volsol sri lanka brochure 2016 compressed

2016BROCHURE

SRI LANKA

www.volunteeringsolutions.com

VOLUNTEER INTERN TRAVEL

ContentsCover01

Contents02

Your Accommodation08

Accommodation and Living09

Cost and Start Dates 10

What am I Paying for?11

What am I Paying for? (Contd.)12

Things to Do13

How to Apply - The Process14--16

Get in Touch17

Sri Lanka and Kegalle Overview 03

Elephant Program04

Sea Turtle Conservation05

Disabled Care Program06

Teaching underprivileged children07

VOLUNTEER


Sri Lanka is a delightful discovery and quite serene at several

places. You will be amazed by Sri Lankan landscape which is

diverse. It harbours golden beaches, curvy rolling hills, lush green

forests, beautiful and patterned tea gardens, and acres and acres

of beautiful heathland which gives it a country look at some

places.

ColomboColombo is the capital and gateway to Sri Lanka. Just like its

friendly neighbour India, it is a multicultural and multi-ethnic city,

comprising of Sinhalese, Tamils and smaller communities of

Portuguese, Dutch, Malay, Chinese and of course people of Indian

origin. Like many Asian countries, Sri Lanka also shares a colonial

past and has heavy influences of British and Portuguese cultures

on architecture of various monuments and houses. It is imperative

forfor a discerning traveler to spend a day here in Colombo and

explore the beach of Mount Lavinia, Talangama wetland, Galle

Face Green, Gangaramaya Temple and many more such popular

sites of interests.

Colombo Trip HighlightsChance to tour busy lakeside city of Kandy,

rich colonial legacy of Nuwara Eliya and Galle

Explore the diverse flora and fauna in the

plains, wetlands and rainforests

VolunteerVolunteer for upkeep of elephants, taking

care of little kids, working in the turtle

conservation program and helping the

disabled.

Take a day trip or city tour of Colombo city

Check out Adam’s Peak, Kegalle, Yala national

park and Anuradhapura

Sri Lanka and Kegalle Overview


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Programs in Colombo and Kaegalle

Disabled Care

Teaching Program

Turtle Conservation ( available in Kosgoda)

Elephant Camp

Program Requirements

Participants should be 17 years and above

Love for animals

Motivation and Flexibility to volunteer work in a different cultural setting

Volunteers under this program will work in an Elephant Welfare

Project in Sri Lanka where elephants are kept and treated for any

ailments, feeding and taking good care of them. Volunteers get a

chance to see elephants up and close working in tandem with the local

authorities. Volunteers help in Cleaning work in animal/ elephant

enclosures, keep elephants environment clean ( Muck out living area ),

Cleaning of the garden and assisting in landscape work, load

orphanageorphanage garbage & debris, assistance in behavioral enrichment

programs under supervision of the Mahouts you might be asked to

help bathe the elephants in the river. Volunteers may also help vet

doctors if needed. Volunteers will also spend time in the eco garden

where fruit and vegetables for the elephants are grown by volunteers.

The project also involves visiting the local disabled home for adults and

kids, where volunteers will help serve evening tea. Volunteers will have

thethe opportunity to learn how to cook a Sri Lankan food and the Sinhala

language

I enjoyed my placement very

much. Didn't want to leave.

Everyone was very friendly.

A wonderful experience not to

be forgotten

-Amanda Palmer

Elephant ProgramStarting from $525


04

Add On Tour

Colombo and Kandy ................................................... 2 Night/3 Days

Kandy and Nuwara Eliya ................................................... 2 Night/3 Days



Love for animals


Under the sea turtle conservation project, volunteers would be

required to actively help bury the sea turtle eggs in order to rescue

them from the poachers. You would have to conduct daily checks on

the eggs to check their hatching time and help the emerging baby

turtles. All in all this project requires volunteers to help conserve the

turtle population. This would also include taking care of cleaning,

feeding and helping the turtles in whatever way possible.

Task of the volunteers would be:Task of the volunteers would be:

To help wash the sea turtle tanks and refill them with sea water and

help prepare the food fed to the turtles.

As the hatchery has several turtles with injuries, volunteers would

need to hand feed the turtles.

TheThe hatchery is involved in a research program in order to protect the

endangered sea turtles that nest in the beaches of Sri Lanka therefore

volunteers are expected to patrol the beach once a day to look for any

pieces of fishing nets, which cause a large number of deaths in sea

turtles and other requested information on the data sheet.

Volunteers will also patrol the beach at night for nesting turtles as part

of this research. The project is located in Kosgoda.

Sea Turtle Conservation Starting from $525


05

Add On Tour

Kandy ................................................... 1 Night

Colombo ................................................... 1 Night



Criminal Background Check/Character Certificate is Required


Under this program, volunteers are required to interact and

communicate with patients with physical disabilities. Some of the

patients at the home despite having friends and family have been long

forgotten. Volunteers play a vital role in keeping the patients’ spirits

high and the time spent by volunteers is greatly appreciated. In

addition to this, volunteers assist in preparing meals for the patients,

general housekeeping duties and keeping the home and the

surroundingsurrounding garden area clean. The housekeeping duties are not

compulsory, the main activity for volunteers is to interact with inmates

at the home. Volunteers who are also looking to gain work experience

and/or who are qualified in the physio therapy field are always

welcome.

