REAL ASIA ENCOUNTER

A childcare volunteer in Sri Lanka can make a vital contribution to brighten up the daily lives of children from challenging backgrounds. From supporting educational development and encouraging a positive lifestyle, you can play a key role in making a positive impact on the local community. The projects we work with provide important early years education for these children. The more help and encouragement they can get from volunteers, the better and brighter their future.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE CHILDCARE PROGRAM

In Sri Lanka, children can attend preschools from 3-5 years old. However, many of the government run preschools can lack basic resources and be overcrowded with just one or two teachers to look after high numbers of young children. Subsequently, children can miss important building blocks in their early development years. For the reason that exposure to engaging stimulation from a young age plays a crucial role in preparing children for school and learning early socio-emotional skills.

 

The presence of a volunteer at a local preschool gives young children the unique opportunity to be exposed to the English Language from a young age. In turn, it builds their confidence and can be their foundation for learning English in the future. Something which can improve the opportunities and prospects for these children later on in life.

 

If you volunteer in Sri Lanka with children, you’ll find it is a highly rewarding experience and one that people from all backgrounds can get involved in. You can support these preschools to ensure the kids get a positive start to their education and development. Sharing your time, skills, and affection as a childcare volunteer in Sri Lanka will be of great support to the local preschool teachers. Finally, there are also a range of animal volunteering abroad projects in Sri Lanka you can support.

 

CHILDCARE VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Urban Council Preschools – Each childcare volunteer in Sri Lanka has the opportunity to support a network of preschools in Ambalangoda. Specifically, PMGY supports up to 8 preschools in the local community. The background of each preschool can vary. For instance, some preschools are without cost for children to attend and others can have administration fees for children to join. Regardless, the children attending the school are usually coming from challenging backgrounds and low income families.

 

You’ll be providing much-needed help to the local community and working parents, who otherwise would not be able to afford quality care for their young children. One example of a preschool that the local team fully funds and supports is Sun Rise Preschool & Day Care Centre. This is usually the project site where volunteers will lead holiday camps and activities during the school holiday periods.

 

These preschools enable a safe environment for children aged 1-4 years old to enjoy early years education and development. Subsequently, this allows parents to work and earn an income, generally in local cinnamon or garment factories, in order to provide for their families. At the preschool, the childcare volunteers will be supporting the preschool with basic education. In addition to assisting local teachers, volunteers will get creative by leading dance and exercise classes, teaching poems, distributing snacks, and helping with arts and craft activities.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL CHILDCARE DAY

Your main role as a childcare volunteer in Sri Lanka is to help encourage and care for these children, providing them with the opportunity to boost their confidence and to help maximise their potential. You will volunteer in Sri Lanka from Monday-Friday. The morning sessions at the preschool usually runs from 9am-11:30am. However, some preschools have slightly earlier start times and end times should you wish to extend your project commitments. The afternoon community education sessions are also available to support with additional community education projects. The placement locations take around 30 minutes to reach by tuk-tuk or private minibus.

 

Your time on the childcare volunteer abroad program is allocated for teaching the children English and enhancing early years educational development. You will get the opportunity to assist a local teacher in running preschool activities. Your role as a childcare volunteer is crucial to help maintain a safe environment and an engaging, educational session for the children. You will assist in delivering sessions on arts and crafts, singing and dancing, games and basic English teaching. This can help the children build key competencies and life skills at an early age through a creative medium.

 

We encourage participants on the Sri Lanka volunteer program to use engaging educational activities to hold the children’s attention, as well as inspire their learning. Be creative, use exciting ways to learn new vocabulary and introduce interesting topics in a fun way. You could use alphabet props in a matching game, create topical posters, or even find items in the preschool to create a counting activity. In addition, your volunteer work in Sri Lanka will involve some light housekeeping such as meal preparation and sanitary assistance to the young children at the preschool.

 

Working with this age group is not as structured as teaching older children. In other words, their language can be improved simply through play and interaction. As a result, just a few words or phrases will stand them in good stead for learning English in the future. Our local team are on hand to support you with any ideas or activities you wish to perform whilst you volunteer in Sri Lanka. If you volunteer with children in Sri Lanka, you’ll need to prepare activities for this accordingly.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER WORKING WITH CHILDREN IN SRI LANKA

Top PMGY Destination – Sri Lanka is widely considered to be the best PMGY volunteer destination due to the superior local support, value for money and overall experience on offer in Ambalangoda. The local Sri Lankan team really go above-and-beyond to ensure each volunteer has the best possible experience and this is reflected in volunteer feedback. As a result, we believe this is the perfect destination for a first-time traveller who is looking for a little extra support, plenty of organised weekend trips and wants to get involved in some fantastic local initiatives in an exotic location.

 

Project Flexibility – As this volunteer project only runs during the morning period in Sri Lanka, there is an opportunity to get involved in the teaching projects in the afternoon. We do require a minimum commitment of 1 week on each project and you can make these arrangements once you are in Sri Lanka. There are no additional costs and we would always welcome any additional support across the community-based projects.

 

Resources – On the childcare project in Sri Lanka, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their childcare volunteering experience in Sri Lanka.

 

Placement Settings – PMGY does not provide volunteer opportunities in orphanages in any of our locations. Research and studies have shown that visiting and volunteering in orphanages has the potential to generate an industry that separates children from their families. In turn, putting children at increased risk of neglect and abuse. Therefore, we do not support these institutions with our volunteer network.

 

Instead, we focus on offering alternative childcare volunteer opportunities whereby children come to and from the placement setting each day. In other words, our local teams collaborate with childcare projects which do not offer any form of residential care. These are safe, responsible, and vetted projects, where participants continue to provide valued assistance supporting local staff.

 

Weekends – Your project work in Sri Lanka runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Sri Lanka Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend. We also run two separate weekend trips which you can sign-up to before you depart for Sri Lanka. We offer the Adventure Hill & Country Trip, the Cultural Triangle & Elephants Trip along with the Maldives Chill Out Trip with opportunities running every month.

Being a dog in Sri Lanka is a tough life. One of the first things you’ll notice as a Sri Lanka dog rescue volunteer is the vast number of strays wandering the beaches and streets. Lack of food, shelter and care can dramatically reduce the lifespan of a street dog, as well as the rising problem of rabies in Sri Lanka. Help protect and care for these wonderful canines and improve the animal-human relationship in the community.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE DOG RESCUE PROGRAM

The rising number of street dogs across Sri Lanka poses many risks and challenges, including poor treatment, terrible injuries, malnutrition, untreated diseases and the concern of human deaths caused by rabies. This fear leads to poor treatment of stray dogs and poor awareness of how the local community can help.

 

Rabies is a fatal disease which is transmitted by various animals, but in Sri Lanka, it is most prevalent amongst dogs. This viral infection is spread via the saliva of a rabid animal; hence it can be passed on through a bite or contact with an open wound. Unfortunately, rabies will continue to exist until there are further efforts to eliminate it. There are a large number of dog bite cases in Sri Lanka, which is a cause for concern for tourists and locals alike. In addition, this creates huge bills for Government hospitals treating the victims.

 

The Sri Lankan Government have recently adopted more humane methods to control the population and spread of rabies, focusing now on neutering and vaccinating stray dogs. As a result, there has been a significant drop in the number of human rabies deaths and incidents. Our mission is to continue these efforts in the local community with the help of volunteer work in Sri Lanka.

 

By offering vaccinations and neutering it helps to manage the population of stray dogs and reduce the risk of diseases, especially rabies. Many female strays produce multiple litters each year, many of which are dumped at temples or on the roadside. These puppies have a low chance of survival, as they are at high risk of contracting diseases, malnutrition or being involved in road traffic accidents. This is where our Sri Lanka dog rescue volunteers step in as the project aims to provide a safe refuge for abandoned dogs.

 

DOG RESCUE VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLE

Bring Them Home Dog Shelter – This animal care volunteer program aims to improve the wellbeing of street dogs in the local area. This volunteer work in Sri Lanka provides a safe home for vulnerable, sick and disabled dogs, with daily care, vaccinations, rehabilitation and rehoming. As a Sri Lanka dog rescue volunteer, your extra pair of helping hands enables the project to provide enough care and love for all the canines. In addition, you can help in preventing rabies and improving the situation in the local community.

