Community Work With Children in Sri Lanka

  Sri Lanka

• Other Cities in Sri Lanka: 
Kandy

Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 9-12 weeks
Dates: Mulitiple start dates year round

Description: Marco Polo described the island of Sri Lanka as the finest of its size in the world and he obviously knew his stuff. Legend has it that its shaped like a tear drop because the mainland was so upset to see the island become cut off, and we can understand what they mean. But their loss is your gain because left to its own devices it has developed a unique natural environment full of surprises for you to enjoy. Save some energy for the project though because you can make a real difference to young people's lives by providing support with homework and English language lessons, as well as generating creative play through games, sports, singing, dancing and drama.

*Project details:
In Sri Lanka, we work with a variety of different community development projects based around Colombo and the hill country. Many of the projects are orphanages or children's homes which house between 20 and 300 children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Generally, the ages of the children range from about 3 to 18, although some of the homes also care for infants. Many of the projects receive very little government funding and rely on charitable donations to care for the children, who often have very few possessions or clothing.

The organisations we work run various initiatives for young people or for the poorest people in Sri Lanka, including English lessons, social activities and youth camps.

*Why the project needs volunteers:
The projects that we work with offer valuable support to children or young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, many of whom are orphans. While many of the young people at the projects have access to education provided by the government, they are usually unable to benefit from it fully due to the many complexities in their lives.

The support that our volunteers provide allows many of the young people to improve their English skills, which will create more opportunities for them, and to learn about a new culture. Often, the staff members do not have time to give attention to all of the children, and they will really benefit from spending time and doing creative activities with volunteers.

Find out more about i-to-i, watch their short video here: http://video.i-to-i.com/site-videos/video.html

Highlights:
* Making a real difference to the lives of children in this stunning country
* Getting to know your homestay family - the best way to understand any country
* Learning about the troubled recent history of Sri Lanka and taking inspiration from the spirit of her people

Qualifications: What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
Volunteers at this project should have a genuine love of children and young people. Although you do not require any special skills, any experience working with children or young people would be valuable. Volunteers must be able to use their initiative and be motivated to work without guidance. Volunteers should be patient, compassionate, resourceful and imaginative.

Your role as a volunteer:
You may become involved in a variety of activities, including homework support, arts and crafts activities, games, songs and social education. All of the projects involve an element of English teaching, but the amount required and the method of teaching will vary from project to project.

Your schedule will be flexible and will depend on the needs of the project. You may be asked to help the staff members improve their English or IT skills, or you may become involved with fundraising or improving the appearance of the project. You may also be involved in various extra curricular activities such as dancing, music, art and craft.

In the Kurunagala area you will be working on a number of projects. You will be working with younger children in the mornings at pre schools where the children are aged between 3 and 5 years and in the afternoons you will be working in orphanages when the older children return from school.   

Cost in US$: USD 1,295.00 for 2 weeks, USD 220.00 for every week thereafter

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: If you are interested in immersing yourself in another culture while giving your time to a worthy cause, then you are a typical i-to-i volunteer. We invite you to join the i-to-i community of dedicated volunteers aged 18-80 who are working on community development, building, teaching, and conservation projects across the globe. Together, we make a lasting impact that changes lives and helps preserve the planet through hundreds of worthwhile projects around the world.

Age Range: 18-70

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Sri Lanka Independently

Typically Participants Work in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Phone Interview

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

i-to-i Meaningful Travel's Mission Statement: i-to-i is an award-winning organization providing unique opportunities for you to travel, work and live abroad. Thousands of travelers aged 18 to 80 have joined our volunteer vacations and over 50,000 have learned to Teach English as a Foreign Language through our tailor-made TEFL courses. With over 400 projects on 4 continents, you can join the worldwide i-to-i volunteer community on an extended adventure in areas such as teaching, community development, sports coaching, conservation, building or internships in tourism, marketing, journalism, or health.

Year Founded: 1994