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Children’s Teaching Volunteer Program

Being a volunteer for the Teaching Program in Sri Lanka with Volunteering Solutions, you'll get an opportunity to help young children improve and learn English and provide them with much-needed confidence that comes with a better understanding of the outside world.

Sri Lanka

country

2-20 Weeks

duration

from $835

price

18 years+

min age

Highlights

Teach underpriviliged children aged 6-12 years in Southern Sri Lanka
Get first-hand working experience in an international set-up
Stay in a tropical villa style volunteer house close to the beach in Unawatuna
Meet some like-minded travelers from other parts of the world and make bonds of friendships
Learn about the culture, traditions, and festivities of Sri Lanka
Experience the thrill of wildlife adventure at any of the several national reserves, including, Sinharaja forest reserve, Bundala National park, Minneriya National park, and more
Explore world-class beaches like Ahangama, Mirissa, and Tangalle and soak in the sun over the weekends
Get the taste of real Sinhalese cuisine

Overview
This project aims to assist young rural children of southern Sri Lanka by providing them with care, support, and attention as they learn English by interacting, exploring, explaining, and elaborating in the language. The goal is to develop their English language skills (along with some life skills from time to time) and increase student involvement in schools for children aged 6 to 12 years old. The hope is that these unique opportunities to study English will instill a positive attitude in them that will drive them to continue their English studies in high school and beyond.

Background to this Program
In Sri Lanka, younger children at less affluent schools receive far less resources and attention than those who receive greater help. A key driving force of well-to-do parents behind the choice of international schools, besides access to technology-based learning, international curriculum, and flexibility, is the use of English and how it enhances future prospects. There are significant differences in the resources and facilities available for various schools in various locations, even though successive governments have tried to improve educational opportunities and standards at schools by giving out free textbooks, uniforms, and other items. Notwithstanding the unequal distribution of learning resources, the inability to support basic requirements for children in rural schools and lack of qualified teachers, crowded classrooms with more children and one teacher have led to limited educational opportunities for disadvantaged school children. Lack of teaching staff and other resources in rural schools often depletes interest for English language learning among the children resulting in poor attendance. Therefore, there is a good demand for English, and every guardian of school children are desirous of and love to see their children speaking in the English language. It is necessary to support these schools with caring volunteers who give their time to fostering the growth of these children’s English knowledge and skills by showing them love and care.

Target students
The project caters to local students at underprivileged rural areas and young monks in neighboring Buddhist temples / Pirivenas in and around Galle to enhance their English language. The classes are scheduled 3-4 days a week with local students, 0-1 days with young Buddhist Monks (as they are not available throughout the week) and a dedicated session for lesson planning where the volunteers plan the sessions and get the needed lesson materials prepared in advance.

Want to see other ways to make an impact? Check out our Volunteer in Asia programs.

Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities

Our volunteers teach English (either directly or assisting the Education Coordinators) to children of varying ages (generally between 6-15 years old) and levels. We incorporate practical strategies with theoretical English language learning/teaching principles to enhance the learners’ communication skills and develop their abilities. The classes are conducted in the afternoons for 2-3 hours per day and lesson planning is done for 4-5 hours a week. Typical class size ranges from 20-30 children.

Volunteers often work with small groups of children at a time providing special attention where needed. The Project Coordinator will accompany the volunteers to the project site and guide them when planning and delivering lessons.General activities include teaching English (reading, speaking, listening and writing), activity-based learning and activity-based oral English learning at the initial stages, providing the ability to distinguish and identify letters of the English alphabet; the ability to form the English alphabet on paper legibly using correct hand movements; the ability to write simple sentences with accuracy; and the ability to acquire a sufficient vocabulary related to his or her immediate environment and communication needs. Grammar lessons, comprehension, proper pronunciation practices and spontaneous speaking activities are also included.

Requirements & eligibility

Volunteers must be between 18-50 years old at the time of joining the project. You need to have an open mind and a flexible attitude for working in a new and different environment. The volunteer should bring energy and enthusiasm to make a difference. Participants must be fit and healthy at the time of joining the program. Participants should have no criminal convictions and should provide a clean criminal background check report.