 

The team have an on-call rescue facility to transport dogs that have been found injured, disabled or abandoned. They will be brought back to the project so the team can conduct a general health check and provide assistance. At the dog shelter, each Sri Lanka animal volunteer can observe or assist the Vet with their check-ups, vaccinations, medical treatment or minor surgeries as and when required. As the project can receive unvaccinated dogs from the roadside and other unknown areas, it is important to follow the local coordinator advice before interacting with these dogs. For the reason that the local staff will need to isolate these unvaccinated dogs at the project in their first few days whilst they receive vaccinations. When it is safe to do so and the new dogs have been fully vaccinated, they will then integrate with the other dogs at the shelter.

 

The shelter also tries to find new loving homes for the healthy vaccinated dogs with local families, with education about how to properly care for their new pet. As a volunteer in Sri Lanka, you can help to produce and provide animal welfare education to the community. Consequently, this improves the understanding, attitude and treatment between humans and dogs. The aim is to introduce this on a community level and bring about long term change.

 

Please note some of these sessions on the animal care volunteer program run on an ad hoc basis. Therefore, if it is something you are interested in when you volunteer in Sri Lanka then please speak with our local staff who will make the appropriate arrangements.

 

Volunteers should expect at least 15 dogs or so at the shelter at one time. Volunteers will have direct involvement and enrichment activities with only the vaccinated dogs. It is important to note that many of the dogs are usually of a friendly nature having arrived to the shelter as puppies. However, this means the dogs can get very excitable and jump up to volunteers with some scratching. There can also be time where the dogs will play fight amongst themselves and volunteers should not risk their own safety getting involved with this. Subsequently, it is important for volunteers not to adopt a care free attitude at the project and listen to the guidance of our local team.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL WORK DAY

Our Sri Lanka dog rescue volunteers spend their days assisting with daily tasks and care for the dogs living in the shelter. The project runs from Monday-Friday from 9am-12pm but can also take place in the afternoons. You’ll be transported to the Sri Lanka volunteer program by tuk-tuk. When you volunteer in Sri Lanka, typical duties on this wildlife volunteering abroad program include:

 

• Cleaning, maintaining hygiene and upkeep in the project premises and bedding areas
• Preparing meals and feeding the dogs
• Playtime and socialisation with the dogs
• Walking the dogs and exercising on a daily basis
• Showering and washing the dogs
• Recreational activities with the dogs at the beach
• Creating training and enrichment plans
• Assisting with medication and vaccinations for the dogs
• Grooming and checking for ticks
• Creating and maintaining documentation for dog profiles (history, vaccinations etc) and site visits
• Caring for sick/disabled/injured dogs

 

You will be assisting the local staff in these tasks each day. Any additional duties will be based on current need and availability. For instance, rescuing puppies in danger, pet adoption and community awareness. On an ad hoc basis, expect to support the team out in the Ambalangoda community providing food for stray dogs. You will usually feed at least 30 street dogs during each outreach session.

 

PMGY’s Sri Lanka dog rescue volunteer program is an incredible opportunity to do your bit to help protect and care for these lovely animals. You can make a positive impact whilst spending time in a country that will amaze you on so many levels.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER WORKING WITH DOGS IN SRI LANKA

Top PMGY Destination – Sri Lanka is widely considered to be the best PMGY volunteer destination due to the superior local support, value for money and overall experience on offer in Ambalangoda. The local Sri Lankan team really go above-and-beyond to ensure each volunteer has the best possible experience and this is reflected in volunteer feedback. As a result, we believe this is the perfect destination for a first-time traveller who is looking for a little extra support, plenty of organised weekend trips and wants to get involved in some fantastic local initiatives in an exotic location.

 

Project Flexibility – As this volunteer project only runs during the morning period in Sri Lanka, there is an opportunity to get involved in the or teaching projects in the afternoon. We do require a minimum commitment of 1 week on each project and you can make these arrangements once you are in Sri Lanka. There are no additional costs and we would always welcome any additional support across the community-based projects.

 

Experience – If you are a veterinary student you may be able to assist in more tasks. Naturally, this will depend on your level of knowledge, experience and qualifications in this area. You may be able to help with the sick, injured or disabled dogs. Furthermore, there may be more opportunities in advanced veterinary care such as vaccinations or neutering procedures.

 

Weekends – Your project work in Sri Lanka runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Sri Lanka Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend. We also run two separate weekend trips which you can sign-up to before you depart for Sri Lanka. We offer the Adventure Hill & Country Trip, the Cultural Triangle & Elephants Trip along with the Maldives Chill Out Trip with opportunities running every month.

You can volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka to dramatically boost future opportunities available for young people. Having the ability to speak English is a valuable tool, especially for career prospects and achieving future goals. Above all, conversing with fluent English speakers can encourage students to develop this essential language skill. If you are enthusiastic and have lots of positive energy then this is the project for you!

 

BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM

Sri Lanka’s education system is pretty impressive for a developing country of its size. Universal public education is available from the age of 6 to the age of 18. However, many government schools, particularly in rural areas, receive minimal government funding. Especially considering the size of the communities they are expected to serve. The facilities at the schools are very basic. In particular, the classrooms get extremely cramped as average class sizes are around 40 to 60 children.

 

The ability to speak English is becoming of growing importance in Sri Lanka. The two main sources of income in Sri Lanka are from tourism and migrant workers going to the Middle East. Both occupations require the ability to speak English – the world’s global language. However, the level of English teaching in government schools is limited. Class sizes are large and the teachers’ English speaking skills are by no means perfect. It is only the middle and upper-class children who can afford private English lessons.

 

The children attend local government schools during the mornings but often can’t afford the tuition needed to excel beyond the basics. In Sri Lanka, these additional tuition classes are key to excelling at school. In other words, the government education system is too basic to be able to provide enough time and provisions for students. Certainly, there is not enough time allocated to learn English. The teachers will have basic English themselves, often using “parrot style learning”. For instance, students only learn to repeat from a textbook, rather than understanding words in context. However, tuition classes involve a weekly fee that many of these families cannot afford.

 

Therefore it is no surprise that children from most low-income families speak little or no English. Our aim on the volunteer teaching English abroad project is to give the poorer children of Ambalangoda the same opportunities as their more wealthy peers. As a result, they too will have the chance to develop their ability to speak English and enhance their future career prospects. In addition, there is also a range of volunteering abroad with animals opportunities in Sri Lanka you can support.

 

TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

A volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka will be based at one of the locations where we provide free English lessons. Most importantly, you’ll be helping in one of the local village communities, on our own after-school education program. In addition, you have the amazing opportunity to also teach English in Sri Lanka to young Buddhist monks.

 

Community Village School Projects – These English teaching projects provide an after-school education program, initiated and ran by PMGY since 2013. This is the main project for a volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka. We work in a number of villages across the Ambalangoda district, typically supporting children from lower income areas. Each volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka can help to provide free language lessons and education opportunities for these children.

 

Our aim is to further their English language development by providing these free after-school English lessons in the afternoons. These projects will take place in a makeshift classroom or community centre within the village. On the English teaching program, each class is divided based on the student’s level of English. Class sizes usually vary from 4-15 children per class. You could be teaching students from 6-18 years old, depending on the current project need and availability. A local team member will be on hand to help when you volunteer in Sri Lanka.

 

Those who participate on medical or wildlife projects in the mornings are welcome to support our afternoon village school projects with no extra costs. Your project transport will be arranged for you and you can work alongside the teaching volunteers in Sri Lanka to help improve learning opportunities for the children. With more teaching volunteers at the project, more structure and planning can be done to achieve and track learning outcomes on a regular basis.

 

Temple Schools – Every volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka will also have the option to enrol in our Temple School project. This may be joined in addition to the standard afternoon community village school project. The temple schools run in the morning, where you will teach English to novice Buddhist monks.

 

Many of the Buddhist monks speak very little English and the temple schools often welcome poor children from the community to come and learn English too. There tend to be around 5-10 students in each class, generally between 6-18 years of age. The project typically runs for 1.5 hours each morning and allows volunteers to add to their afternoon project commitments. It is important to note that project participation at the temple schools is optional, but the afternoon school project is compulsory for all teaching participants. For the reason that this is the core teaching project and the temple school project sometimes runs on a more ad hoc basis.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL TEACHING DAY

Your main role as a volunteer teaching English in Sri Lanka is to share your time, knowledge and skills to teach English to the local communities in Ambalangoda, boosting their confidence in conversational English and helping to maximise their potential.

 

The after-school education Sri Lanka volunteer program is available from 3pm-5.30pm each afternoon from Monday-Friday. Usually, you’ll get there by tuk-tuk or minibus, which takes around 10 minutes.

