In een oogopslag
- Help with the protection and survival of endangered sea turtles at Galbokka Beach, Sri Lanka.
- Take part in an unforgettable hands-on experience participating in a night time sea turtle patrol.
- Experience amazing weekend adventures and day tours to see the surrounding area of this magical island. You’ll see the most popular tourist destinations such as Kandy, Sigiriya and Galle.
- Live in a host house with other teenagers equally passionate about conservation and the environment.
- Learn about Traditional Sri Lankan cuisine and cook meals together with local families.
Is Turtle Conservation in Sri Lanka for teenagers right for me?
This project is perfect if you are looking to do something different during your holidays. It’s also great if you’re interested in pursuing a career in conservation, or just love oceans or the outdoors.
We specifically designed this project for teenagers aged 15-18, and we have a set itinerary in place and extra staff support available.
You’ll spend your volunteering trip with passionate conservation staff, who actively protect and help the local environment through different types of programmes. The best part? You get to tap into their knowledge and experience, using it to learn more about different types of conservation initiatives in Sri Lanka.
You don’t need experience for this project. A willingness to help, learn and explore is all we ask of you! On the first day our centre supervisor will guide you through the whole process and throughout your time at the project our staff will be there to help you.
So why not travel to a beautiful part of the world this year, make new friends, learn about sea turtles and help protect our oceans?
What kind of work will I do in Sri Lanka?
You’ll pack in a huge number of activities during your stay in Sri Lanka. Expect to do all of the following:
Here is a breakdown of the work you will do:
Work to protect and release turtle hatchlings
Your main role will be to help with the protection of turtle hatchlings. You’ll do all of the following:
- Help bury the sea turtle eggs in a safe, dedicated area to rescue them from poachers.
- Conduct daily checks on the eggs to check their hatching time and help the emerging baby turtles.
- Wash the sea turtle tanks and refill them with seawater.
- Prepare food to feed the turtles.
- Take care of cleaning, feeding and helping turtle hatchlings.
- Hand feed any injured turtles.
Beach Conservation and night patrols
You’ll patrol the beach once a day to look for any pieces of fishing nets, which cause a large number of deaths in sea turtles.
Then in the evening, you’ll take part in an unforgettable hands-on experience - joining a sea turtle patrol. On this tour you will go for a night time walk on the beach of Galbokka to look for endangered sea turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs.
Community awareness and education
You’ll get involved in educational work with the local community. This is very important, because everyone has to play their part if we’re going to preserve the local ecosystem.
You’ll work together with our local experts to make creative presentations for people of all ages. This will cover why coastal conservation is so important and why we need to secure turtle eggs from poachers.
Explore the surrounding region on a weekend trip
All our High School Special projects involve a weekend trip included in the price. You’ll travel together with your fellow teenagers and our local staff. This will give you the chance to explore an incredible part of the world, and take a well-earned break at the midway point of your trip.
During the weekend you will travel to central part of the country. This will include travelling to Kandy, where you’ll see the Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha and the last kingdom of Sri Lanka. You’ll watch a traditional dance, visit a tea factory, spice garden and a traditional wood carving factory.
Take part in evening activities with fellow volunteers
After action-packed days there will still be time to fit in plenty of evening activities! You’ll take part in a Sri Lankan Cooking lesson and watch a movie. You’ll also get the chance to visit local tourist attractions. You’ll visit the ancient Galle Fort, after which you can watch the sunset and do a bit of shopping at the market area You’ll also visit Kalutara Temple – one of the most iconic Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka.
Where in Sri Lanka will I be based?
Balapitiya
You’ll be based in Ahungalla – Balapitiya, in the southern province of Sri Lanka. You’ll work at a conservation centre in Galbokka bay which is 10 minutes away from your host family by car.
Balapitiya is known for its beautiful calm beaches and artistic style. There are plenty of outdoor activities and stunning beaches to discover.
What is the goal of Marine Conservation work in Sri Lanka?
The main goal of this project is ensure protection and survival of endangered sea turtles and preserve the local ecosystem.
All species of sea turtles are listed as threatened or endangered in Sri Lanka. We aim to provide data and insights that help with the protection of these incredible creatures.
Here’s just one example of why this work is crucial: different populations of Green turtles around the world are likely to have different migratory paths. If Green turtles in one geographic area go extinct, it may be impossible to replace them with turtles from another area. This is because the new arrivals will lack the inherited instructions needed to navigate within and from their new homes.
The work you do - such as protecting the sea turtle eggs and helping the emerging baby turtles - contributes directly to preventing these problems.
Management plans
We hebben onze doelen en belangen van onze projecten uitgeschreven in onze Management Plans. Op deze manier kunnen we uitgebreid plannen welk werk moet gebeuren op elk project. Het helpt ook om het werk te meten en te evalueren wat we elk jaar bereikt hebben.
Het is uiteindelijk de bedoeling dat onze Management Plans de projecten effectiever maken. Je gaat daardoor deel uitmaken van een duurzaam project dat impact heeft waar het echt nodig is. Lees meer over onze Management Plans.
Onze impact
Elk jaar helpen duizenden jongeren en stagiaires om een verschil te maken over de hele wereld. Tijdens hun ervaring in het buitenland dragen ze bij tot de duurzame doelstellingen die we elk jaar vooropstellen, met de bedoeling om een duurzame impact te maken op de gemeenschappen.
Om alle verwezenlijkingen te verzamelen, ontwikkelen we elk jaar een Jongerenreizen Impact Report. Lees meer over alle projecten en hun impact in het afgelopen jaar.
Maaltijden en accommodatie
Je gaat bij een gastgezin verblijven in Colombo. Zij verwelkomen je met open armen in hun eigen huis en delen hun gewoontes en cultuur met je. Dit is de beste manier om jezelf volledig onder te dompelen in de Sri-Lankaanse cultuur en een unieke ervaring te beleven.
Tijdens onze Jongerenreizen proberen we ervoor te zorgen dat je een kamer deelt met minstens een andere vrijwilliger of stagiaire van hetzelfde geslacht en leeftijd. Jouw kamer is bescheiden maar comfortabel, proper en veilig.
De kostprijs van het project is inclusief drie maaltijden per dag.
Lees meer over onze accommodatie.
Veiligheid en ondersteuning
Jouw veiligheid heeft onze hoogste prioriteit. We hebben verschillende procedures opgezet zodat jouw ervaring in het buitenland zorgeloos en veilig verloopt. Onze Projects Abroad staff is 24/7 beschikbaar, zowel door de week als tijdens het weekend, om je te ondersteunen en begeleiden. Zij zorgen ervoor dat jij je altijd veilig en comfortabel voelt. Mocht je ergens tegenaan lopen, dan zijn ze altijd beschikbaar om je te helpen.
Lees meer over veiligheid en ondersteuning.
Not quite what you're looking for?
Take a look at the following pages where you'll find other types of trips:
Enquire Now
Onze partners