This project is ideal for participants who are energetic, enjoy spending time with children and play a role in nurturing their minds with patience, empathetic character, sense of humor and maturity. An intermediate level of English is needed at the least to participate effectively as a volunteer in this project. The volunteers can also gain a better understanding of the culture and traditions of these children and vice versa, thereby bringing about authentic cultural exchange in an intimate setting.

Volunteer work schedule

A typical day

Saturday: Arrival +House Tour + Initial Training session (as long as the participants come by afternoon or else its done on Sunday)
Sunday: Neighborhood familiarization tour
Mon to Fri: Volunteer work
Breakfast – 06:30 am – 8:30am
Monday to Friday 8-10.30am
Lunch – between 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Lesson Planning 1-3 pm (There is an option to teach children at the teaching center from 3-5pm)
Dinner – 06:30 pm -7:45 pm

Note: The schedule may vary depending on the particular project and local circumstances.

Gallery

Life on the programme

Living

Accommodation & meals

Airport Transfers
Volunteers are picked up from the Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport Airport by a representative of the local coordinating team on the program start date during scheduled airport pickup hours. Participants are also dropped off to the airport upon completion of the program during the scheduled airport drop hours (At extra charges).Charges for the return airport drop can be paid by the participants when they are in Sri Lanka.

Note : Arrival transfer (shared) within pre-defined time windows on Saturdays included in the program price (non-transferable).There will be 2 shared airport transfers every Saturday (Morning and afternoon/evening) from airport to Galle. A private transfer is also available for USD 100 and can be arranged on Saturday or for participants arriving on any date other than the start date.

Orientation
A detailed program Orientation will be provided before you start your volunteering program.All volunteers on arrival get a welcome presentation including health and safety training, culture presentation, project specific presentation and area orientation tour. Our staff will also assist you with the lessons and planning the curriculum, as and when required. You will also have access to our in-house teaching library consisting of manuals, books, and various teaching materials to help with lesson planning and providing general guidance.

Accommodation
Volunteers joining the programs in Galle, Sri Lanka, will get to stay in the quaint Unawatuna neighbourhood, overlooking the famous Unawatuna Beach and the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. Our participants stay in two volunteer houses which are located near to each other.

The Beachside house is located right across the road from Unawatuna Beach and about 100 metres from the other volunteer house. It has 12 spacious bedrooms of varying sizes with attached en suite bathrooms each with air-conditioning facilities (most rooms also have attached outdoor balconies). There is also a separate dining area, small garden, lounge, terrace and a large office with permanent staff onsite. The property is safeguarded by multiple CCTV cameras and an onsite night security team.

The other larger volunteer house has 13 bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.Most of these rooms have ocean views! There’s a private 40-foot outdoor swimming pool surrounded by tropical greenery. The house also has 3 kitchens as well as 3 living/common rooms (one each per floor), a prominent dining area, and a private outdoor garden with seating/lounging areas.

The office is located on the ground floor of the house near the main entrance – this is where the local team operate from every day. The house is located in a peaceful, nature-filled neighbourhood adjacent to a small Buddhist temple (nestled away from the main tourist areas). To ensure the safety and security of the participants, there are CCTV cameras installed, and an in-house security guard for night-time surveillance. Hot water and high-speed Wi-Fi are there and you can opt for air-conditioning and laundry facilities at an additional charge.

Private (single and double) room upgrades are available at additional charges. During busy months participants are also provided accommodation in nearby guesthouses in case of low capacity in the volunteer houses or non availability of private rooms. Private rooms are provided in guesthouses within walking distance to the volunteer house. Volunteers stay in the private guesthouses and walk over to the volunteer house and have meals with the other volunteers.

All participants aged 40 years and older will be provided with a private room only and will not be provided accommodation in shared dorm rooms . Additional charges for private room upgrade shall be applicable.