 

The first part of the project is spent teaching English and the last hour is allocated for games and activities. We encourage volunteers to make lessons as engaging and interactive as possible by being creative and proactive when preparing lessons. Use fun educational games like interactive word searches or Hangman, or a bit of class competition in Hot Seat or team quizzes. Games, songs, art, sport and music are all great tools. There are usually resources and syllabus guidance at the Volunteer House so you can plan activities before you go to project.

 

The presence of international volunteers gives the children an insight into different cultures; a global perspective they greatly benefit from. Use your creativity and knowledge to help these eager young minds reach their true potential.

 

Each volunteer in Sri Lanka will lead their own classes and have the freedom to create a lesson plan of their choice. There may be a topic or curriculum materials that you can follow if you need some inspiration. Your volunteer work in Sri Lanka may be in pairs or small groups per class, however, this is dependent on the current need and the number of volunteers at the time. We usually run three to six classes in each community, but again this will be dependent on the number of volunteers.

 

There will be a local coordinator at the project each day who is on hand to support volunteers with their efforts and can help with overcoming the language barrier. Please note the local staff will not be leading the class. It is also important not to constantly rely on the coordinators for translation when you are teaching English in Sri Lanka.

 

At the temple schools the classes run in the morning, usually at 8:30am-10am from Monday-Friday. The tuk-tuk journey takes about 5 minutes. The topics and activities here can be very similar to the after-school education program, with a focus on learning in a calm environment (minus any shouting or active games). In return for your contribution to the temple, you will find the monks are often keen to invite you to learn more about their religion and way of life.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING CHILDREN IN SRI LANKA

Top PMGY Destination – Sri Lanka is widely considered to be the best PMGY volunteer destination due to the superior local support, value for money and overall experience on offer in Ambalangoda. The local Sri Lankan team really go above-and-beyond to ensure each volunteer has the best possible experience and this is reflected in volunteer feedback. As a result, we believe this is the perfect destination for a first-time traveller who is looking for a little extra support, plenty of organised weekend trips and wants to get involved in some fantastic local initiatives in an exotic location.

 

Experience – For the English teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.

 

TEFL Course – We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their English teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.

 

Resources – On the teach English in Sri Lanka project, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their teaching English project experience.

 

Weekends – Your project work in Sri Lanka runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Sri Lanka Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend. We also run two separate weekend trips which you can sign-up to before you depart for Sri Lanka. We offer the Adventure Hill & Country Trip, the Cultural Triangle & Elephants Trip along with the Maldives Chill Out Trip with opportunities running every month.

As a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka you can gain valuable medical experience in a new culture, an opportunity not to be missed in this gorgeous part of the world! If you are looking for a learning experience or would like to pursue a career in the medical field, then this program is the ideal way to give you an insight into the Sri Lankan healthcare system.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE MEDICAL PROGRAM

The history of the Sri Lankan medicine system dates back thousands of years, with a rich history stemming from their extensive kingdoms. It is believed that the concept of hospitals around the world was actually introduced by the Sinhalese, thanks to their royalty. Kings were not only demanding to have their own hospital homes built but they were often practitioners of medicine themselves.

 

In addition, the ancient practice of Ayurveda is also deeply rooted in the Sri Lankan medical system. Known as one of the oldest healing sciences around the world, Ayurveda translates from Sanskrit as “The Science of Life”. Ayurvedic medicine originated in India over 3,000 years ago, focusing on the concept of balance in one’s life. This can be linked to mental health issues, diet, lifestyle, healthcare and more.

 

Using holistic and natural health practices, Ayurveda emphasises prevention and balance in order to attain balance within your physical, emotional and mental states. The ayurvedic system, government hospitals and teachings are also widespread across Sri Lanka. Moreover, many citizens will choose to follow Ayurvedic medicine practices for certain illnesses or accidents and western medicine for others.

 

The healthcare system in Sri Lanka is universal to all local citizens, offering both traditional Ayurvedic and modern healthcare for free across government hospitals. Nowadays most hospitals in Sri Lanka do follow a more “western medicine” approach, using procedures and medications that are seen worldwide. Certainly, as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, it may be perceived as very basic and outdated in some ways. On the other hand, there is a higher life expectancy and lower infant death rate than neighbouring countries in the region. Even so, there are often long waiting lists with a limitation of capacity, staff and resources. As a result, the number of private hospitals has risen to offer private healthcare services.

 

Working in a hospital on the Sri Lanka volunteer program is a great opportunity to get close up clinical exposure and learn about health care systems in developing countries. You will witness a variety of cases, which offers a fantastic contrast to what you might find in your local hospital! PMGY’s medical volunteer program is a learning experience available for both medical students and school leavers looking to pursue a career in medicine. Join as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka for the perfect way to gain invaluable hospital work experience whilst exploring the wonders that this amazing island has to offer.

 

MEDICAL VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Your placement timetable on the medical volunteer abroad program will depend on your current status of study. Those who are studying a health-related degree at university can enjoy placements at both private and government hospitals. This is on the assumption we receive the required paperwork in the correct format from you at least 3 weeks before your program start date. High school leavers and applicants from a non-health related background will be placed at a private hospital only. Nevertheless, still enjoying clinic and workshop based options and an insight into ayurvedic medicine which all medical volunteers in Sri Lanka enjoy.

 

Roseth Private Hospital – You might volunteer in Sri Lanka within a small private hospital in Ambalangoda. The private hospital provides a structured observational and informative approach to give participants a broad insight into a medical facility in Sri Lanka.

 

The following departments are available in the private hospital: Physiotherapy, Dental Surgery, Radiology (x-ray machine and computerised radiology), Laboratory, Phlebotomy, In-Patient Ward, Out-Patient Ward

 

Balapitiya Government Base Hospital – PMGY partner with a government hospital located only a 15 minute journey from Ambalangoda. It is a medium-sized hospital with over 500 stations. There are 20 doctors and 2 surgeons at the hospital. We can place participants at the following departments in the government hospital: Out-Patient Unit, Emergency Treatment Room, General Medicine, Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Antenatal, Postnatal, Labour Room, Paediatrics

 

Please note that the government hospital will not permit applicants who are not studying medicine, nursing or healthcare at university. Unfortunately, there are no exceptions to this rule as dictated by the Health Ministry of Sri Lanka.

 

Government Village Hospital – As a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, you may also be able to get involved at a local blood pressure clinic. This is based at a smaller village government hospital whereby the clinic runs on a more ad hoc basis and service users receive free blood pressure checks.

 

Sri Lankan Ayurvedic Medicine – Every medical volunteer in Sri Lanka will have the opportunity to participate in an Ayurveda medicine lecture, regardless of whether you are placed at the private or government hospital. A local Ayurvedic specialist will teach you all about the history of Ayurveda, its role within healthcare in Sri Lanka and how it is implemented to treat a variety of cases.

 

Ayurvedic concepts about health and disease promote the use of herbal compounds, special diets, and other unique natural health practices. The earliest references of Ayurvedic medicine in Sri Lanka are associated with a great physician; Ravana, a king of Sri Lanka dating back to prehistoric times.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL WORK DAY

Your main role is to learn and experience the Sri Lankan healthcare system, procedures and culture, observing how this may differ to the experience you have at home. In addition, you may encounter different scenarios as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, such as dengue fever, snake bites and motorcycle accidents.

 

The medical project takes place for around 3 hours a day from Monday-Friday between 9am-12pm, depending on the current opportunities available. For instance, each medical volunteer in Sri Lanka may have the chance to stay longer if there is a major surgery or labour whilst you are allocated to that ward. The option is available to join the project in the afternoon. However, please note the doctors will only be present in the wards during the morning. The hospitals are 5-15 minutes away by tuk-tuk.

 

Roseth Private Hospital – Your time will be allocated across the hospital departments at the private hospital. Our team will do our best to match any specific requirements you have, but this cannot always be guaranteed depending on the circumstances.

 

Your role is purely observational as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, so you should not expect any hands-on involvement. Depending on your interests, you will be placed within different departments and you will be attached to an English-speaking member of staff. Please note there may still be a communication barrier and the staff will do their best to translate when they can.

 

As the role is purely observational, we recommend that applicants sign up for no more than 2 weeks as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka. In our experience, whilst you will gain invaluable medical insight and knowledge at the private hospital, after a while, most people are eager for some hands-on volunteer work in Sri Lanka. Whilst PMGY cannot offer you hands-on work as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, we can welcome you on to our community projects teaching English.

 

Our local team will go through the options with you during your in-country orientation. You can join one of these projects in the afternoon and attend the private hospital in the morning – it is completely up to you. Furthermore, if you’d like to join us for longer than 2 weeks, it is absolutely fine for you to sign up for 2 weeks as a medical volunteer in Sri Lanka and then go on to do another project for the remainder of your stay.

