Volunteer Teaching Sri Lanka
Help at childcare, teaching & community projects in Sri Lanka
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Group Size: Avg 5-20
Trip code: SLTP
Duration: 2 - 6 weeks
Volunteer with children
Teach English abroad
Live with other volunteers!
Spend 2 or more weeks as a volunteer teacher in Sri Lanka! This fantastic volunteer programme sees you helping out in local kindergartens and primary schools, assisting in the classroom and leading English learning sessions. You will make a vital contribution to the education system in Sri Lanka and make a real difference in the lives of local people. During your time off, you can chill out on beautiful beaches or venture inland to discover the delights of this enchanting country. It’s an incredible volunteer and travel experience!
Trip highlights
- Help out in kindergartens and schools in southern Sri Lanka
- Make a real difference in the lives of children by helping them learn English
- Improve the teaching standards in Sri Lanka by introducing fresh and exciting ideas
- Interact with the local community and get to know friendly Sri Lankan people
- Explore the rest of this stunning country during your time off!
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- 100% Financially Secure
- We have provided financial bonds which guarantee that your money is totally safe with Gap 360 Ltd.
What's included
- Simple accommodation
- All meals
- Airport transfer on arrival
- Project training
- Transport to and from project
- Teaching project
- Donation to schools
- Weekly yoga class on rooftop terrace
- Weekly movie night
- Monthly bike tour of local villages
- Monthly garden BBQ
- 24 hour emergency support
What's not included
- Flights
- Visas
- Travel insurance
- Optional activities
- DBS Police Record Check
- Extra teaching resources (purchased locally)
- Return airport transfer
Further trip information
Support and improve the education of children in Sri Lanka on this awesome volunteer programme. Help the teachers and children improve their spoken English and see the results of your hard work as the children enjoy and respond to your teaching!
Volunteer Duties
As a volunteer, you will help out in local kindergartens and primary schools between 8am and 12pm, assisting teachers and students. Your daily tasks may include the following:
Kindergarten
- Working with children aged 3-5
- Teaching basic English – e.g. alphabet and small words
- Leading art sessions
- Teaching rhymes and songs
- Helping teachers in the classrooms
- Organising games during play time
- Supervising meal times
- Preparing teaching resources for teachers
Primary School
- Working with children aged 6-12
- Teaching basic English, maths and science
- Helping teachers in the classroom
- Organising sports
- Reading stories
- Organising clubs and after-school activities
- One to one teaching
- Preparing teaching resources for teachers
A Typical Volunteer Day
You will volunteer from Monday to Friday each week. A typical day of volunteering might look like this:
7:00am. Breakfast at your volunteer house.
8:30am. Volunteer at your placement. Liaise with staff to plan for the day ahead.
12:30pm. Lunch break. Then time to relax or help out with after school clubs.
Included Activities
As well as your volunteering duties you may also have the opportunity to take part in a number of activites which may occur whilst you are at the project, such as:
- Weekly yoga class from an experienced yoga teacher
- Weekly movie night on large screen projector
- Monthly guided bike tour around the local paddyfields and countryside
- Monthly special Sri Lanka BBQ dinner
- Monthly cultural visit to Buddhist temple
Weekends
Your weekends are free to chill out or explore. You will be staying in the southern area of Sri Lanka between the wonderful beach town of Unawatuna and Galle city. Why not spend your weekends chilling by the sea or exploring the Unesco World Heritage Site of Galle? You could also organise trips to Kandy, the cultural capital of Sri Lanka, discover elephants in Pinnawela, check out Yala National Park, wander the rock fortress of Sigiriya, and more! The local team can help you plan your weekend excursions.
Please note: The project does not run during school holidays. Please download the trip notes for details for more details or speak to a travel advisor.
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Booking options
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Teaching volunteering is not available during Sri Lankan school holidays or exam periods. Dates are subject to change. Please also note that there are various religious and public holidays during the year and on these days no activities take place. Please contact us for further information.
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Arrival information
Arrive at Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport on day 1 of your stay.
There will be 2 shared airport transfers every Saturday (one in the morning plus one in the afternoon/evening) as follows:
A morning transfer will cover flights arriving between 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Our driver will arrive at the airport by 6:00am and will meet all participants who arrive between 6-10am and then collectively take the group to the volunteer house in Galle after the last person has arrived within this range. Those arriving earlier than 6am will have to wait in the arrivals area of the airport where they can sit in the air-conditioned lounge, get a local SIM card organized and even have some refreshments at the onsite food court/bakery if they choose. Our driver will also provide every participant with a complimentary bottle of drinking water.
Afternoon/Evening Transfer will cover flights arriving between 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM. The same conditions will apply as the morning transfer described above, except for the change of time.
If your flight arrives after 6:30pm or on any other day which is not a Saturday, a private transfer can be arranged for USD 100 or you can make your own arrangements.
Departure transfers are not included, but can be arranged as above for additional cost if required. Alternatively, you can book this locally once in country.
Accommodation & meals
Accommodation at a shared volunteer house is included for the duration of your stay. The accommodation is in southern Sri Lanka in the Unawatuna district of Galle. The volunteer house overlooks Unawatuna beach and turquoise waters of the Indian ocean. The beach is a 5 minute walk away and the historic city of Galle is just a 15 minute drive.
