Our Sri Lanka family volunteering program is about escaping the norm and designed so you can experience this incredible country as participants rather than simply guests or tourists. For most families, volunteering while on holiday gives you an opportunity to ‘give something back’ or to put one’s skills to good use in an environment or community where they are needed. They are also about introducing children to a completely different world, giving them a chance to learn about a new country, and to break away from a digitally driven life.
Many families also may want to spend quality time together contributing to a genuine conservation project, sharing that feeling of achievement when they have spent a day observing wild elephants for instance!
Our Sri Lanka family program is the perfect blend of projects combining community development through education and and conservation work with wild elephants.
We do not work with sea turtles in Sri Lanka anymore as we do not feel they operate ethically.
As a country Sri Lanka is extremely underrated, however the culture and natural heritage here is so rich, making the trip inspiring from beginning to end. And Sri Lankan culture celebrates family, so the welcome is beyond humbling. And, if you have cricket bat and ball for free time, beyond fun.
Our family program in Sri Lanka is suitable to all age groups. You will have two options: To be based in around Galle around the South West coast of Sri Lanka this family program offers clean and comfortable accommodation. The projects you can do include community work such as teaching English or disabled care program. Both program can combined and there is flexibility in start dates as long as there are not public holidays in Sri Lanka.
Our second option to work on a truly fun conservation program in Wasgamuwa National Park with Wild Elephants.
Sri Lanka is a very child friendly location for you to engage in further travel before or after the program. You can visit Yala National Park for an animal safari or take the children to the many beaches or spend time exploring tea and coffee plantations in Kandy and Nuwara Ela. The options are endless and we highly recommend you spend an extra few days discovering this amazing country.
Family Volunteer Gallery
What is involved
Our family program in Sri Lanka will give you the opportunity to engage in different meaningful and rewarding projects helping local communities and also local conservation efforts to save sea turtles that are coming to nest on the shores of Sri Lanka. You do not necessarily have to be involved in everything and you will get an opportunity to choose what you want to be involved in.
Teaching : Our education program helps young children in local schools who are struggling with English and allows you to engage in art, playtime, singing, and any educational activities and games. You will work with age groups from 3 to 8 years old and support local Sri Lankan teachers in their daily work. You will be expected to plan lessons yourself and deliver this to the students.
Elephants :This project is working in alliance with the Sri Lanka Wildlife Society and offers volunteers a rare opportunity to work alongside local conservationists, educators, community partners and local
villagers deep within the heart of beautiful Sri Lanka. This is a true conservation project where wild
elephants are not touched at all as they are all in their natural habitat and it is a genuine research
based project involving elephant tracking, monitoring, observations, and education to the local
communities, running campaigns and awareness programs.
Some details
2025
Jan 5, 12, 19, 26
Feb 2, 9, 16, 23
Mar 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Apr 6, 13, 20, 27
May 4, 11, 18, 25
Jun 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Jul 6, 13, 20, 27
Aug 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Sep 7, 14, 21, 28
Oct 5, 12, 19, 26
Nov 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Dec 7,14
For the Wild Elephant Program please email us on hello@volunteeringjourneys.com for details on our volunteer accommodation (which comes with a pool on site!!).
For the Teaching program : you will stay in the beautiful Galle district of Southern Sri Lanka. You will be staying in a volunteer house with a dining area, front lawn and dining facilities. The house is located in a laid-back peaceful village surrounded by lush greenery and tropical beauty. It is only 15 minutes from historic Galle Fort and Unwatuna beach. The house is adjoined to our Program Managers house so you can get support and help anytime you require. You will get freshly cooked Sri Lankan meals everyday. Wifi is available and you can use tuktuks to get around town.
In the evenings there is plenty to do- we can help to organise cooking class or you can walk around the Galle Fort Area or go down to the wonderful beaches.
What your first week looks like
Arrival day
Weekdays
Weekend
Weekend activities
Ahangama Beach
Iconic Train Rides
Yala National Park
Galle Fort
Testimonial Videos
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