 

Balapitiya Government Base Hospital – You can choose to spend your time across several departments or just a few. Our team will do our best to match any specific requirements you have, but this cannot always be guaranteed depending on the circumstances, We would recommend a mixed timetable in order to experience the different hospital settings.

 

Whilst you will be assigned a member of staff within the department to mentor each medical volunteer in Sri Lanka, it is important to understand that the local staff are extremely busy. Therefore, you should be proactive, ask questions and be assertive in requesting additional guidance should you require it. Please note there may still be a communication barrier and the staff will do their best to translate when they can.

 

Government Village Hospital – During your time with us on the Sri Lanka volunteer program, volunteers will usually get the chance to support at our village clinic campaign helping the local doctor by checking blood pressure and blood sugar levels of the people of Ambalangoda.

 

Regardless of the hospital setting, medical volunteers in Sri Lanka should expect an observational role only. The experience is designed in an internship style whereby participants will enjoy an observational and learning exchange program at the hospital. Language and communication barriers with local healthcare professionals can exist and exposure in some settings can be limited compared to other medical volunteer projects.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER AS A MEDICAL VOLUNTEER IN SRI LANKA

Top PMGY Destination – Sri Lanka is widely considered to be the best PMGY volunteer destination due to the superior local support, value for money and overall experience on offer in Ambalangoda. The local Sri Lankan team really go above-and-beyond to ensure each volunteer has the best possible experience and this is reflected in volunteer feedback. As a result, we believe this is the perfect destination for a first-time traveller who is looking for a little extra support, plenty of organised weekend trips and wants to get involved in some fantastic local initiatives in an exotic location.

 

Project Flexibility – As this volunteer project only runs during the morning period in Sri Lanka, there is an opportunity to get involved in the teaching projects in the afternoon. We do require a minimum commitment of 1 week on each project and you can make these arrangements once you are in Sri Lanka. There are no additional costs and we would always welcome any additional support across the community-based projects.

 

Internship Style Experience – Participants joining the Sri Lanka medical experience should be aware that the project does not allow for much hands-on involvement regardless of the level of medical study. The experience is designed in an internship style whereby participants will enjoy an observational and learning exchange program with the local healthcare professionals at the hospital. In turn, developing a deeper insight into the Sri Lankan healthcare system and broadening the perspective and interests of the medical volunteer. For those expecting more hands-on opportunities, you are better to explore other destinations.

 

Government Hospital Opportunities – Those who are studying a health-related degree at university can enjoy placements at both private and government hospitals. This is on the assumption we receive the required paperwork from you in the correct format at least 3 weeks before your program start date. High school leavers and applicants from a non-health related background will be placed at a private hospital only. Nevertheless, still enjoying clinic and workshop based options and an insight into ayurvedic medicine which all medical volunteers in Sri Lanka enjoy.

 

Trained Professionals – Please note this program is not suitable for trained professionals who are looking to practise overseas. This opportunity is only suitable for students or people looking to go into the medical or nursing field and wish to learn about a healthcare system overseas.

 

Group Medical Trips – PMGY provide affordable group trips to Sri Lanka for academic institutions and societies from around the world. From only 799 GBP per person (group leaders travel free), our 15 day trip to Sri Lanka is fully structured, inclusive and led by our experienced team. Organising an overseas trip for large groups involves lots of preparation. From flights and insurance to pre-trip training and that’s even before you’ve looked at organising the itinerary! So that’s where PMGY come in. We really do specialise in the group’s overseas expedition area providing exclusive group trips whilst accommodating large groups of students, on full board options. We guarantee to provide trusted and vetted medical project settings that provide great insight, exposure and learning opportunities for students.

 

Unforeseen Circumstances – As Sri Lanka is a developing country their healthcare facilities reflect this. Participants on the medical program are advised to note that from time to time unexpected factors outside of PMGY’s control can limit project and schedule availability. This can be commonly associated with the hospital setting of the placement where doctors can strike at late notice or the consultants can be absent from the hospital when expected with no advanced notice. In such situations, PMGY will do their best to arrange alternative volunteer work in Sri Lanka, though this will likely be outside of the hospital setting for that day and might be another form of the community programs we operate.

 

Weekends – Your project work in Sri Lanka runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Sri Lanka Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend. We also run two separate weekend trips which you can sign-up to before you depart for Sri Lanka. We offer the Adventure Hill & Country Trip, the Cultural Triangle & Elephants Trip along with the Maldives Chill Out Trip with opportunities running every month.

You can protect and rehabilitate sea turtles whilst also helping at community development projects as a Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteer. Many species of turtles are under threat and at risk of becoming endangered, hence there is a great need for wildlife conservation efforts. Raise awareness of plastic pollution, care for injured and disabled turtles and release freshly hatched babies back into the wild, safe from natural risks and local poachers.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE TURTLE CONSERVATION PROGRAM

In Sri Lanka, there are five species of turtles that are commonly encountered. These are the Green Turtle, Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Olive Ridley and Leatherback. The Green turtle is the most common turtle species and will likely be the one you come across the most if you volunteer in Sri Lanka. The Loggerhead turtle is the rarest and thus hardest to spot in Sri Lanka. They are more commonly found on the East Coast of America.

 

The Hawksbill (renowned for its beautiful shell), Olive Ridley (smallest of the sea turtles) and Leatherback (largest of the 5 species) are harder to spot for different reasons. Sadly they are critically endangered and sit on the brink of extinction. This is mainly because they have been heavily hunted and fell victim to other human activity as well.

 

For instance, fishing is one of the major industries in Ambalangoda. The location of the volunteer work in Sri Lanka is very close to the local fisheries port. Sea turtles are often found in fishing nets and many have lost limbs, becoming disabled and are no longer able to survive in the wild. Many of these disabled turtles are found by local fishermen who bring them to the project site for rehabilitation and care.

 

Most importantly, each environmental choice we make every day as a human has an impact on all marine life. Millions of microplastics, straws and bottles are found in the sea and beaches across the globe. Plastic pollution is becoming a huge problem worldwide and our Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteers aim to fight the battle against this environmental catastrophe.

 

Volunteering with turtles in Sri Lanka on our wildlife conservation program is an incredible opportunity to do your bit to care for these incredible creatures, whilst spending time in a country that will amaze you on so many levels.

 

TURTLE CONSERVATION VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Ambalangoda Turtle Conservation Sanctuary – Each Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteer will be based at a turtle sanctuary in Ambalangoda. Here, the Sri Lanka volunteer program aims to provide daily care and rehabilitation for the disabled turtles. They have a long term goal to release the healthy turtles back to the wild, as well as protecting turtle eggs that have been stolen by local poachers.

 

Beginning from the orientation, volunteers will learn a great deal about turtle conservation. For instance, how to nest eggs, identify different kinds of turtles, how eggs hatch, how to treat turtles, the differences between the species, how to send turtles back into the sea and so much more. In short, this is a project where you will learn a lot and be able to make a tangible difference with your time.

 

Beach Cleans – As female turtles will only lay their eggs on beaches that are safe environments to them, it is crucial the area is maintained in order to encourage them to nest. Consequently, every Sri Lanka animal volunteer will get involved in cleaning the local beaches for litter and dangerous debris.

 

Climate change, waste and plastic pollution is increasing at an alarming rate across the world and we want to continue raising awareness and promote conservation through our wildlife volunteer program.

 

This is an important core task that volunteers will engage with in the Sri Lanka turtle conservation program. As part of the teams efforts to support coastal conservation, they aim to collect 200 kilograms of rubbish from the beaches each day. Subsequently, volunteers are the driving force in achieving such goals.

 

Turtle Hatchery & Baby Turtle Release – Volunteers will help to nest, monitor and care for turtle eggs that have been brought to the turtle hatchery. Usually, these are removed from an unsafe area where they may be at risk from human activity. This often includes outside tourist hotels but also if they can be stolen by local poachers.

