South Devon College Students Volunteer in Sri Lanka

Twenty-one South Devon College students recently spent fifteen days in Galle, Sri Lanka, on a Turing Scheme-funded conservation project, volunteering to plant mangroves, work shifts at a turtle hatchery, and clear rivers and beaches of plastic. Most had never met before they landed. By the time they flew home, that had changed.

“I mingled with all of my peers, including the ones that are on different courses to me, whom I have never spoken to before,” said one student.

Others were paired with students further along in their college careers. “Communicating with older, more experienced young adults on the same course gave me a greater, deeper understanding of what to expect,” said one student, “and becoming more independent, like doing my own washing and not having anyone to remind me of anything, built on my independence.”

Volunteering at the turtle hatchery

At the turtle hatchery, the work was hot and repetitive: sand and water carried by hand, bucket by bucket, tank by tank. “I did team working when cleaning out the turtles,” said one student. “We all worked together to carry buckets of sand and water into some of the enclosures.”

On a rest day, the group set off at 3am for a safari, arriving in time to watch the sunrise and spot elephants, crocodiles and other wildlife in their natural habitat. Later in the trip, they returned to the coast to swim with wild turtles at Turtle Beach, a contrast to the hours spent cleaning tanks and refilling them from the sea.

The group also travelled by boat to one of the islands in the lagoon to take part in mangrove reforestation, seeing first-hand the impact of coastal erosion on the areas they were working to restore.

Living together in Sri Lanka

Six to a room, sharing bathrooms, balconies and evenings after long days on project, students worked out fast how to live alongside people they’d only just met. “I definitely had to use and develop my communication skills when talking with roommates about having certain times we all needed to be asleep, and responsibilities for our room,” said one student.

Ben Reynolds, Programme Co-ordinator for Sport and Adventure, remembers walking back from a rainforest litter pick and meeting a local expert who talked the group through the snakes of Sri Lanka. “There were lots of chances for us to learn about the environment, to understand the great work people are doing here, but also about the culture,” he said. “We had a fruit stall one night where we got to try all of these different fruits. We also got to handle the snakes and learn about how they impact and look after this country.”

Andrew Bennett, a lecturer in adventure sports, said the trip was structured so every student could take part on their own terms. “Some of our students come with additional support needs, and it’s been possible for them to take part at a level that’s right for them,” he said. “We’ve been able to re-visit and go back to these places with enough time to feel like we’ve made an impact, which has been really good.”

Gary Peverill, Trainer Facilitator in Adventure Sports, described the group’s stay at AASHA Beachside in Unawatuna: home-cooked meals three times a day, air conditioning, and a lower-level seating area where the group gathered for debriefs and presentations. “A lot of them have their own balconies as well, so it’s nice that they have a nice area to mingle and chat in the evenings,” he said. He added that the food, a mix of traditional Sri Lankan dishes, was some of the best they had all eaten.

That habit of pitching in stuck through to the end of the trip. “We all used team working every day, whether it was on project doing the volunteering activities for that day, or sharing water with someone who ran out, or looking after people who are feeling sick,” said one student.

“My confidence has grown as I have been able to make new friends on this trip, not knowing many people, and have finished with a whole load of friends,” said one student. “Also giving all the activities a try, even when I was scared to try them.”

Suzy Hedge, a lecturer in sport, said the same was true for the staff. “The people here are absolutely fantastic, everyone is really helpful, kind, caring and considerate,” she said. “We were a little bit sad to leave.”

“I would 100% suggest another student to take part in a Turing-funded trip,” said one student, “as it is a great way to challenge and grow yourself while bonding with others and helping the local community of the country you’re in.”

Want to find out more about opportunities like this? Come along to one of our upcoming drop-in sessions to speak to our team: Drop In Session – South Devon College