In February I have the amazing opportunity to travel to Sri Lanka to undertake a 6 week voluntary Mental Health Placement with SLV - an organisation providing students and graduates with hands-on work experience abroad in the mental health sector. Sri Lanka is a country with limited mental health resources and currently there is approximately 1 mental health practitioner for every 120,000 people meaning less than 5% of individuals who need help will receive it. Due to scarce resources and suffering the after effects of the Tsunami and 26 year Civil War, Sri Lanka is in need of continuous support from volunteers.

It is a unique and amazing opportunity and I am extremely lucky to have been offered the chance to combine volunteering abroad with gaining hands-on work experience as well as being able to travel at weekends. I will be working with individuals with special needs and teaching English in the community to children aged 3-12 and young adults aged 17-25. I will be running all project activities, working in a team with other volunteers as well as working in under-resourced centres. I will be working 5 days a week living like a local, travelling on local public transport and staying with a Sri Lankan host family.

I would be extremely grateful if you could donate as much or as little as you can to help fund this amazing placement that I'm extremely excited (and nervous) about! SLV has already made such a positive impact on the community and individuals and I would love to help them continue their work. Personally, this opportunity will benefit me in so many ways as well. I will grow in confidence, experience living in a different culture as well as gain the invaluable experience that will help me as a psychology graduate pursue a career in mental health!

Please help as much as you can :)