 

Across Asia, there is an ancient myth that eating turtle eggs and meat will increase your life span. As a result, turtle eggs are sold illegally on the black market. The hatchery provides a safe environment for the turtles to be nested and monitored for conservation. They follow the National Wildlife Department guidelines and release the babies back into the wild with the help each Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteer.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL WORK DAY

Every PMGY Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteer will spend their days next to the beach caring for the sea turtles that have been rescued and are now living in the project site. Additionally, undertaking many beach cleans in the local area to keep beaches safe and clean for the turtles and their nests. Your volunteer abroad program will run from Monday-Friday between 9am-12pm. However, beach clean days can be shorter sessions when working without shade in increased levels of heat and humidity. You will get to your project setting each morning by tuk-tuk or minibus, which takes about 15 minutes. Your typical duties as a volunteer in Sri Lanka will include:

 

• Preparing fresh food and assisting feeding on a daily basis
• Cleaning within the project premises and nearby beach area
• Taking care of the nesting area
• Regular beach cleans and beach patrols
• Cleaning and refilling the turtle tanks
• Assisting with medication
• Cleaning the turtles’ shells
• Counting and burying turtle eggs safely
• Designing education boards around the sanctuary
• Participating in marine conservation information sessions
• Releasing hatched baby turtles into the sea

 

Each Sri Lanka turtle conservation volunteer will join with the local staff at the project to get to grips with the daily tasks and what is expected of them. This will include tasks as part of a team as well as individual roles. As a participant on our wildlife volunteering abroad project, you can do your bit to help tackle the global issue of plastic pollution by cleaning the beaches where many turtles lay eggs in the south. Although this may be one of the more mundane aspects of the program, its importance cannot be underestimated. The volunteer’s efforts are recognised positively by the Wildlife Department. It is not uncommon that after one beach clean we have collected up to 20 bags of litter!

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING WITH TURTLES IN SRI LANKA

Project Flexibility – As this volunteer project only runs during the morning period in Sri Lanka, there is an opportunity to get involved in the teaching projects in the afternoon. We do require a minimum commitment of 1 week on each project and you can make these arrangements once you are in Sri Lanka. There are no additional costs and we would always welcome any additional support across the community-based projects.

 

Weekends – Your project work in Sri Lanka runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Sri Lanka Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend. We also run two separate weekend trips which you can sign-up to before you depart for Sri Lanka. We offer the Adventure Hill & Country Trip, the Cultural Triangle & Elephants Trip along with the Maldives Chill Out Trip with opportunities running every month.

As a childcare volunteer in India, you will brighten the days of young ones, making an important contribution to their lives. As a volunteer with children in India, you will act as role models to underprivileged individuals. Our volunteers coordinate fun activities and assist with tasks such as homework, to make a positive impact on local Indian communities. Above all as a volunteer with children in India, you will be assisting with the general childcare and daily activities at the volunteer placement.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE CHILDCARE PROGRAM

Like other developing countries, across India, hundreds of thousands of children find themselves lacking opportunities. In other words, many children struggle to receive the early years development they should otherwise be entitled to. Parents often lack the income and resources to provide adequate early years education for their children. Consequently, many of these children find themselves lacking opportunities to get the best start in life. Moreover, children with disabilities face even greater barriers within and outside the Indian education system.

 

Volunteers with children in India with PMGY work to support children centres in the Faridabad community. These are projects established by PMGY in the community for children from nearby slum communities. Not only do volunteers provide a friendly face to brighten up a child’s day, but they work hard to support and lead activities, making days at the centres fun and productive. Volunteers with children in India are required to have masses of energy, enthusiasm and creativity to ensure that contributions to the project can be as successful as possible. Volunteering with children is a highly rewarding experience and one that people from all backgrounds can get involved in.

 

Each day on this childcare volunteer abroad program in India is different and you will get out of the project what you put in. It is a good idea to join the project well prepared with lots of ideas of activities so that you can get stuck in as soon as possible. As a childcare volunteer in India, you have the opportunity to think and act creatively. As a consequence, they make a positive impact on the lives of young ones within the local community.

 

CHILDCARE VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Sector 10 Program – Established by the PMGY local team, this project provides support for children from the Sector 10 community. For context, this is the community in which the local team are from and where volunteers are based during their time in India. Hence, the team have been passionate to establish a community childcare and education program within their immediate local area to keep giving back.

 

Around 50 children attend the Sector 10 program each day. Many of these children come from the local slum communities. The children usually segment into two groups, with younger children and slightly older children. As a childcare volunteer in India, your role is to work with the younger children where activities are less education based. Instead, spending time making arts and crafts activities, developing playground games in the local park, hygiene education and supporting with early years development. Whereas those who want to focus more on teaching, will work with the older children to teach basic English and Maths amongst other subjects.

 

It can often be the case that the older children coming to the project each day to learn are responsible for their younger siblings. With no access to childcare at home, they bring their younger siblings to the project. India childcare volunteers play a vital role in supporting these children as well as all the other younger children at the project.

 

The project usually runs in the morning for around 3 hours. The morning will start with the national anthem, nursery rhymes and some exercise with the whole group. For the next couple of hours, the childcare volunteers will work with the younger children and the teaching volunteers will teach the older children. The group then reconvene for the final hour usually involving some Bollywood dancing and snack time. A local teacher and coordinator are on hand to support volunteers with the tasks and activities at the project.

 

KRC School – This centre was founded some years ago by a physiotherapist. The project aims to provide children with disabilities the care and attention they deserve. Sadly, a lack of awareness and limited access to resources have left many disabled people in India without the care many desperately need. Therefore, the overall goal is to provide children with the skills and rehabilitation for the greatest chance of independence. Staff at the centre have worked with local people and children with conditions that include Down Syndrome and Infantile hemiplegia.

 

There are local staff at the volunteer project, but most of the additional support is provided by PMGY participants. Daily activities often include storytelling, physical exercise, basic life skill lessons, singing songs and games. You may even get involved in some English language teaching. It is hoped that through these activities, the children will also interact with each other. This, in turn, helps to promote social skills that the children may not otherwise develop extensively. Volunteers with relevant experience may be able to assist with physiotherapy and speech therapy sessions. Such interaction will be under the guidance of the local staff. Volunteers will usually take along toys and educational aids each day to the community centre project.

 

When participants arrive on this community development volunteer abroad program, they take over the room with their energy, stimulating and supporting children. The project is very hands-on. Volunteers will have important roles in teaching English and feeding, as well as assisting in activities that focus on motor skills.

 

Although this volunteer work in India can be challenging, feedback from participants suggests the project is one of the most rewarding volunteer opportunities. The bonds international volunteers build with the children at the project are unique and special to each participant. As funding and volunteer support increases, we can continue to maximise our support to communities and the centre.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL CHILDCARE DAY

As a childcare volunteer in India, you will coordinate activities and provide care, attention and support for underprivileged children. The volunteer project runs for 3 hours each day, Monday to Friday. Typical volunteering abroad hours usually take place during morning time. However, this may vary depending on the needs of the project at the time.

 

The role of a childcare volunteer in India can vary. Some days, you may work hard to assist the children with homework or a school project. Other days, you may be responsible for arranging activities, games in the park or leading hygiene classes. Childcare volunteers in India must, therefore, be proactive in their role. This means that they must identify the needs of the children each day and coordinate activities accordingly. With any challenge will come reward, meaning that volunteers in India can expect to find their time both rewarding and fun!

 

If volunteering with disabled children in India, a large amount of patience, energy and enthusiasm is required. Each day will be different, and a strict structure cannot be expected. With each day will come with different activities, challenges and perhaps even a different set of students! As a volunteer with disabled children in India, tasks may include teaching basic English, introducing activities to promote fine motor skills, and assistance with both meal and assembly times.

 

As a volunteer overseas in India, you are welcome to join other projects for additional volunteer work. Alternatively, a childcare volunteer in India is welcome to use their free time to plan activities or explore Delhi and surrounding areas.

 

PMGY’s India volunteer program has its own private transport network that will transfer you to and from the projects every day. You with travel to and from project by either tuk-tuk or minivan. This service is included in your Program Fee.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER WORKING WITH CHILDREN IN INDIA

Alternative Opportunities – On the India childcare project, participant roles mainly involve the organisation and coordination of activities with the children. For individuals looking for a more challenging experience, PMGY recommend joining one of our other childcare volunteer abroad programs. PMGY recommend our volunteer in Vietnam childcare program offers participants with a more defined and structured role.

 

Project Flexibility – There may be an opportunity as a volunteer in India to get involved with other India volunteer programs. However, there may be instances where this would lead to overcrowding on these volunteering experiences, and thus limited project work opportunity. Therefore, such flexibility on a volunteer trip to India is not always possible. Priority will always be given to those signed up to that specific program in India.

 

Resources – On the childcare project in India, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day-to-day involvement. It is therefore important for childcare volunteers in India to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their childcare volunteering experience in India.

 

Placement Settings – PMGY does not provide volunteer opportunities in orphanages in any of our locations. Research and studies have shown that visiting and volunteering in orphanages has the potential to generate an industry that separates children from their families. In turn, putting children at increased risk of neglect and abuse. Therefore, we do not support these institutions with our volunteer network.

