city you'd like to volunteer in (Mumbai, Pune or Nagpur), and the kind of work you'd like to do.
- Upload a clear photo. A passport-style picture where your face is clearly visible. This exact photo is printed on your volunteer ID card, so it's worth getting right.
Step 2
Update your PCC and documents
Why this is needed. Akanksha's child protection policy requires a Police Clearance Certificate from every adult who works with children. There are no exceptions to this.
- You don't have to wait for the certificate itself. The payment receipt or application slip is enough to carry on with the rest of the steps.
- Your documents stay private. They are encrypted and seen only by the team that verifies them.
- Verification takes 24 to 48 hours on working days.
Choose one of three ways
A. We do it for you
RecommendedFill a short form on the portal and upload your ID documents. Our team then makes the whole government application on your behalf.
This route needs you to share a one-time password (OTP) with us, because the government portal sends it to your phone. If you would rather not share an OTP, choose option B or C instead.
B. You already have a PCC
Upload a copy of your certificate, along with the front of your Aadhaar card. We verify it within 24 to 48 hours.
C. You apply yourself
Apply on pcs.mahaonline.gov.in. Download the Akanksha NOC letter from our portal first, pay the government fee (₹100 to ₹300), then upload your receipt to the portal.
Step 3
Finish orientation
Orientation covers how our classrooms work, how we keep children safe, and how we teach. Pick whichever of the two formats suits you.
Watch videos at your own pace
RecommendedAbout 41 minutes — the quickest route if you are in a hurry to start
- Three short video modules, around 11 minutes in total.
- Then a 25-question quiz, around 30 minutes.
- Your video progress saves automatically. The quiz is timed, so finish it in one sitting.
Join a live session on Zoom
About 90 minutes — held on a fixed schedule
- A live session with the Volunteer Program Team.
- Includes questions and discussion about school culture and what your impact looks like.
Step 4
Sign the declaration
Read our code of conduct and child safeguarding terms, then sign digitally on the portal. That completes your onboarding profile.
What unlocks your coordinator
We can only connect you to your school coordinator once all three of these are on file:
- 1 Your signed declaration
- 2 Your PCC receipt or certificate
- 3 Your finished orientation
Step 5
Download your ID card
Once your documents are verified, your volunteer ID card appears on your dashboard automatically. Nothing to request.
- Save it as a PDF on your phone, or print a copy.
- Keep it with you every time you visit your school.
Step 6
Meet your school coordinator
Your coordinator's contact card appears at the top of your dashboard. They are your main point of contact at the school.
Message them on WhatsApp
Tap the green WhatsApp button beside their name and a chat opens directly.
Step 7
Log your hours
After every session at your school, press Log hours on your dashboard. This is what builds your verified service record — and it is the only record we have.
How you log changes what your certificate says
Write a detailed log
RecommendedEnter the date, your hours, and a line or two on what you did.
You get a personalised certificate naming your actual contributions.
Clock in and out
One tap when you arrive, one when you leave.
You get a standard certificate, with no description of your work.
Don't log at all
Not advisedYour hours are never recorded.
You cannot get a certificate at all.
Your milestone
50 hours
Complete 50 hours of volunteering and you become eligible for Akanksha's official Certificate of Recognition and Appreciation.
Your certificate is signed off by your school coordinator and the HR Program Team (Priyanka and Uma).
Stuck? Ask us
The Volunteer Program Team answers questions at any step.
Henisha Gadani
Using the portal — anything that looks broken or confusing