Why become a volunteer at TCP?

By working in Sri Lanka as a volunteer you get to see and experience far more than just visiting as a tourist. TCP has contacts all over the country which enables you as a volunteer to go and see places that simply are not possible without the expert guidance of TCP. You definitely mature as a person and get to see a range of cultural spectacles including the New Year in April as well as religious festivals. By working as a volunteer you will experience ?the real Sri Lanka.? It means that you live and eat with families make friends with Sri Lankans work with them and live within the cultural societies. Sometimes this can include living without western comforts such as television fridges electricity and stereos but this all adds to the experience. Using the public transport (which is some of the cheapest in the world) to discover and explore coastal villages deserted beaches coral reefs add to the experience as well.

TCP gives you the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities that suit each individual. By sending a C.V. before arrival TCP are able to decide the place that you would be suited to live at the project you could join or create a new one depending on the interests of every individual. Arriving here with an idea of what you would like to do or the type of work you would hope to be involved in is helpful to TCP. The Turtle Conservation Project also teaches you a substantial amount about marine & coastal related issues (particularly marine turtles) covering a broad range of ecosystems and habitats. TCP has many books reports newsletters articles video tapes and recent publications which are available to the volunteers to use as well as a substantial collection of photographs taken by various TCP staff members.

You have a perfect opportunity to do research with many possibilities and areas still to be examined. If research is not what you want to do then TCP has community based projects tourism projects and plans for a variety of tastes TCP works with the volunteers individual needs.

Volunteers can experience what it?s like to work in a developing country become part of local communities and their culture as well as travel and explore one of the most beautiful countries in the world yet to be spoilt by the tourism industry. Volunteer work of this nature for TCP will also change you as a person open your eyes to a whole new culture and enable you to travel and work under their supervision. Future employers are becoming increasingly interested in possible employees with volunteer work on their C.V ? just one extra bonus of the whole experience.

Areas you can work and programmes available.

Rekawa, Kalpitiya and Kosgoda.

Opportunities for:

Gap year students can come and work for TCP for 3 or 6 months. They have the opportunity to be involved with a number of rewarding tasks. For example marine turtle research TCP?s tourist programme (guiding tourists at the turtle nesting beach) rescuing turtles developing educational literature (posters leaflets and articles) TCP exhibitions updating TCP?s website and much more.

Places to see and visit whilst in Sri Lanka:

As a volunteer the schedule of work that you have is very flexible. This means that you will be able to travel regularly if you wish to do so. You can visit national parks and rainforests wildlife sanctuaries ancient cities coastal towns remote villages the hill country and more. You only have to do a small amount of research on this country to see that Sri Lanka is overflowing with culture amazing places and wildlife.

General Requirements of a volunteer.

1. Over 18 years of age.
2. General interest in the marine environment.
3. Willingness to learn.
4. Willingness to participate in a wide variety of activities.
5. Ability to work with others as part of a team.
6. Ability to think of ideas for your work and how you could implement them.
7. Ability to live sometime alone with a family.
8. Enthusiasm self - motivated and hard working.
9. Reasonable educational background.