Mental Health Placement Sri Lanka
Donation protected
I have been fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to gain hands-on work experience in a clinical setting. After I finish my psychology degree this year, I will begin my journey in Sri Lanka for 6 weeks volunteering on a mental health placement in January 2018. I will be travelling to Sri Lanka with SLV.Global; you can check them out here https://slv.global/about/.
During the placement, I will be living with other volunteers in the home of a Sri Lankan family to really be immersed in the culture. I will be working alongside local professionals in the community on various challenging projects. This will consist of working on mental health projects both in clinical settings (psychiatric units) and in the community; I will form interactive activities that improve particular skills of individuals suffering mental illness and psychological disabilities. I will also be working on special needs projects running activities (both physical and mental) for service users that will put the knowledge gained from my degree in psychology to good use. In addition, I will be teaching English to children in a classroom environment. I will also have the opportunity to attend psychology-focused workshops; these will provide me with knowledge into the Sri Lankan approach to psychology and will give me an insight into global mental health and how different cultures approach the treatment of mental health.
I have chosen to do my placement in Sri Lanka due to the mental health problems that continue to rise there, in particular, following their recovery from a 25-year civil war and the 2004 tsunami. Despite Sri Lanka having a good reputation for its health sector, it is lacking in the area of mental health services and has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. It is for this reason that I would like to work with SLV.Global in Sri Lanka as I believe they are in need of psychological support. I would like to use my knowledge in psychology to provide this support to individuals within their community who are in need of it, while immersing myself in the Sri Lankan culture and gaining a better understanding of mental health globally.
The experience I gain from this will not only broaden my knowledge of psychology and mental health, but will also enhance my skills for my future career. I hope to use this experience and the knowledge gained from it to pursue a career in a forensic setting, providing social care to individuals suffering from mental health conditions, substance abuse, or victims (and their families) whose mental health has been affected by a criminal act.
All donations will go towards my placement fee. This covers my training, workshops, transport to and from the airport, accomodation, food and 24-hour support and this fee is due November 2017. The placement fee does not include finances for flights, visas, insurance and vaccinations, and I will try to cover the costs of this myself. If I exceed my target and have money left over then I will donate this to a UK-based mental health organisation (unsure of which one yet but this will be decided on if this does happen - and the page will be updated so you know where your money is going- any suggestions welcome).
I would like to thank you for taking the time to visit my fundraising page. Please spread the word (via social media etc.) and I hope that you can help me reach my goal!
During the placement, I will be living with other volunteers in the home of a Sri Lankan family to really be immersed in the culture. I will be working alongside local professionals in the community on various challenging projects. This will consist of working on mental health projects both in clinical settings (psychiatric units) and in the community; I will form interactive activities that improve particular skills of individuals suffering mental illness and psychological disabilities. I will also be working on special needs projects running activities (both physical and mental) for service users that will put the knowledge gained from my degree in psychology to good use. In addition, I will be teaching English to children in a classroom environment. I will also have the opportunity to attend psychology-focused workshops; these will provide me with knowledge into the Sri Lankan approach to psychology and will give me an insight into global mental health and how different cultures approach the treatment of mental health.
I have chosen to do my placement in Sri Lanka due to the mental health problems that continue to rise there, in particular, following their recovery from a 25-year civil war and the 2004 tsunami. Despite Sri Lanka having a good reputation for its health sector, it is lacking in the area of mental health services and has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. It is for this reason that I would like to work with SLV.Global in Sri Lanka as I believe they are in need of psychological support. I would like to use my knowledge in psychology to provide this support to individuals within their community who are in need of it, while immersing myself in the Sri Lankan culture and gaining a better understanding of mental health globally.
The experience I gain from this will not only broaden my knowledge of psychology and mental health, but will also enhance my skills for my future career. I hope to use this experience and the knowledge gained from it to pursue a career in a forensic setting, providing social care to individuals suffering from mental health conditions, substance abuse, or victims (and their families) whose mental health has been affected by a criminal act.
All donations will go towards my placement fee. This covers my training, workshops, transport to and from the airport, accomodation, food and 24-hour support and this fee is due November 2017. The placement fee does not include finances for flights, visas, insurance and vaccinations, and I will try to cover the costs of this myself. If I exceed my target and have money left over then I will donate this to a UK-based mental health organisation (unsure of which one yet but this will be decided on if this does happen - and the page will be updated so you know where your money is going- any suggestions welcome).
I would like to thank you for taking the time to visit my fundraising page. Please spread the word (via social media etc.) and I hope that you can help me reach my goal!
Organizer
Kayleigh Anne Dawson
Organizer