 

Instead, we focus on offering alternative childcare volunteer opportunities whereby children come to and from the placement setting each day. In other words, our local teams collaborate with childcare projects which do not offer any form of residential care. These are safe, responsible, and vetted projects, where participants continue to provide valued assistance supporting local staff.

 

Weekends – Your project work in India runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our India Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend.

As a volunteer teaching English in India, you will encourage students to develop skills, helping to achieve future goals. Conversing with fluent, native English speakers greatly improves student’s language skills, essential for future employment. This project provides the perfect opportunity for India English teaching volunteers to put leadership skills into practice and make a profound positive impact within poor communities in India.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM

India has made some rapid economic advancement in recent years. Despite this, around 28% of the Indian population lives below the poverty line. The disparity of wealth in India is plain to see. It can be shocking to witness the extreme differences in living conditions. However, unfortunately, the slums are a regrettable fact of life in India.

 

Indian culture places a major emphasis on education, but unfortunately, the education system in India is still a work in progress. For one thing, class sizes go far beyond suitable capacities. Additionally, schools are highly understaffed. PMGY, therefore, supports two schools located within Faridabad’s largest slum community. Our team provides free education, school supplies and uniforms to local children. This aims to encourage parents to let their children go to school. Without this, they may be forced to wander the streets, begging and collecting rubbish to earn money.

 

The children at the schools range from 3-16. The schools we support are located within the slum areas, making facilities are extremely basic with cramped conditions. However, you will find the spirit of the children and their passion to learn a real joy to behold. English teacher volunteers provide invaluable support to the limited local staff. In particular, the presence of a fluent English speaker brings a major boost to the children’s educational development.

 

When there are a higher number of volunteers teaching English in India, we may also be able to support more slum communities or disadvantaged areas with English classes. Consequently, as a volunteer organisation, this helps us to further community development.

 

TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Eco Slum School – Based in the heart of Faridabad’s largest local slum community, this is our main English language teaching volunteer project. The children are aged between 3-15, although the average age is between 7-10. The school was set up by our team in 2010. The aim is to provide children from underprivileged backgrounds the opportunity to receive free basic primary education.

 

Volunteers are encouraged to teach English in India, as well as some Maths. However, volunteers teaching English in India are welcome to discuss other ideas with their project coordinator. In addition to teaching, volunteers are expected to carry out the assembly daily, which consist largely of nursery rhymes and dancing. The majority of volunteers teaching English in India will spend their time working with this school. However, this cannot always be guaranteed.

 

Eco-School is also the hub for several other initiatives within the slum community. Here, our local team have also set up medical clinics and a woman empowerment program, with the aim to increase opportunities and the provision of health care within the community. Volunteers teaching English in India may have the opportunity to engage in or learn about these projects during their time on the India volunteer program.

 

Nehru School – The Nehru School is a high school, based in a neighbouring local community to that of the Eco-School. Unlike the Eco Slum School, students here are required to pay a fee to receive an education. Several students who have previously attended the Eco-School have received sponsorship to attend here. In 2019 alone, 15 children have been sponsored to receive education at Nehru School. This funding has largely been generated by volunteers.

 

This is an additional project which some teaching volunteers choose to support, and here lessons can be operated more formally. The children are a little older here and usually aged between 10-12 years of age. Volunteers are actively encouraged to lead lessons and teach more advanced English and Maths to the students. There may also be the opportunity for volunteers to get involved in other areas such as assemblies, sports and drawing/painting.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL TEACHING DAY

As a volunteer overseas teaching in India, you will teach English and Maths lessons to one or more classes in an underprivileged school. India English teaching volunteers are also welcome to lead other subjects such as Science and Geography.

 

If you’ve never taught before then there is no need to worry! To be successful in teaching English in India, you just need to be energetic, creative, patient and proactive. Should volunteers require it, our local coordinators can guide you as to how to prepare lessons and what to teach. However, volunteers are required to be proactive in establishing the levels and educational needs of the class.

 

The volunteer project runs in the mornings for between 3-4 hours, Monday to Friday. Typical hours at the volunteer program are between 9am-12:30pm. However, this may vary depending on the needs of the school at the time. We highly recommend that volunteers use time outside of the project to prepare lessons in advance. If you are new to teaching, your confidence will grow massively once you have taught a couple of classes! Additionally, the more time spent planning, the easier classes will be to run.

 

You will usually spend your first few days working with children alongside a local teacher or another volunteer. After this, due to staff shortages, it is appreciated if volunteers can lead their own classes. If you are uncomfortable teaching independently, we will do our best to ensure you work alongside a local teacher or peer.

 

PMGY’s India volunteer program has its own private transport network that will transfer you to and from the projects every day. You will travel to and from the project by either tuk-tuk or minivan. This service is included in your Program Fee.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING IN INDIA

Experience – For the English teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.

 

TEFL Course – We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.

 

Resources – On the teach English in India project, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their teaching English project experience.

 

Project Flexibility – There may be an opportunity as a volunteer in India to get involved with other India volunteer programs. However, there may be instances where this would lead to overcrowding on these volunteering experiences, and thus limited project work opportunity. Therefore, such flexibility on a volunteer trip to India is not always possible. Priority will always be given to those signed up to that specific program in India.

 

Weekends – Your project work in India runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our India Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend.

As a medical volunteer in India with PMGY, you will have a fantastic opportunity to gain first-hand experience and insight into Indian health care. Medical volunteers in India work with highly trained local staff. This gives individuals exposure and tuition that you are unlikely to obtain in your own country. If you are thinking of studying or even pursuing a career in healthcare, joining PMGY’s India medical programs will offer you essential first-hand experience that will assist in your career development.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE MEDICAL PROGRAM

Despite advances in India’s healthcare system, the majority of the population still experience poor health. This is largely due to a lack of awareness of health issues. Additionally, many Indians simply cannot afford regular, if any, medical treatment. The projects we support therefore offer free, or highly subsidised, healthcare to local people from slum and rural communities.

 

Our main project for India medical volunteers focuses on supporting medical camps within slum communities. In these areas, there is a prominent lack of health education and access to medical help. To contribute to improving this, we have established our own primary healthcare clinic, running all year round in the heart of the core slum community we support. Additionally, our team establish pop-up clinics across some of the local area’s poorest communities. This helps to ensure our team and international volunteers are able to make the biggest impact possible.

 

As a medical volunteer in India, you will have the opportunity to experience a variety of different medical facilities. This can range from shadowing in surgeries to sitting in on GP consultations. We offer medical placements for people of all backgrounds. Therefore if you’re a school leaver looking for work experience to boost your university application we can accommodate you. Alternatively, if you’re a nursing/medical student organising an overseas elective placement, we also have you covered.

 

MEDICAL VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

Eco-School Slum Clinic – The healthcare clinics we run really are the core of the medical volunteer project in India. Our main clinic is based in our Eco Slum School. The centre acts as the main point of health access for the local community. This is particularly important since individuals here may not otherwise have access to any other form of healthcare. Our medical staff can see anywhere from 40-100 patients daily. There are two clinics where doctors undergo consultancies – one general and one gynaecology. There is also a lab.

 

The gynaecology clinic is a newer development, with hopes of further expansion in the future. This clinic provides women from the local community with education about female health. We have also developed our own lab at the program. Here, the lab technician carries a variety of health checks. This often includes testing urine glucose levels, blood type and for pregnancy. Since the clinics are located within the slum school, medical volunteers in India will also have the opportunity to engage with the local children. Individuals can even try teaching English!

 

Whilst it cannot be guaranteed, medical volunteers in India may be assigned some very basic hands-on involvement. This may include taking blood pressure, blood sugars and dressing minor wounds. This is all undertaken under the supervision of the staff you will be attached to during your time. The local staff are extremely welcoming and very keen for volunteers to learn. Although the patient interactions will be in Hindi, the doctors speak English and will explain everything to you in English.

 

Slum Outreach Health Campaigns – PMGY periodically run free medical camps across other poor communities in Faridabad. The slums we work in at any point in time are dictated by the communities that have the greatest need. Additionally, during the summer months, we receive higher numbers of participants. This often allows us to run these outreach campaigns as an extension of the Eco-School Slum Clinic operation. These campaigns are designed to offer primary healthcare and medical check-ups to members of local slum communities.

 

We hire a local doctor to lead the campaigns and supervise volunteers. Our team also supply the relevant medical supplies and equipment needed. An interpreter is also recruited to help PMGY India medical volunteers overcome the language barrier when interacting with patients.

