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Kindergarten Volunteer Program

The Kindergarten project aims to support children aged 3-6 in southern Sri Lanka, helping them develop key social, emotional, and academic skills for a brighter future. By creating an engaging, hands-on learning environment, the goal is to boost their confidence.

Sri Lanka

country

1-20 Weeks

duration

from $625

price

16 years+

min age

Highlights

Teach little ones in kindergartens and spread the light of education among them
Contribute to social change and make a difference in the lives of children
Gain first-hand work experience and bond with people from different parts of the world
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
Meet other volunteers from around the world and stay in a volunteer house near the beach

The purpose of this project is to provide assistance, attention and care to very young underprivileged children in southern Sri Lanka, allowing them to develop their social, mental, emotional, linguistic, reading, and writing skills in preparation for a brighter future. The major goal is to get the children to participate, investigate, explain, and elaborate so that they can learn in a dynamic and practical setting. To maximize volunteer contributions, priority is given to well-deserving children that lack adequate resources.

Background to this Program
The standard of care and attention that underfunded kindergartens in Sri Lanka provide to students aged 3-6 years is insignificant when compared to those that receive more funding. The formative years of a child has a significant impact on shaping their future development. Teachers in low-income schools are usually underpaid and overworked, with few resources and facilities. Therefore, there is a need to support these schools through caring volunteers who assist teachers and spend their time developing the skills of these young minds by showering them with attention, care and affection.

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

Volunteer Roles & Responsibilities

Kindergarten volunteers assist the local kindergarten teachers with the day-to-day running of the classes. The classes are held in the mornings (or sometimes in the afternoons depending on the ground situation) for 3-4 hours per day and we will mostly spend around 2-3 hours at the kindergarten with 4-5 hours of lesson planning a week. Typical class sizes range from 20-30 children. Volunteers often work with small groups of children at a time. The education coordinator will accompany the volunteers to the project site and guide the volunteers in assisting the teachers at the kindergarten.

Typical activities run by the volunteers include teaching Basic English (reading, speaking and writing), playing educational games, singing and dancing, crafting and pre-reading skills such as matching, sorting, seriating, patterning, categorizing etc. Socializing with the children and nurturing them with care and attention to provide motherly warmth to the children in an intimate environment.

This project is ideal for participants who are energetic, like spending time with young children and play a role in nurturing their minds with patience, empathetic character, sense of humor and a degree of maturity to guide the children. We encourage you to bring a notebook and a pen to make necessary notes and records along with laptops or tablets for lesson planning if possible.

Requirements & eligibility

Volunteers must be between 16-45 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, patient and enjoy spending time with young children and help nurture their young minds.

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 8-11.30am (KG)
Lunch – between 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Lesson Planning 1-3 pm
Teaching program 3-5 pm
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
1 week	$625
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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