Trip Highlights
- Teach underpriviliged children aged 6-12 years in Southern Sri Lanka
- Get first-hand working experience in an international set-up
- Stay in a tropical villa style volunteer house close to the beach in Unawatuna
- Meet some like-minded travelers from other parts of the world and make bonds of friendships
- Learn about the culture, traditions, and festivities of Sri Lanka
- Experience the thrill of wildlife adventure at any of the several national reserves, including, Sinharaja forest reserve, Bundala National park, Minneriya National park, and more
- Explore world-class beaches like Ahangama, Mirissa, and Tangalle and soak in the sun over the weekends
- Get the taste of real Sinhalese cuisine
Overview
Overview
This project seeks to help underprivileged children (aged 6-12 years) in southern Sri Lanka by offering them the opportunity to learn English at a higher level than what is available to them through the local school system. The goal is to improve the English language skills of these children and inspire them to continue developing their skills in this important international language in high school and beyond, so they are better prepared for their future lives and careers.
The level of care and attention provided to young students at less affluent schools in Sri Lanka is far from optimal, especially as it relates to developing their English language skills. A key driving force behind affluent and urban parents choosing international schools for their children is the exposure to English and how it enhances future prospects. Despite efforts taken by successive governments to enhance educational opportunities and standards at schools by providing free textbooks, uniforms, etc, there exists large disparities in the resources and facilities available for different schools in different areas. The unequal distribution of learning resources, the inability to support basic requirements for children in rural schools and the lack of qualified teachers have all led to limited educational opportunities for disadvantaged school children. Lack of adequate teaching staff and other resources in rural schools often depletes interest for English language learning among the children resulting in poor attendance and performance. Hence, there is a strong demand for learning English in these communities which this project addresses.
Program Requirements
Program Requirements
Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the time of joining the project. You need to have an open mind and a flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference. Participants must be fit and healthy at the time of joining the program. Participants should have no criminal convictions and should provide a clean criminal background check report.
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities
Our volunteers teach English (either directly or assisting the Education Coordinators) to children of varying ages (generally between 6-15 years old) and levels. We incorporate practical strategies with theoretical English language learning/teaching principles to enhance the learners' communication skills and develop their abilities. The classes are conducted in the mornings or afternoons for 2-3 hours per day and lesson planning is done for 4-5 hours a week. Typical class size ranges from 10-30 children.
Volunteers often work with small groups of children at a time providing special attention where needed. The Project Coordinator will accompany the volunteers to the project site and guide them when planning and delivering lessons.General activities include teaching English (reading, speaking, listening and writing), activity-based learning and activity-based oral English learning at the initial stages, providing the ability to distinguish and identify letters of the English alphabet; the ability to form the English alphabet on paper legibly using correct hand movements; the ability to write simple sentences with accuracy; and the ability to acquire a sufficient vocabulary related to his or her immediate environment and communication needs. Grammar lessons, comprehension, proper pronunciation practices and spontaneous speaking activities are also included.
This project is ideal for participants who are energetic, enjoy spending time with children and play a role in nurturing their minds with patience, empathetic character, sense of humour and maturity. An intermediate level of English is needed at the least to participate effectively as a volunteer in this project. The volunteers can also gain a better understanding of the culture and traditions of these children and vice versa, thereby bringing about authentic cultural exchange in an intimate setting.
Volunteer Work Schedule
Volunteer Work Schedule
- Saturday: Arrival +House Tour + Initial Training session (as long as the participants come by afternoon or else its done on Sunday).
- Sunday: Neighbourhood familiarization tour
- Mon to Fri: Volunteer work
- Breakfast - 06:30 am - 8:30am
- Monday to Friday 8-10.30am
- Lunch - between 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
- Lesson Planning 1-3 pm (There is an option to teach children at the teaching center from 3-5pm)
- Dinner - 06:30 pm -7:45 pm
Note: The schedule may vary depending on the particular project and local circumstances.
The project caters to local students at underprivileged rural areas and young monks in neighbouring Buddhist temples / Pirivenas in and around Galle to enhance their English language. The classes are scheduled 4 days a week with local students plus 1 day per week with young Buddhist Monks.
Living
Living
At Volunteering Solutions we ensure that all our international volunteers are provided the utmost comfort so that they can have a home away from home experience while working with us. We ensure that your stay, meals and other personal requirements are looked after well.
Airport Transfers
Volunteers are picked up from the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport Airport by a representative of the local coordinating team on the program start date during scheduled airport pickup hrs. Participants are also dropped off to the airport upon completion of the program during the scheduled airport drop hrs.
Note : Airport Transfers are provided at extra charges of USD $37 each way for a shared transfer during scheduled pickup hours on Saturday.There will be 2 shared airport transfers every Saturday (Morning and afternoon/evening) from airport to Galle and vice versa for return departures. A private transfer will cost USD 100.