 

We welcome medical volunteers of all backgrounds to join this initiative. Participants often have the chance to learn basic skills. This might include taking blood pressures, checking blood sugars and assisting doctors in seeing the patients. You will also get the chance to see and learn about interesting clinical signs and syndromes typically found in slum communities. Volunteers receive ongoing training and mentoring from the local doctor, enabling each participant to get as involved as possible. The range of health conditions encountered in the slums is vast. Although many patients only have simple problems, there are many that would benefit immensely from specialist input.

 

Shadowing in a Hospital Setting – We have a number of hospitals within our network. Generally speaking, volunteers will have the opportunity to shadow within hospital departments. Here, individuals may be able to carry out basic health checks on patients during doctor’s rounds. Common departments volunteers in India will be placed within include: ultrasound, paediatrics, ophthalmology, non-urgent care and theatre.

 

Medical volunteers in India can also witness surgeries. However, these are on an ad-hoc basis. You will, therefore, be notified a day in advance or even on the day, once the surgeries have been confirmed. Naturally, we cannot guarantee those specific surgeries will take place. In any case, it can be a real eye-opening experience to see the difference between hospitals in India compared to those at home.

 

GP Clinic – Here, participants have the opportunity to work alongside a local doctor. Medical volunteers will assist in carrying out basic health checks on members of the local community in a bustling street market. Usually, the doctor sees up to 100 patients daily. The clinic can run in both morning and late evening time, usually around 2-3 hours each session. This may allow for basic hands-on involvement if volunteers choose to undertake such an opportunity.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL WORK DAY

As a volunteer in India, most participants in the medical program will have the chance to experience a number of different facilities. On a volunteer trip to India, our main placement base will be within the health campaign programs that we operate in the slum communities. India medical volunteers can expect to work 3-5 hours in the morning. This will usually be from 9:30am-1pm. Surgeries may be available for observation at any time of the day. Afternoons may be used to engage in hospital placements, the India childcare program or explore Delhi.

 

It is advised, where possible, that volunteers spend a minimum of three days on a specific placement. Doing this allows relationships with the staff to be made, often leading to increased exposure and responsibility. However, this will ultimately be dependent on the level/qualifications of volunteers.

 

PMGY’s India volunteer program has its own private transport network that will transfer you to and from the projects every day. You will travel to and from the project by either tuk-tuk or minivan. This service is included in your Program Fee.

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER AS A MEDICAL VOLUNTEER IN INDIA

Top PMGY Medical Program – The medical volunteer work in India is rated as our top overseas medical program across all PMGY destinations. This is due to the exposure our participants get and the range of projects involved. The program is not only for general medicine and nursing students but also for all those with health-related interests. This opportunity is available to school leavers and those who have never studied medicine before. This is the ultimate experience to make a positive impact within poor communities, regardless of your experience.

 

Hands-On Involvement – Your level of involvement at the medical volunteer projects is dictated by a range of factors. First of all your medical experience, but also the duration of program and willingness to get involved. The medical staff are accountable for you whilst you’re under their supervision. Ultimately, it is completely up to them if you are permitted and want to get involved in hands-on procedures.

 

Previous PMGY medical volunteer in India participants have been given the chance to administer IV injections, dress wounds etc. However, please note we can never guarantee or promote hands-on involvement regardless of medical experience or background.

 

Generally speaking those with little or no medical experience assume a largely observational role. If you are studying a medically related degree, then you should have more opportunity to undertake some more basic hands-on involvement. However, to reiterate we can never guarantee or endorse hands-on experience should you choose to get hands-on. Such a decision ultimately lies with the medical staff.

 

Trained Professionals – Please note this program is not suitable for trained professionals who are looking to practise overseas. This opportunity is only suitable for school leavers & medical students looking to go into the medical or nursing field and wish to learn about a healthcare system overseas.

 

Project Flexibility – There may be an opportunity as a volunteer in India to get involved with other India volunteer programs. However, there may be instances where this would lead to overcrowding on these volunteering experiences, and thus limited project work opportunity. Therefore, such flexibility on a volunteer trip to India is not always possible. Priority will always be given to those signed up to that specific program in India.

 

Weekends – Your project work in India runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our India Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend.

As a volunteer teaching English in Nepal, you will make a positive impact at a community level. In addition, you will immerse yourself in a fascinating local culture. From kindergartens to primary schools, you can lead classes and assist lessons to educate and inspire the next generation, preparing them for a better future.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM

PMGY Nepal English teaching volunteers encourage students to develop a skill that will help them to achieve their future goals. By conversing with fluent, native English speakers, their language skills will greatly improve, which is essential for future employment. Therefore, education is the key to driving economic, political and social development. With the help of your volunteer work in Nepal, you can help to achieve this via the younger generation.

 

However, the education system in Nepal is of an extremely low standard. It seriously lacks real investment and many teachers are under-qualified, particularly English teachers. The sad result is that 41% of the Nepalese adult population is illiterate, leading people to basic jobs involving labour and low pay.

 

Tourism is Nepal’s biggest industry and source of employment, aside from agriculture. In addition, working in tourism brings in serious money and offers huge employment opportunities. However, a key requirement for a job in tourism is the ability to speak English. As a result, being able to speak English opens up so many doors for young people in Nepal. Nonetheless, the level of English in government schools is poor, so effective English tuition is only a viable option for children from wealthy backgrounds in international schools.

 

As a volunteer teaching English in Nepal, you will expose the children to more opportunities in their future. Consequently giving hope and inspiration to the young minds who do not have access to private school education.

 

TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

On your Nepal volunteer program you will be placed at one of the local schools or kindergartens that provide education to some of the most deprived communities. Depending on your placement location and needs of the projects at the time, there may also be the opportunity to get involved in working at a day-care centre, which involves providing care and basic education to children of pre-school age.

 

Smart Kids Kindergarten – Located within Kathmandu Valley, this kindergarten was set up in 2015 with a strong focus on education in a child-centred infrastructure. They aim to provide an enriching and exciting environment for young children aged 3+. Although, they often have minimal resources and limited English communication. As a volunteer teaching English in Nepal, you can offer your language skills and passion to help boost the children’s education from a young age. The activities here are focused on high interaction and engagement, underpinned with a focus of fun, as the children will not be so confident or able in English.

 

Chitwan Primary School – Our volunteers teaching English in Nepal may be based in the south, at a small local school within Chitwan town. The class sizes generally range from around 20 – 30 children, with ages varying from five years old up to lower teens. You will often be paired with one teacher for your whole placement, although this usually depends on the need and availability at the time. Additionally, there is usually a curriculum that you can follow at school. Otherwise, you may be free to design and lead your own classes. During your volunteer work in Nepal you’ll find the resources at the schools can often be quite limited. Consequently, it’s good to find props and use your imagination!

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL TEACHING DAY

You’ll be up early with your host family to get ready for the day ahead. Make sure you wake up with plenty of energy! Depending on your location, it will probably be a short walk from your homestay to your volunteer placement, Otherwise, transport will be provided.

 

Your main role as a volunteer in Nepal is to teach English, Although, there is also the chance to teach other subjects such as Maths and Arts when required. The schools have local staff who will assist volunteers, but most of the time international volunteers lead their own lessons. In addition, the lessons are largely informal and volunteers have the freedom to be creative with their lesson plans.

 

During your lessons, we encourage volunteers teaching English in Nepal to use engaging educational activities to hold the student’s attention, as well as inspire their learning. Be creative, use exciting ways to learn new vocabulary and introduce interesting topics in a fun way. Use educational games like interactive word searches or Hangman to test the students. Or try a bit of class competition in Hot Seat or team quizzes. Games, songs, art, sport and music can all be great tools.

 

The schools usually have basic resources available. Some of the teaching project sites do have outdoor space and playground facilities as well as a range of toys and books to engage with the children. However, these can be limited at times so you may wish to bring some extra educational books or games to assist with your teaching whilst you volunteer in Nepal.

 

Flashcards and stickers are a good idea as well. Plus you’ll find it much cheaper to buy resources during your Nepal volunteer program, which puts money into the local economy too. Additionally, souvenirs from your home country can also be a great resource, especially for introducing yourself to the children and helping them learn about you and your culture.

