Incredible experience I absolutely loved this placement, the projects were rewarding and such a variety it really gave you a wide range of experiences that we would never get at home. I truly believe that SLV global was a life changing and career shaping adventure that tested my abilities in so many ways. People said it wasn't as psychological as they thought but the majority of us are not qualified for that level of intervention. It was just such a privilege and incredible experience to be on these projects with different service users with varying needs and conditions. I would recommend this placement to others whole heartedly, the staff are absolutely lovely and kind hearted, the family I stayed with treated us like their own and I came away feeling like I had made a difference.

Whilst I made some great memories because I met amazing people, but I did not feel this placement was worth the money. After a £1500 fee, you're then expected to pay for your own flights, visas, DBS certificate, insurance, extra activities during the placement (socials!?), resources (arts and crafts supplies), and something I wasn't informed of, (maybe I didn't read the fine print?), - but you cannot stay in the homestay during weekends. So when they say you're going to need £100 a week spending money, more like £150 for weekend transport and hotels. You cannot stay Friday night in the homestay and cannot arrive back to the homestay before 6pm on Sunday but you must be back by 9.30pm. Its just one expense after another. So it reached the point where I have zero idea where my £1500 went as none of the money is donated to the projects you work on and then more expenses start piling up when you arrive. Moving onto the placement its self. This 'mental health placement' is just a glorified creative therapy placement. Out of seven weekly projects, over five days, only two of them gave me exposure to service users with mental health problems. I also had two teaching English projects and three projects working with those with both physical and mental disabilities. I don't feel the price was worth the experience I gained. You would be better off applying for the Samaritans or applying to work as a health care assistant for the NHS. You'd get better training and you could save your money for a charity that is more transparent in what your donations are funding.

I completed the 5 week mental health placement in Sri Lanka. I had my reservations about doing it because it was a LOT of money and a long time to be away from home but I had a feeling that the hands on experience would be worth it as I had read about people finding it easier to get a job in the field of psychology with that kind of experience. It is true the experience is completely eye-opening and really puts into perspective the things we take for granted in western countries. Seeing how happy we made the service users was the best part. Their smiles and gratitude towards us for taking the time out of our lives to come help them was very rewarding and ultimately invaluable experience. There were a few surprises once there such as we had to pay for all public transport ourselves, we were on buses for the majority of the days of the week, sometimes travelling 1+hours to get to a project and then back again (less time outdoors than I expected) and we were very rarely alone. If you are someone who values their independence (like me), you will have to get used to relying on your house mates and project people a lot as you are a team and always work together. However, this was also a good thing as we all became good friends very fast and made unforgettable memories, especially on the weekends when we could travel and explore the beautiful Sri Lanka. Overall, I highly recommend this placement for anyone who's saved up enough money (~£3000) and is looking for hands on clinical experience + more experience in leadership and creative thinking + looking to discover a new country/culture!! You just have to keep an open mind at all times and remember SLV is only about 8 years old and therefore it's still learning and improving, and us volunteers are a huge part of it becoming better!

I just completed the India programme (for 1 week), and I am honestly so upset that it even had to end at all! Although I'm an Indian by nationality, this programme has opened my eyes to so many cultural intricacies in thought and behavior in my own homeland that I wasn't aware of earlier. The Clinical and Ancient Psychology perspectives provided to us gave an unbiased understanding of how both aspects can be used to promote mental health care. And of course, the 2 nights spent in Mysore was such a cultural treat! Although the programme was a short one, I have made friends for a lifetime. Looking forward to attending the other programmes offered by SLV Global! <3

I spent 5 weeks completing a mental health placement in Sri Lanka and it was grueling but amazing. I would recommend this placement to anyone with a mental health background wants to fully immerse themselves in a foreign culture and who is also interested in special needs work and teaching children. I learned many things that I didn't expect to learn and I came home more informed and passionate about a variety of topics. Thank you SLV for giving me this experience!

Once in a lifetime experience ☺ Volunteering in Sri Lanka was an amazing experience! This placement gave me a great insight into how a different culture views mental health while also providing hands on experience, which increased my skills and confidence. Something I feel I could not have gained elsewhere. I highly recommend SLV global for anyone who is open to being out of his or her comfort zone, while experiencing a new culture and gaining psychology experience. I was searching for an organisation to volunteer with and I’m happy I found SLV for this reason. The people involved and volunteers were all extremely friendly and like-minded!

I took part in the India placement and I literally can’t fault the SLV team at all. Before I went the team were so helpful in helping me prepare and answered any questions I had. They replied so fast and were always more than happy to help me. The co-ordinators out in India were so amazing! They were so warm and welcoming! Such lovely and kind people! Overall the trip was a once in a lifetime experience I will never forget so thank you SLV ❤️

My 5 weeks in Sri Lanka were the most wonderful weeks I've experienced. It was absolutely fantastic getting the chance to volunteer over there and contributing my time to the community, and getting the chance to travel over the weekends. I have recommended this experience to anyone who has asked for it and I will continue to sing its praises, its truly a life-changing experience and one I could not have experienced without SLV.

This was an amazing opportunity that I would happily do again! If you get a chance to do Java, do it!!! It was the highlight of my trip. The experiences I gained through the program were varied and we were given more freedom than I would ever get in Australia as an undergrad student. Just a heads up though, for Bali you are not allowed to stay at the homestay on Friday and Saturday nights so budget for that.

I recently completed the four week SLV mental health placement in Bali, Indonesia. The Placement exceeded my expectations. SLV has placements in Sri Lanka, India, and Bali helping those with mental health needs. SLV Global provides psychology students and graduates from around the world the opportunity to gain valuable, practical experience in the mental health sector whilst being immersed in a unique and exciting culture. Over four weeks in Bali the SLV team and I Worked in the only psychiatric facility in Bali along with in a schizophrenic facility, a centre for children with developmental disorders, and many other facilities to promote positive psychology and help the mental health of those without the proper care or resources. Together we worked everyday on sessions to help build the people suffering up and to bring them joy. It was beyond rewarding being able to use my experience in the field of psychology and my psychology degree from Dalhousie University towards helping those in need in Bali. Working in the facilities was extremely rewarding. Everyone on the SLV team were incredibly supportive and guided us to do our job To the best of our ability. I am so grateful I was able to participate in this experience I made some life long friends and had the trip of a lifetime.