It was an amazing experience. I really had a lot of fun and learned so much while I was there.

I was a volunteer on the 5 week mental health placement in Sri Lanka. I enjoyed it immensely; being fully immersed in the culture, I got to learn how to live like a local. The placement really enabled me to improve my confidence in applying my skills and knowledge from my degree to a completely different setting. SLV.Global really allow you to get the most out of your experience by providing workshops and field trips, these teach you so much about psychology in Sri Lanka and teach you skills that you can apply once you return home. The staff are very friendly and you feel thoroughly supported by the company during your placement. I would highly recommend this placement to anyone who wishes to improve their psychological skills and experience whilst travelling in a beautiful country.

SLV.Global is unbelievable and exceeded all my expectations! I have met incredible people and worked with them to help service users in orphanages, hospitals, schools, etc. It was a great learning experience and I really felt as though I have made a difference in individual lives. The memories and experiences I've had throughout this trip has made a huge impact on me as a person and I will truly cherish this experience.

It was my first time volunteering abroad. I felt nervous. I was lucky to have met amazing and motivational volunteers with different backgrounds and aspirations. I realized that i was not the only volunteer that came to Bali by myself. Most of us were in the same boat and I think that is what made me feel more at ease. The SLV team where amazing too. The service users we volunteered with made it difficult for me to leave without being emotional. They were all so special in their own way. Also, we learned about the culture and traditions of Bali and the Balinese people. We had free time during the weekends to explore the island, so there was no time to rest! I didn't want to go home. I didn't want to say goodbye. Coming back home, I was glad that I came out of my comfort zone and volunteered with SLV. Thank you!

My experience with SLV.Global during the Bali placement was truly too incredible for words. Even though the placement in that location is still in its pilot development stage, the staff was superb, the projects were diverse and engaging, and the skills that I gained from planning sessions and carrying them out were extremely valuable and I know I will rely on them in the future. Not only did the program offer a wide range of psychological hands on experience, but it also taught volunteers to think on their feet and handle real life obstacles that might not allow their session plans to be carried out to perfection. Many times we were thrown into situations with absolutely no materials because of late changes in schedule, and this is probably the most valuable skill I learned. Crashing and burning was definitely present in the projects, but I must say I loved it because I am a better person for it. The island also has the most beautiful culture, and being able to work with people who are so different than you but have the same goal as you is rewarding in every sense of the word.

I had an amazing time volunteering with SLV in Sri Lanka. Not only did I gain hands-on experience, I also made new friends and have a beautiful Sri Lankan family that I could call home. Knowing you've made a service users day is so rewarding and ill be forever grateful to SLV for allowing me to develop my skills and be able to feel confident with the skills I already had. I would 100% recommend someone else to volunteer with SLV if they ever had the opportunity!

Loved my time in Sri Lanka when volunteering with SLV.Global. The placement gave me insight into a different culture and mental health issues around the globe. It also gave me experience in working with special needs, hence increased my confidence greatly. I would recommend SLV.Global volunteering for everyone! It was a great experience and I met so amazing people as well.

Honestly the best experience of my life. The people I met and the places I visited will be with me forever. I adored not only all of the service users but the team of volunteers I had the pleasure to work with. Every single project was so rewarding and I left with a real sense of achievement and the feeling that I had really made someone's day. I learnt such a variety of skills from creative therapy to perseverance in more challenging situations. These will definitely aid my in my future career. The places I travelled to on weekends were indescribable and the scenery was just breath taking. And the people I met along the way are definitely friends for life! It is safe to say Sri Lank has a very special place in my heart. Thank you SLV Global for such an unforgettable experience.

Before flying to a novel country I had no idea what to expect, but quickly realized that living and working in a new culture would be an invaluable experience and learning curve. Slv global mental health placement in Sri Lanka gave me an opportunity to learn more about unique culture differences and its effects on people's mental health and perception of psychological sector. In 5 weeks that I spent in Sri Lanka, I've been able to see how I can apply theoretical knowledge, gain hands-on experience in mental health sector and most importantly help people from various backgrounds. Working in settings that varied from psychological institutes to elderly's centers and special needs centers helped me to be more confident in my chosen career path

I LOVED volunteering with SLV. The whole experience changed my life. In the months leading up to my placement, I had a lot of questions and called their UK office fairly frequently. They were so helpful. After a lot of research, there were three main things that made me feel comfortable and confident in my decision to apply: 1) they had a focus on sustainability in the communities they work in, meaning they do not initiate new programs, they only support ongoing local programs and they minimize the impact of a high volunteer turnover on their service users; 2) there are criteria and minimum levels of education you must have to attend—not just anyone can go; 3) the staff were so passionate and helpful. So I applied, had an interview, and I got accepted, yay! SLV was professional and organized beyond my wildest dreams. I got my own portal login, a webpage I could visit to pay my fees, upload my documents, communicate with staff, and get information about my placement (from packing to needles to cultural requirements) all in one place. It made an intimidating process a lot less scary. My first week in-country was filled with thorough training, experiential learning, practice and supervised sessions, and educational workshops with Sri Lankan mental health professionals. I felt completely prepared to begin my work with the service users on the projects. SLV gives you accommodation with a local family and several other volunteers. I loved the homestay experience– living like a local in the community added a whole new level to the experience. The home was clean, comfortable, and the food was incredible. It was really nice to have a cozy, happy home-away-from-home. I was also super impressed by the level of support that was available to volunteers 24/7. There was always someone to reach out to in case of emergency or just to talk to if someone needed it. The permanent staff were always eager to help and shared their personal contact information with us to use anytime, and some permanent staff even live in the homestays with you. In all homestays there are peer mentors, which are other volunteers who stay in the country for at least 12-weeks and receive additional training to provide peer support. I learned so much and I highly recommend this organization!