Disabled Care ProgramStarting from $365


06

Add On Tour

Colombo and Kandy ................................................... 2 Night/3 Days

Kandy and Nuwara Eliya ................................................... 2 Night/3 Days



Criminal Background Check/Character Certificate is Required


Under this project, volunteers have to work with some underprivileged

schools in the outskirts of Colombo attended by children from poor

back grounds. Volunteers are requested to help the teachers with the

running of various classes such as art, music, drama, English, wood

work, and/or home economics. There is also the opportunity for

volunteers to help the young adults with vocational training which will

help them to help themselves and to provide extra lessons for those

studentsstudents who are not very confident in class or need a little extra help

with homework. Teaching Placements are also available in Kegalle

where participants teach in school projects.

Teaching underprivileged childrenStarting from $365


07

Add On Tour

Kandy ................................................... 1 Night

Colombo ................................................... 1 Night

Your Accommodation


08

Accommodation Highlights

Fully Furnished and clean

Three meals a day from Mon - Fri

Near projects and basic amenities

Volunteers are picked up from the Bandaranaike International

Airport in Colombo by the local coordinator or representative. The

cost of transportation from the airport to Galle is included in the

program fee. All volunteers are given an orientation about their

project and the location by the local coordinator. Areas like

culture, greetings, locations, transportation, safety and volunteer

placements are given during the orientation. Accommodation to

participantsparticipants in Colombo and Kegalle is provided in volunteer

homes. Volunteers of the same gender share rooms together and

usually 2-4 volunteers share a room in dorm style

accommodation. Meals from Mon - Friday are provided to the

volunteers. You will have your individual room or share it with

another volunteer. The accommodation would be clean and

comfortable. Meals provided to the participants comprise of local

SriSri Lankan dishes so that you can savour the authentic Sri Lankan

cuisine.


Accommodation and Living09

Most people are surprised to hear that they have to pay to volunteer abroad. What they often do not realize is that there

are significant administrative costs involved to arrange for a worthwhile volunteer abroad placement. Volunteering

SolutionsSolutions is not supported by any government funding and runs its programs entirely from the fee that volunteers pay to

take part in the volunteer programs. Volunteering Abroad, involves incurring of many costs such as food, accommodation,

transportation, transfers, project selection etc. The program fee charged by us, goes into providing you all these services.

The money that you pay to us is distributed at various stages to provide you a meaningful volunteer abroad experience.

VOLSOL Program Cost IncludesAdvertising Online/Offline Credit Card processing charges

In country maintenance of offices, vehicles etc.Staff recruitmentVolunteer recruitmentMaintaining office and other expenses

Salaries for staffNGO financial helpCommunication with volunteers and partners, by phone/email etc.International travel done by our staff to monitor projects and attend local meetings with partnersWebsite maintenance.Government taxes.


What am I paying for?11

Administration Cost

In Country SupportProject Development

Project Support &Field Cost

Food & Accommodation

It is necessary for an organization to employ full time staff to recruit and manage volunteers. There is lot of work that goes

side by side ensuring that you are supported before and during your program. We are dedicated to make your volunteering

abroad a memorable experience and ward off of all possible hunches at every steps. Our administration cost is 28% of the

total cost which include advertising, staff salary, website maintenance, taxes, volunteer recruitment and other expenses.

The application processing fee is part of your administrative costs, unlike many other volunteer travel company we do not

chargecharge any additional credit card processing fee. These companies can charge as much as 6% on your application fee taking

it to a difference of almost $100 extra. We have a flat rate and that is what we charge.

Administration

You may be endowed with exceptional skills and acumen in your area of expertise but to figure out your exact role in the

placement agency and to gain insights of its operations require training. To know cultural practices and etiquettes is of

sublime importance to carry out your tasks. So you need someone who could impart training and dispel your doubts at

every step, obviously he/she doubles as your friend and trainer.

Good grasp of the local language is an added advantage that helps you to communicate effectively and learn the culture

promptly so in some cases they also assign language trainers to help you out who is paid by program provider.

Training and orientation

We charge for food and accommodation based on your preferences. You may decide to do home stay or group accommo-

dation or relish the cuisines cooked by host family and pay them. You may cook for yourself if you find it economical or your

placement organization may provide you lunch. You have plethora of options to choose from and charges are determined

accordingly. Host organization provides a safe and welcoming atmosphere for the volunteers. Food and accommodation

charges cover 40% of your total expenditure.

Food and accommodation

Volunteer service organization often employs in-country staff to provide local support and to make your volunteering

abroad experience memorable. As long as you are volunteering outside which may take up to six months, our staff is

continuously working for you behind the screen. So we pay them from program fees we receive despite other sources like

grants and donations.