There are 11 ensuite bedrooms with a maximum of 6 per room, although most rooms are are only 4. Rooms are single sex, but private room upgrades are available at extra cost. The house is split over 4 floors and has 3 kitchens, 3 common areas, a dining area, private outdoor garden and swimming pool. The house is covered by CCTV and is located in a safe and quiet residential neighbourhood. The house has hot water and wifi included. Airconditioning and laundry facilities are available at an extra charge payable locally.
Home-cooked meals will be provided for breakfast, lunch and dinner and will be a mix of Sri Lanka food and western food Typical dishes include:
- Red rice and sambol
- Bread and fruits
- Rice and curry
- Rotis
- Pasta
- Fresh salads
- Wraps
- Soups
Please let a travel advisor know if you have any dietary requirements, as most can be easily catered for with local ingredients.
There is also a local supermarket within 15 minutes walking distance where volunteers can purchase drinks and western snacks as well as plenty of cafes and restaurants in Galle town.
Please note that during busy seasons you may be housed in a secondary volunteer house located a 10 minute tuk tuk drive from the main house. The house holds up to 14 people and free transport to and from both houses is provided for volunteers. All volunteers will be able to use facilities at both houses.
Minimum age & eligibility
This is an open-aged trip for those over the age of 18, suitable for travellers who wish to make a difference as a volunteer. Experience is beneficial but not essential. You will have a brief telephone interview after booking on to the programme to make sure the project is a suitable fit for your skills and abilities.
This programme is suited to passionate, creative, caring and confident people who wish to make a difference and have a rewarding travel experience. You should have a flexible, mature attitude and be open to cultural difference. This is a cultural not a party trip, so you should be willing and happy to entertain yourself in your free time.
This programme does not require you to have any prior experience or qualifications (although any you have is beneficial); you’ll receive advice in orientation upon arrival and are provided with guidelines and the daily support of a volunteer co-ordinator at each of the projects.
Visas
You will need to get a visa before arrival for Sri Lanka with a UK passport. You can apply for a Electronic Travel Authorization visa online (ETA) through the offical Sri Lankan ETA website.
If you intend to stay for more than 30 days in Sri Lanka you will need to apply for a 90 day visa through the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Sri Lanka and make an appointment with the Sri Lankan embassy in the UK (fees apply). Once you are in Sri Lanka you can extend your visa while you are out there if necessary. It’s your responsibility to obtain the necessary visas for your time away. Visa rules are subject to change without prior notice, so please do check visa requirements at the time of your trip.
DBS
On this particular programme, as you’ll be working with children, you’ll need to undergo an enhanced DBS previously known as CRB, or Criminal Record Bureau check and will need to have a clean criminal record.
DBS checks may list past convictions, cautions, reprimands, warnings, and if applicable will show whether or not you have been barred from working with certain vulnerable groups. Non-conviction information such as fixed penalties may also be included.
There is an addition cost for the DBS check, please speak to your travel advisor at the time of booking. The DBS process is in 3 stages:
- Once we receive your booking payment, you will then be sent an online application link for the DBS check, which you will need to complete.
- Once you have completed the application, the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) will need verification of your identity - to do this you will need to take 3 original documents to your nearest crown post office and use their DBS and ID verification service. This costs approximately £9 and is payable directly to the Post Office.
- Once the post office verification is done it usually takes up to 6 weeks for your DBS to be processed, and your DBS will be sent to you directly in the post.
Covid safety
This trip is designed with your safety and wellbeing in mind. As a result of Covid-19, many of our suppliers and partners around the world are introducing new policies and procedures surrounding health and safety in response to the Coronavirus outbreak. As the state of travel is evolving these new safety measures will adapt over time, and will be different for each trip. Here are some of the changes you may see on your trip:
Arrival safety meetings
Most trips have an arrival meeting on the first day where the guide or local team will run through the trip, the safety protocols, and to answer any questions you may have. Now more than ever it is important you arrive in time for these meetings.
Proof of vaccination or negative covid test
For the safety of all travellers, at the start of some trips you may be required to show evidence that you are fully vaccinated (14 days after your second dose) and/or show evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of the tour start date in order to join the programme.
Updated hygiene and safety procedures
Our suppliers and partners have health and safety procedures in place on all of our trips. These protocols will be updated and adapted as a response to the Coronavirus outbreak, dependent on local restrictions and laws.
Transport and accommodation choices
Our suppliers and partners choose the accommodation and transport on our trips very carefully, and you may see a change to what would normally be used as a response to the outbreak. This may involve such changes as enhanced use of private transport or quieter accommodation.
Trained and knowledgeable staff
Our staff in the UK are trained to help you with your trip before you depart and answer any questions you may have. In addition, the local team and guides on our trips are there to help with any health and safety concerns and to ensure our trips run safely and smoothly.
Reduced group sizes
Some trips will run with reduced group sizes to start with. You may find that trips are more intimate and chilled, whilst still being packed with fun and adventure.
Healthcare
Your guide or the local team will be on hand to help you seek medical attention should you require it during your trip. As medical facilities and standards can vary around the world, you should ensure you have adequate travel insurance in place before you depart to cover you for any medical emergencies.
24/7 emergency support
We operate an emergency phone line for our travellers abroad. This is operated by a UK based member of staff 24/7 if you have a genuine emergency or urgent matter that you need attending.
It is important that you take measures to make travelling safer for yourself and others around you. Ensure you frequently wash your hands, cover your face when you sneeze and cough, bring and use your own hand sanitiser and facial coverings/masks, and enable social distancing where necessary. You should also ensure you listen to the instructions and guidance of the local team at all times, and follow all local laws and restrictions.