Overview
Be a volunteer for the 1 Week Special Program in Sri Lanka with Volunteering Solutions, and get to immerse yourself in the authentic Sinhalese culture. It'll be an amazing opportunity for those who have limited time in hand, yet excited to travel to this beautiful island nation in Asia and volunteer for a meaningful cause. The best part is that you can choose the perfect program that suits your tastes and preferences, as well as the one in which you think you'll be able to serve the best.
For those who love to be with kids can join the Teaching Program and work with children or Buddhist Monks, helping them to polish their communicative skills, by focusing on the English language. Other than that, volunteers can work with the underprivileged women in Galle, and help them to earn a livelihood as well as teach them to speak in English, guide them for using the computers, etc. Animals lovers can choose to volunteer with the elephants and get to know more about the mahouts, how they take care of these gentle giants and more. If you're a beach lover, then what can be a better treat other than spending your days by the beach, working for a Turtle Conservation Program? No matter which program you opt for, it'll surely be a worthy experience and you'll get to learn a lot from your volunteering journey.
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.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival in Colombo
Welcome to Sri Lanka! You can arrive anytime between 7 am and 5 pm, and our project coordinator will be there. You'll be then transferred to Galle in an Air-Conditioned Van.
Day 2 - Orientation & City Tour
Today, you'll be given a brief about the culture, the work you'll be doing and other details. Later, you'll get to explore Galle town, including a visit to Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Day 3 - Start Project work
Morning: Depending on the project that you've chosen, you'll be heading to the project site and experience the goodness of volunteering. You'll get to meet the people, know about them and soak in the authentic vibes.
Evening: Group movie night in the volunteer house.
Day 4 - Continue Project Work
Morning: You'll continue with your project work.
Evening: Cultural experience - Buddhist temple visit to observe and learn about Buddhist culture up close (guided by our staff).
Day 5 - Continue Project Work
Morning: You'll continue with your project work.
Evening: Yoga session from an expert yoga teacher on the rooftop of the volunteer house.
Day 6 - Continue Project Work
Morning: You'll continue with your project work.
Afternoon/Evening: Surfing class from an expert instructor at a local beach (can be substituted for guided bike tour across paddy fields and quaint local villages if there is a group of 4+ participating together).
Day 7 - Continue Project Work
Morning: You'll continue with your project work.
Afternoon: Free time to explore the neighborhood, the town of Galle and nearby beaches and attractions.
Day 8 - Departure from Galle to Colombo airport in an air-conditioned van
As this amazing week comes to an end, you can head off to explore another destination or return back home with a bag full of memories.
(Flights should depart between 10 am and 8 pm to avail the included transfer)
Note: Schedules can be altered from time to time (e.g., some projects can occur in the afternoons on certain days) but all the activities listed above will be provided.
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. For any participants requring the transfers at any other times, extra charges shall be applicable.
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. The volunteer house has 11 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.
Other than that, we'll also be glad to provide single/double/family private room upgrades. The beach is just about 5 minutes walk from the stay and you can reach the Galle Fort in about 15 minutes.
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
Program Cost
Please Note: -An application fee of £149 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment.
What are you Paying for?
- Airport pickup and drop-off in an air-conditioned van
- Accommodation in the volunteer house in shared rooms and bathrooms
- All projects and activities listed above
- 3 freshly cooked meals a day (breakfast, lunch & dinner)
- Dedicated staff support for all activities
- 24x7 in-country support
- 100% Financial Protection
- UK Based Support
- Certificate Of Completion (Upon Request)
What's NOT included?
- International/Domestic Airfare
- Vaccinations
- Visa fees
- Any personal expenses
Program Dates
| Months | 2021 | 2022 |
| January | - | 0108152229 |
| February | - | 05121926 |
| March | - | 05121926 |
| April | - | 0209162330 |
| May | 0108152229 | 07142128 |
| June | 05121926 | 04111825 |
| July | 0310172431 | 0209162330 |
| August | 07142128 | 06132027 |
| September | 04111825 | 03101724 |
| October | 0209162330 | 0108152229 |
| November | 06132027 | 05121926 |
| December | 04111825 | 02101724 |
FAQ's
FAQ's Application and Program Details
As we have limited spots available in our programs and we serve on first come first basis, it is recommended that potential volunteers book their programs well in advance to get confirmed placements. You can book your slot by filling the application form online and pay the application fee. You can pay your program fee later and also, in installments. However, the complete payment should be made 45 days prior to the starting of the program. If you are volunteering in a group, you can also fill a group application form.
Below are the necessary requirements to participate in the Sri Lankan volunteer projects:
The minimum age requirement for the programs in Sri Lanka is 17 years.
Volunteers participating in the Medical Program should be at least 18-year-old.
Volunteers need to have an open mind and flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. They should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference.
The participant must be in good health.
We encourage our participants to volunteer in a group. We take special care in providing you a placement and also customize your itinerary to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. Also, we can design special group programs for groups of 5 or more. Our programs are designed to be safe, affordable and offer a great group volunteering experience to the volunteers.
In our experience of more than 12+ years, we have enabled and facilitated volunteer program placements for college groups, university groups, high school groups, group of families, group of couples as well as groups of colleagues.
A short orientation is given after arrival about the city and placements. The volunteers are also taken for a short tour of Colombo before they start with their program. However, the tour depends on the arrival time of your flight.
For our returning volunteers, $50 discount is provided for the application fee for their next VolSol program.
Flights and Visa
Volunteers can apply for ETA online and the approval of the same will be communicated via email.
Volunteers can be provided with the supporting documents if needed. More information will be provided once you enroll for the program.
Srilankan Airlines
Air India
Mihin Lanka
Spicejet
Emirates
There are frequent in-country flights from Colombo to Galle and Kegalle as well.
Health and Safety
Hepatitis A and B
Typhoid
You can consult your doctor once, before traveling to Sri Lanka.
Accommodation and Living
Volunteers are accommodated at the volunteer house accomodation in Galle. The house is comfortable and clean and the rooms are provided on the same gender sharing basis.Volunteers working in Wasgamuwa National Park are given accommodation in a field house in close vicinity of the project location. Three meals are provided in a day including both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The food is tasty, hygienic and nutritious, suitable for all volunteers.
Breakfast usually comprises of Bread, Butter, Jam, Bun or Rolls, Eggs and Fruits like Banana & Pineapple & Tea. The lunch includes Sri Lankan style rice and curry and the dinner includes noodles, spaghetti, pasta, chapati, hoppers or String Hoppers with curry.
If you have special dietary requirements, please mention the same in your application form.
We encourage our volunteers to travel. We have designed various weekend tours which can be booked under the ‘Add-on Tours’ section in your ‘My Account’. Your in-country coordinator will also help you book and organize the tours once you are in Sri Lanka.
Connect with Past Volunteers
To read alumni interviews from past participants, visit the Meet a Volunteer section on our website