Meals
We provide 3 freshly cooked meals per day all week long (Monday to Sunday): Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Fresh ingredients are purchased from local markets to prepare these meals. The volunteer homes have cooks from the local community who come daily to cook fresh, homely and tasty local meals for the volunteers. We can cater to a range of special diets including vegan, gluten free, nut free and lactose-intolerant diets. If there are any other allergy or food requirements mentioned to us beforehand, we always do our best to accommodate those needs. Those volunteers staying in private guesthouse rooms near the volunteer house, usually have breakfast at the guest house and walk down to the volunteer house for their lunch and dinner.

Local Transportation
Local transportation to and from the project is included every day.

During Free Time
There is plenty to do during the free time and weekends for the volunteers.The following activities are provided free of charge and included in your program fee:

Evening Rooftop Yoga Session (weekly)
Movie nights on large screen projector at the house (weekly)
Bike tour across paddy fields and local villages (monthly)
BBQ for volunteers and staff in the garden (monthly)
Night Fishing for anyone into fishing (on demand)

The following are popular weekend (or even daily) activities which our volunteers love to do around the area (at an additional charge):

Surfing lessons
Elephant safari
Whale watching(during season)
Rainforest hiking
Beach hopping
Local cooking class
Galle Walking Tour
Local spice market visit
Galle Fort visit

We also encourage you to join our specially curated 7D/6N Sri Lanka Culture & Adventure Tour which packs the best of the island’s beauty and diversity within a week.The tour can be added to your program itinerary before or after the volunteer program.

Dates

Start dates

Weekly start dates, year-round — pick any week across the next two years.

AvailableFilling fastFully booked

Costs

Program fees by duration Currency

A one-off application fee ($249 / £179 / €229 / AU$350) is charged in addition to the program fee — valid for one year, during which you may enrol in multiple programs. A 5% international banking fee applies to credit-card payments in USD or AUD.

Duration	Program fee
2 weeks	$835
3 weeks	$995
4 weeks	$1,155
5 weeks	$1,315
6 weeks	$1,475
7 weeks	$1,635
8 weeks	$1,795
Each additional week	+$250 / week

Indicative conversion — your booking is charged in the currency you choose at checkout.

✓ What you're paying for

24 hrs Assistance and support from Staff
Comprehensive Pre- Departure Information
Dedicated volunteer housing with WiFi (shared rooms)
Shared airport transfer on arrival at designated time windows in the morning or afternoon
Orientation and training on arrival
Breakfast, lunch and dinner all days
Guaranteed project placement
Local transportation to projects in private AC van or tuk tuk
Experienced bilingual operations team on the ground
Dedicated staff support from 6 am to 8 pm every day
24/7 local emergency support
Weekly yoga class on rooftop terrace
Weekly movie nights on large screen projector
Monthly bike tour around paddy fields and local villages
Monthly special BBQ dinner
Travel & Medical Insurance(Available at an extra cost)
Certificate of Participation(On Request)

Not included

Visa Fee
International Airfare
Return Airport Transfers from Galle to Colombo Airport (available at extra charges)
Vaccinations
Any personal expenses
Additional Local Excursions and Trips
Private Room Upgrade charges
Charges for additional nights at accommodation

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Application & getting started

When should I apply?

Apply as soon as your dates are decided — spots are limited. The application fee is valid for a full year, so you can apply early to secure your place.

How do I apply and when do I pay?

Fill in the online application form and pay the application fee. The program fee can be paid later, even in instalments, but must be complete 45 days before the program starts.

What are the requirements?

Participants must usually be at least 17 (families welcome with younger children), with an open mind, good health and respect for local customs. A clear criminal background check is required from all adults.

Accommodation, meals & support

Where will I stay and what about food?

You stay in a volunteer house or with a host family, with meals provided. Private-room upgrades are usually available.

Is there support while I'm there?

Yes — a local coordinator gives you an orientation on arrival and is available 24/7 throughout your placement.

Health, safety & visa

Do I need insurance and vaccinations?

Valid travel-medical insurance is mandatory (available from us at a nominal cost). Consult your travel doctor for recommended vaccinations; your pre-departure pack covers the details.

Do you help with the visa?

Yes — all enrolled participants get visa-requirement information in the pre-departure manual, and your point of contact can answer questions.

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