Accommodation
Volunteers joining the programs in Galle, Sri Lanka, will get to stay in the quaint Unawatuna neighborhood, overlooking the famous Unawatuna Beach and the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Our participants stay in two volunteer houses which are located near to each other.
The Beachside house is located right across the road from Unawatuna Beach and about 100 metres from the other volunteer house. It has 12 spacious bedrooms of varying sizes with attached en suite bathrooms each with air-conditioning facilities (most rooms also have attached outdoor balconies). There is also a separate dining area, small garden, lounge, terrace and a large office with permanent staff onsite. The property is safeguarded by multiple CCTV cameras and an onsite night security team.
The other larger volunteer house has 13 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.Most of these rooms have ocean views! There's a private 40-foot outdoor swimming pool surrounded by tropical greenery. The house also has 3 kitchens as well as 3 living/common rooms (one each per floor), a prominent dining area, and a private outdoor garden with seating/lounging areas.
The office is located on the ground floor of the house near the main entrance – this is where the local team operate from every day. The house is located in a peaceful, nature-filled neighborhood adjacent to a small Buddhist temple (nestled away from the main tourist areas). To ensure the safety and security of the participants, there are CCTV cameras installed, and an in-house security guard for night-time surveillance. Hot water and high-speed Wi-Fi are there and you can opt for air-conditioning and laundry facilities at an additional charge.
Private (single and double) room upgrades are available at additional charges. During busy months participants are also also provided accommodation in nearby guesthouses in case of low capacity in the volunteer houses or non availability of private rooms.
Orientation
A detailed program Orientation will be provided before you start your volunteering program.All volunteers on arrival get a welcome presentation including health and safety training, culture presentation, project specific presentation and area orientation tour. Our staff will also assist you with the lessons and planning the curriculum, as and when required. You will also have access to our in-house teaching library consisting of manuals, books, and various teaching materials to help with lesson planning and providing general guidance.
Meals
We provide 3 freshly cooked meals per day all week long (Monday to Sunday): Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Fresh ingredients are purchased from local markets to prepare these meals. We have two lady chefs (a head chef and an assistant) from our community who come daily to cook fresh, homely and tasty local meals for the volunteers. We can cater to a range of special diets including vegan, gluten free, nut free and lactose-intolerant diets. If there are any other allergy or food requirements mentioned to us beforehand, we always do our best to accommodate those needs.
During Free Time
There is plenty to do during the freetime and weekends for the volunteers.The following activities are provided free of charge and included in your program fee:
- Evening Rooftop Yoga Session (weekly)
- Movie nights on large screen projector at the house (weekly)
- Bike tour across paddy fields and local villages (monthly)
- BBQ for volunteers and staff in the garden (monthly)
- Night Fishing for anyone into fishing (on demand)
The following are popular weekend (or even daily) activities which our volunteers love to do around the area (at an additional charge):
- Surfing lessons
- Elephant safari
- Whale watching (during season)
- Rainforest hiking
- Beach hopping
- Local cooking class
- Galle Walking Tour
- Local spice market visit
- Galle Fort visit
Dates
Dates
2024
2025
January
13
20
27
February
03
10
17
24
March
04
11
18
25
April
27
May
04
11
18
25
June
01
08
15
22
29
July
06
13
20
27
August
03
10
17
24
31
September
07
14
21
28
October
05
12
19
26
November
02
December
January
18
25
February
01
08
15
22
March
01
08
15
22
29
April
26
May
03
10
17
24
31
June
07
14
21
28
July
05
12
19
26
August
02
09
16
23
30
September
06
13
20
27
October
04
11
18
25
November
01
December
Past Date
Available
Unavailable
Filling Fast
Costs
Costs
Please Note: -An application fee of $249 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment. (A 5% international banking fee is charged at the time of payment)
What are you Paying for?
- 24 hrs Assistance and support from Staff
- Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
- Dedicated volunteer housing with WiFi (shared rooms)
- Orientation and training on arrival
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner all days
- Guaranteed project placement
- Local transportation to projects in private AC van or tuk tuk
- Experienced bilingual operations team on the ground
- Dedicated staff support from 6 am to 8 pm every day
- 24/7 local emergency support
- Weekly yoga class on rooftop terrace
- Weekly movie nights on large screen projector
- Monthly bike tour around paddy fields and local villages
- Monthly special BBQ dinner
- Travel & Medical Insurance (Available at an extra cost)
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- Visa Fee
- International Airfare
- Scheduled Airport Transfers from Colombo Airport (available at extra charges)
- Vaccinations
- Any personal expenses
- Additional Local Excursions and Trips
Reviews
Reviews
Frequently asked questions
FAQ's Application and Program Details
Flights and Visa
Health and Safety
Accommodation and Living
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