Why not explore Sri Lanka and help protect the turtles?

Sri Lanka is separated from the Indian sub continent by a few miles of sea, but the water hasn’t dampened the vibrancy found on the mainland. Sri Lanka offers the traveller a similarly stunning experience in a handy, fun-size package. Its diminutive stature allows you to explore the whole island with relative ease, where you’ll find golden beaches, mountains and lush jungle as well as a really welcoming people. Our partner project on the island monitors and protects the 5 different species of sea turtle found in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately when the island was badly damaged by the 2004 tsunami the project lost important equipment, resources and tanks, meaning your support will be even more valuable as it continues to grow.

Project details:
We are working with a well-established turtle conservation project in Kosgoda, on the south-west coast of Sri Lanka. Its purpose is to monitor and conserve the turtles in the Kosgoda area, and a mixture of local staff and volunteers have been supporting its development. However, after the Tsunami hit in December 2004, much of the infrastructure was destroyed and an important source of funding - the tourists - was lost. Over the last eight years, the project manager has been maintaining a database of turtle activity to allow definitive measurement of turtle behaviour in this area. Unfortunately, most of the equipment was washed away in the Tsunami. Computers, pumps, tanks, the visitors centre, tourist gifts etc. have all gone. Before the Tsunami, the project manager was able to offer posters, t-shirts, stickers and films to the local population, thereby raising funds for the project. He is very much hoping to rebuild this programme but needs funds and the help of volunteers to support it.

Why the project needs volunteers:
Sri Lanka is home to five species of turtle - the leatherback, the olive ridley, the loggerhead, the hawksbill and the green - and all five are endangered. Conservationists have been endeavouring to protect these species from extinction for the last 30 years, but they are battling against fishermen who exploit turtles for their meat and eggs. In addition, turtle populations have been diminishing due to the destruction of coral reefs and marine pollution. At this turtle project, volunteers are needed to support ongoing conservation efforts and to repair the damage done by the Tsunami. Before the Tsunami, the project had sufficient funds to pay a team of local people to patrol the beach area and ensure the survival of the eggs at the nesting sites or in the hatchery. However, now the project manager is doing nightly patrols with just two staff to help him. Volunteers are also needed to help rebuild turtle tanks and the visitors' area, which were damaged by the Tsunami, and to assist with the creation of education material and the sale of tourist memorabilia, to raise funds for the project.

What kind of skills you need to go on this type of project:
Conservation volunteers will be hands-on people who love the outdoors. You must be prepared for some hard physical work, and you must be flexible, as this project involves a variety of activities. IT skills, research skills and communication skills may also be utilised during your conservation project. This project would suit a volunteer with a lot of initiative who is prepared to work hard individually and in a team.

Your role as a volunteer:
You will perform a range of different tasks to support the general running of the project, including feeding and cleaning the turtles and their environment; monitoring and releasing baby turtles from the hatchery; monitoring turtle egg laying and moving the eggs to a safe nesting area; and creating and maintaining a database of turtle statistics. You will also be assisting with the reconstruction of the project after the damage caused by the Tsunami, including rebuilding turtle tanks and repairing the visitors' area. You may be required to develop information resources and tourist souvenirs, and to conduct tours around the project.

Where the project is based:
This project is located right next to the beach, about 1 mile from Kosgoda, a small town about 75 km south of Colombo. In Kosgoda, you will have access to facilities such as internet cafés, shops and banks.

Please book your flight to arrive into Colombo (airport code CMB) on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup.

What exactly do i-to-i provide?

It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.

Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….

Project sourcing and assessment

We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More

Expert help-desk

Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.

Thorough project briefing materials

Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and project, and a DVD about how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.

TEFL training

If you are volunteering on a Teaching or Community Development project then a 40-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More

Airport pickup

It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time… especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

Arrival orientation

Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More

Local in-country coordinators

Your in-country coordinator (ICC) will pick you up from the airport and conduct your orientation upon arrival. All ICC's are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More

24/7 emergency support

Aside from the local support from your in-country coordinators you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by i-to-i staff in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals Docleaf to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More

Ongoing training

The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. At the end of 2006 we flew all our in-country coordinators to the UK for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More

Supporting our projects

We don't fund our projects directly, but once a year they are all invited to apply for funding for special projects or resources from our registered charity arm, the i-to-i Foundation. i-to-i funds the operation of the i-to-i Foundation and is the largest single donor. Along with the generous support of our volunteers, we have distributed over US$200,000 in funding in the last two years alone! More  

Recruiting people like you

We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.

The intangible benefits

Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here

What we will do after you've booked:

• Once booked on you will instantly receive a welcome email confirming your booking with access to your online account
• We will send a Welcome Pack in the post containing further information and a t-shirt, the information in this pack should answer most things you need to know
• Community Development and Teaching customers will receive an email introducing them to their Online TEFL course
• Community Development and Teaching customers will be requested to complete a police check (where relevant) or send through a reference
• We will contact you if we require anything else e.g. CV/resume for some projects, doctors note for medical conditions etc.
• We will hound you to complete your forms and pay your final balance when they are due
• We are available for any questions you may have on 800 352 1794 or operations@i-to-i.com
• We will prepare for your trip and send you an email with final project and accommodation confirmation 21 days before you go

What you need to do after booking your place with us:

• Book your flights
• Arrange suitable travel insurance
• Fill out some extra details through our online interface:
  • application from
  • travel details
  • insurance details
  • medical information
  • emergency contacts
• Complete your police check or request your reference (where relevant)
• Do your Online TEFL Course (where relevant)
• Make final payment at least 60 days before you go
• Make sure you have a visa for your trip if its needed
• Visit a nurse or travel clinic for advice on inoculations and malaria prevention
• Read all details and prepare as much as you can for your trip
• Take contact details of the in country team and where you're going in your hand luggage - just in case!
• Get on the plane!

Orientation Information

We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that helps to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. Its also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in Sri Lanka. You will arrive on the Arrival date - Sunday and will be met at the airport on that day and will be taken to the Ranveli Beach Hotel (see contact details below) where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. One of our team will be there on hand to advise you about the area and show you around and to take you to the Mount Lavinia hotel, where our volunteers can rest by the pool. The member of the team is on hand for an informal orientation before dinner at the Ranveli Beach Hotel at 18.30 to 20.30 hours. If you're arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you require this please contact us to arrange this service. If you wish to make your own way please arrange to be at the address below on the arrival date:

Your orientation will take place the next morning, Monday, at 08.30 hrs and you will be taken to your projects and permanent accommodation at about 13.00 hrs after the orientation. Tuesday will be the first day that you meet your project and start working as a volunteer.

Accommodation Upgrade: If you have chosen the accommodation upgrade you will be staying at the Ranveli Beach Hotel for the duration of your stay.

Insurance

It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.

The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.

If you have already booked but still need insurance then you may still be able to take our tailored policy. If, however it was more than a few days ago then try the links below:

Australian customers - find out more here >>

All other customers - find out more here >>

Flights

As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.

Early Airport Pick-up

If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to the orientation accommodation. Accommodation payment for any extra nights will then be made in country directly to the accommodation (approx 13 USD per night).

The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 40.00