Nothing can be more discomforting than to struggle for getting basic services like healthcare, banking or even visa

reviewingreviewing in a foreign land that otherwise would have been comparatively less difficult in an English speaking country. As a

volunteer, you have not been tied up to the agency only but you may roam around the city to watch historical places, zoo,

movies etc. and should have total access to everything in order to distress yourself. VolSol has incredible in-country support

(around 12%) to ensure your trip runs smoothly.

In country support

The most important part of the volunteering fees is on the project which you have chosen. Program fees help fund the

project activities and resources. Thus organizations need paid staff member to ensure continuity of your program and

administrative duties. Project development involved 11% of the total program fee.

Project Development

What am I paying for? (Contd.)15

Sky blue water bodies, plush green mountain ranges and hill tops, robust yet beautiful waterfalls; the pristine view of

nature’s carving on the canvas of this land is simply awe-inspiring and admirable. The Adam’s Peak, the Ravana falls, Mt.

Pedro, Devon Falls and some exotic beaches in Galle are all there to play with your senses.

Surrender to the nature

The forests of Sri Lanka are known for giant elephants, especially, but the speciality does not end here. Walk through the

Yala national park or take a jeep safari at Minneriya National Park, and you will see the richness of wildlife species found in

the forests of Sri Lanka. For a wildlife enthusiast, Sri Lanka is a perfect place to wander the jungles and admire the beauty

and beautiful creatures.

Wildlife at its best

An island nation colloquially means a lot of adventure activities. Of course, one might not pick Sri Lanka in the first place

when deciding upon a destination for adventure sports, but don’t let the subtle image of this mystique country deceive you.

One can find all sorts of enthralling activities to indulge in, that includes, rafting, kayaking, surfing, hiking, hot air balloon

ride, scuba and many more.

Take a dip of adventure

For once, it may seem unreal, but the small Tamilian region of Sri Lanka has a vast background of historical culture and

social essence, tracing almost 3000 years back. The architectural designs from the years of yore, maintained to its tip even

today, shows the significance they carry in the chapter of Sri Lanka’s history. The country has been spread with followers of

Buddhism, as well, to a pretty noticeable extent. Cricket, although a sport (and not just any other sport, but the most loved),

is kind of a cult religion in Sri Lanka and brings together the entire nation at the time of a tournament.

Explore the rich culture

Yes, you thought it correct!! Fish & rice are one of the key ingredients and the staple participant in the recipes from Sri

Lankan kitchens. Coconut milk, rice, chicken and lots of spices make the delicacies served in Sri Lanka mouth watering. The

Sinhala-Tamil New year is the largest festival celebrated in the region, amongst a number of others. Kokis, a fried crispy

rings’ preparation, is commonly made during this festival. The Kandy Esala Perahera, the largest cultural parade in the

world, is another huge extravaganza celebrated in the island nation of Sri Lanka.

Food and Festivals


Things to do in Sri Lanka

13

Trip Notes

Teaching in schools other than teaching monks program can also be arranged.

How to apply - The process14

From the drop down select either Volunteer Abroad, Intern Abroad or Summer programs abroad.

If you are already familiar with the website and are visiting just to apply ignore this step and simply click on the Apply Now button at the

end of the drop down header.

Where it will ask you to create a login and password for your My Account login. Your email id would be treated as the username or user

id. Click on the proceed to next step button. The next step button will take you to a form that you have to fill to pay your application fee

of $225. This application fee will book your seat in the placement until you pay the entire program fee amount. If we fail to provide you

the placement we will refund you the money.

**Points to Heed

**If you are a past volunteer and already have my account user id and password then login to your my account section directly.

**If you are a returning volunteer within a year, then you do not need to pay the application fee again. **If you are a returning volunteer within a year, then you do not need to pay the application fee again.

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When you click on the apply now button, you will get a window like this:

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Fill out the forms marked 2 to 4 and submit application, it will be redirected to your payment gateway, where you can make the payment.

If you make the application fee payment now, your My account login would be activated as soon as we receive the payment. In case of

any glitches if your My account login is not activated, please inform us and we will do it manually.

You will receive a Thank you mail for booking the application or making your my account

login. You will get this email irrespective of full payment made or not.

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This email would be followed by a Welcome mail and a community email with platforms to

help you connect with our past volunteers. If you are using gmail, please check your

promotions folder or spam folder and mark them not spam and shift them to your inbox.

Actively participate in VolSol Facebook page and Groups and also join the social

community made by volunteers, that will help you better prepare for the trip.

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One month prior to your booking you will get your pre departure booklet. The

pre-departure booklet would contain all the details about your project and project

location.

While on the project, we will send you an email to check on you, whether you are doing fine or not. You can send your pictures, blogs or

videos or anything related to your ongoing work to us and we will share it with other prospective volunteers.

After the completion of your project, we send you a feedback form, fill this form out and help us improve our services.

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If your placement is confirmed you will get an email from us stating the same, along with

the final payment due amount.

You can pay your program fee from your my account section or from payment page. The

links for the same would be provided in the email. Payment details would be updated on

your my account page.

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