 

As a volunteer teaching English in Nepal, you will typically be teaching around 3-5 hours a day from Monday-Friday, depending on which placement you have joined. School often starts around 9-10am, after a busy morning of cooking Dal Bhat to fuel your day! You’ll have a break for lunch and most projects will be finished between 2-4pm. Use your free time after your Nepal volunteer program to meet the local community in your neighbourhood, explore the local market or join in cultural activities.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING CHILDREN IN NEPAL

More Independent Experience – Due to the rural nature of the projects in Nepal, volunteers should be aware that this destination offers a more independent experience compared to some of our other locations. Participants are placed at various project locations around the country that often offer a basic level of accommodation. Our team are based in Kathmandu city where they support our team virtually online and via phone. Therefore if you are looking for a highly social experience with a high level of support and daily in-person contact with our local team then we recommend considering an alternative destination. Nepal is perfect for people looking for a unique experience where they can immerse themselves in a completely different culture and are less concerned about the social aspect of the program.

 

Experience – For the English teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.

 

TEFL Course – We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.

 

Resources – On the teach English in Nepal project, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their teaching English project experience.

 

Project Location – When you volunteer in Nepal you may have the option to choose which location you will be placed in. This will be determined during your orientation day when you arrive in Kathmandu – a staff member will discuss the current need, availability and any preferences you might have. You may meet other volunteers in your orientation who you enjoy spending time with too!

 

Weekends – Your project work in Nepal runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Nepal Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend.

Would you like to immerse yourself in a completely new culture, whilst teaching others your skills? As a volunteer teaching English to monks in Nepal, you will experience a fascinating culture. Live within a Nepalese Buddhist monastery and learn about a whole new way of life in this unique experience. You’ll be joining the monks’ daily routines and practising meditation before the sun rises, ready for a day of sharing knowledge and helping these communities to learn English.

 

BACKGROUND TO THE TEACHING PROGRAM

Although Buddhism is not the most practised religion in Nepal, the influence of this religion can be found throughout; well Nepal is the birthplace of Buddha! From the countless temples and stupas located around the country to the thousands of Tibetan Buddhists who have sought refuge, Nepal remains an important place for Buddhists.

 

Many young Nepalese men spend a period of their life training as a monk. The majority of the children at the monasteries are Tibetan refugees and impoverished children from ethnic hill tribes. Therefore becoming a monk offers many children the chance of a better life.

 

Training to become a monk starts at an early age. Firstly, young monks are taught about Buddhist practices and philosophies as well as receiving general mainstream education – including learning English. Consequently, the ability to speak English allows monks to translate religious text and communicate the teachings of Buddhism to all. As the Dalai Lama said, “To learn English is to spread the word”.

 

It is very important that monks receive a formal education as well as religious training. It is not totally uncommon for monks to leave the monastery when they get older, therefore it is important for them to learn English in order to boost their career prospects in mainstream society.

 

As a volunteer teaching English to monks in Nepal, you can enormously benefit their learning and language development. As a result, by working with international volunteers the monks can vastly improve their communication and pronunciation skills on a new level.

 

TEACHING VOLUNTEER PLACEMENT EXAMPLES

If you would like to teach English to monks in Nepal you will be living at the monastery, in separate living quarters. The location of where you Volunteer in Nepal will be at one of the monasteries that we support in either Kathmandu or Chitwan. The monasteries in Kathmandu are situated in various locations across the valley – some are close to the city centre and others are more rural outside of town.

 

Nala Monastery – This monastery is a couple of hours outside of the main town of Kathmandu. It lays within a peaceful rural setting, close to the ancient Bhaktapur City. Here around 150 male monks of all ages are living at the monastery. Around 50 of the young monks are divided into four classes for teaching. The rooms are basic but comfortable with a modern ensuite. However, there is usually no hot water or Wi-Fi. In addition, there’s a snack shop on-site and a sports field to unwind with the monks next door.

 

Kwung Gumba Monastery – In contrast, your volunteer work in Nepal may take place with another monastery in Kathamandu, which is located amongst a small neighbourhood. This placement is close to the shops with easy access to the main town. There are western toilets and Wi-Fi available here, although the signal is often intermittent. Volunteers teaching English to monks in Nepal will be based in one of the three classrooms that surround the library. Each room is equipped with a whiteboard and benches, and the students will be split according to ability.

 

Daunne Monastery – The monastery placement in Chitwan, on the other hand, is very rural and located within a jungle environment. Monkeys will be your new neighbour on this Nepal volunteer program! Consequently, international volunteers are advised to note the Chitwan monastery offers a much more authentic experience, where facilities are very basic and general resources are more limited. Another unique aspect of the monastery in Chitwan is that volunteers will work with both male and female monks. The school here is also open to children in the local village and is a short walk uphill into the forest.

 

YOUR VOLUNTEER ROLE & TYPICAL TEACHING DAY

For every volunteer teaching English to monks in Nepal, expect to be woken early each morning as the gong is sounded and morning prayers commence. What a unique opportunity to learn and get immersed in the Buddhist way of life!

 

You will generally be given a timetable for your classes for 2 hours a day. Due to the more limited hours on this particular program there is a lot of downtime at the monastery and therefore you should be able to occupy yourself with other personal activities. Above all, English teaching is the main way you will help whilst you volunteer in Nepal, but there may also be the chance to teach other subjects like Maths and Science.

 

As a volunteer in Nepal you will follow a flexible curriculum syllabus when conducting your lessons, whereby most of the time you will plan your own lessons and activities, working independently or alongside a fellow volunteer. There is usually a government course guide book available according to class standards that focuses on English, Maths, and Science.

 

In Kathmandu expect there to be around 40-150 young monks, depending on your monastery. If your volunteer work in Nepal is based in Chitwan, then there are around 100 monks. The ages range from around seven years old to lower teen and average class sizes tend to be around 10-15 per class.

 

The level of English will vary depending on which class you’re assigned. Therefore, you should be prepared to spend time planning for each lesson. Anything that you can teach about your own culture will also be gratefully received. In the evening times, volunteers in Nepal are encouraged to help the monks with their homework and any one-to-one learning experiences formally or informally.

 

You will have a lot of free time on your Nepal volunteer program, which you can spend travelling, relaxing or learning about the Buddhist way of life. Meanwhile, this may be your opportunity to explore the local market or learn about the local community. Alternatively, you could spend the evenings playing sports, games or extracurricular activities with the young monks.

 

Depending on your Nepal volunteer program, you may be able to provide extra help like preparing meals or collecting firewood and wild mushrooms from the jungle. You will find the monks to be accepting and genuinely grateful for your help. As a result, they will be interested to teach you about their unique culture. As a volunteer in Nepal, this will give you an insight into the Buddhist religion not granted to tourists.

 

On arrival, young monks will be keen and excited to meet you. However, some will also be shy of you in your first few days at the monastery. You will get the chance to eat with the monks and have the opportunity to take part in some meditation rituals (Puja) if you are up early enough! Please note it is not possible for the monks to teach and of these practises and volunteers should be confident to get involved on a more pro-active basis.

 

OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER TEACHING CHILDREN IN NEPAL

More Independent Experience – Due to the rural nature of the projects in Nepal, volunteers should be aware that this destination offers a more independent experience compared to some of our other locations. Participants are placed at various project locations around the country that often offer a basic level of accommodation. Our team are based in Kathmandu city where they support our team virtually online and via phone. Therefore if you are looking for a highly social experience with a high level of support and daily in-person contact with our local team then we recommend considering an alternative destination. Nepal is perfect for people looking for a unique experience where they can immerse themselves in a completely different culture and are less concerned about the social aspect of the program.

 

Experience – For the English teaching program, teaching experience is not essential as the mere presence of a native English speaker is invaluable. As long as you are creative, determined and resourceful you can have a constructive impact on the development of the children’s education.

 

TEFL Course – We encourage volunteers to prepare as much as possible for their teaching program overseas. You can make the most out of your time by completing our convenient, inexpensive and international accredited 60 hour Online TEFL Course. The cost of this course is only 150 USD.

 

Resources – On the teach English in Nepal project, resources can be very limited. Volunteers are recommended to bring materials to the project each day to maximise their productivity and day to day involvement. It is therefore important for volunteers to prepare well in advance to get the most out of their teaching English project experience.

 

Project Location – When you volunteer in Nepal you may have the option to choose which location you will be placed in. This will be determined during your orientation day when you arrive in Kathmandu – a staff member will discuss the current need, availability and any preferences you might have. You may meet other volunteers in your orientation who you enjoy spending time with too!

 

Weekends – Your project work in Nepal runs from Monday-Friday and weekends are free. You are welcome to relax and hang out at the volunteer accommodation but most participants will use this time to travel and explore the country. As a result, you can check out our Nepal Weekend Travel Guide for top tips on how to spend your weekend.