Georgia's Sri Lanka mental health placement - SLV Global

Georgia France Start Date: Dec 6, 2017 - End Date: May 20, 2018
  • Sri Lanka

My Travel Story

by: Georgia France Start Date: Dec 6, 2017 - End Date: May 20, 2018
I'm Georgia, an undergraduate psychology student at The University of Salford (UK) In June 2018, I will be volunteering on a Mental Health Placement in Sri Lanka for five weeks.

These five weeks will be comprised of eight different weekly projects. I will be working alongside individuals with mental health issues and working in multiple institutions such as: psychiatric facilities, mental health care homes, and special needs facilities

I will be running activities for patients through the use of: sensory, music, and creative therapies to engage with patients on a variety of wards in multiple institutions. I will also be attending workshops run by Samutthana, the King’s College London resource centre for trauma, displacement and mental health. The main aim of Samutthana is to train and support organisations and individuals to respond to the psychosocial needs of trauma sufferers i.e. tsunami survivors and those who have experienced civil-conflict in Sri Lanka.

In addition to these projects I will be also be working with individuals with special needs and teaching English to children and to young people on vocational courses; using my skills to work with those who may be marginalized in Sri Lankan society. 

The Sri Lankan health sector has an excellent reputation, but lacks within the service provision of mental health. Similarly to many other low and middle-income countries, Sri Lanka has poor funding and lack of trained human resources - only one psychiatrist per 500,000 people. In a country with one of the highest suicide rates in the world (around 6,000 deaths per year and over 100,000 people attempting suicide), it is vital that global help is offered.

This work - mental health placement is unpaid and voluntary, and at a cost. Therefore, I'm asking friends, family, or anyone who holds mental health close to their heart to help me sponsor my trip so I can help! Any donations would be massively appreciated.



  • Sri Lanka

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