The information in the gapyear.com placement database is provided by each individual company. Gapyear.com claims no responsibility for inaccurate, misleading or libellious information. Please ensure that you check all details with the specific organisation before booking or accepting placement.

GYC3410 - Community work Country: Sri Lanka Cost: £845.00 Please note: £100.00 per week Cost Includes: The price includes accommodation, food, kit and pickup from airport but does not include flight, insurance or visas      Duration: 2 weeks (2 - 12 weeks avaliable) Company Rep Nearby: All the time 0845 344 7592 or

 

	This placement would suit... The most important skill you’ll need is flexibility, as the work is wide and varied and can change over time. Bring bags of initiative and be willing to work in a team as you’ll be meeting people from all walks of life. Don’t forget Sri Lanka is near the equator so you’ll be working in hot, basic conditions with few resources, so take a few brisk walks before you come to make sure you’re reasonably fit! Oh and don’t bring your best white t-shirt as you’ll probably get dirty! Volunteers are needed to provide long-term assistance in Tsunami-affected areas along Sri Lanka’s beautiful south coast. Support is required in a variety of settings from temporary houses to community centres. The nature of the work will depend on the needs of each project, so tasks could include playing with children, teaching English or encouraging local people to become self-reliant - all encouraging community development in Sri Lanka. Further activities may include planting trees, painting classrooms and helping the needy to build or refurbish their houses or gardens so flexibility is essential to get adjusted to the communities needs during the time of your stay. Volunteers on this project will also be able to get involved with the turtle project in the same area. Project details: We are aiming to provide ongoing, long-term assistance to communities along the south-west coast of Sri Lanka, which were affected by the Tsunami in December 2004. Volunteers will offer support to adults and children in a number of different settings, including temporary housing, community centres, and schools. This support may take a variety of forms, depending on need, but volunteers will primarily be teaching English, organising recreational activities, and providing entertainment for the children. Another objective of the project is to empower local people, encourage self-reliance and support them in setting up income-generating ventures where possible. We are working in partnership with local NGOs and community members in order to ensure that our help is directed to where it is most needed. Therefore, volunteers may also be asked to get involved with a wide range of other community projects which need extra help. These might include clearing rubbish from beaches to improve the cleanliness and appearance of the local environment; planting trees along the shore to protect against another Tsunami; building gardens; painting classrooms and assisting with re building homes if these activities are available during your time at the project. Why the project needs volunteers: We are working with local NGOs and community members, who do not have the resources to provide vital support to their communities without the assistance of volunteers. The extra pairs of hands, advice and experience our volunteers bring to the projects can allow them to develop in new directions and improve the lives of more families. In particular, the support that our volunteers provide may allow adults and children to gain valuable English language skills, which will create more opportunities for them in the future. Your role as a volunteer: Your role will be to assist local staff with ongoing community projects, with the overall aim of rebuilding and supporting Tsunami-affected communities. The main activities will be teaching informal English, organising sports and games, and improving the lives of local families in whatever small way you can. Working in partnership with local NGOs and community members, you may also be required to get involved in conservation activities such as helping the turtle project and cleaning the beach when and where necessary. You could even find yourself painting classrooms, building gardens or homes, helping out a community centre looking after babies while the mothers are involved in income generated activities such as handy crafts and sewing. Where the project is based: You will spend your first night at a guesthouse in Mount Lavinia, a coastal area of Colombo with several beachside restaurants. After an orientation meeting the following morning, you will be transported down the coast to the project site. We are currently working in Kosgoda, a small coastal community about 70 kms south of Colombo. Please note that previously where building work has taken place, the site has been found to have had asbestos. We do endeavour to work with sites that avoid this substance, however many of the older buildings in Sri Lanka have this as standard. Please ensure that your flight arrives at Colombo Bandaranaike Airport (airport code CMB) on the designated arrival date to ensure your airport pick-up. 0845 344 7592 i-to-i: We pride ourselves in a high level of service to ensure that all our gap year travellers get the most our of their meaningful travel. With Teaching, Community Development, Conservation, Sports, Media and Health placements in 24 countries, we can offer you the meaningful gap year that you want.