Brogan's SLV mental health placement!

Brogan Johnston Start Date: Nov 14, 2017 - End Date: Mar 13, 2018
  • Sri Lanka

My Travel Story

by: Brogan Johnston Start Date: Nov 14, 2017 - End Date: Mar 13, 2018
First of all thank you for even considering donating to my campaign- it's hugely appreciated!
My name is Brogan, I'm a 23 year old psychology/biology graduate and on the 23rd April 2018 I will be travelling to Sri Lanka for 4 weeks to volunteer with SLV on their mental health placement. 
SLV was created in 2010 by young Psychology graduates like myself. Lead by Lucy Nightingale and Sri Lankan youth worker Yasintha they all made it their mission to use their degrees to help others in an area where resources for mental illness were scarce. 
Since I started doing Psychology I've wanted to use it to help as many people as possible- from my previous job as a support worker to my volunteering with Autism and Alzheimer's, mental health has always remained very important to me. Volunteering with SLV gives me the opportunity to put my degree to work in a new country alongside other like-minded individuals whilst gaining valuable experience I can then use when I return home.
One day a week will be spent in a psychiatric hospital/ rehabilitation centre running different therapeutic activites. The rest of each week will be spent in schools and residential centres helping children with english based activities as well as working on special needs projects. I'll be using my degree and TEFL training to come up with a mixture of creative and physical activites to encourage the children to take part and help develop their skills. Hopefully everything I do over there with the rest of the team will have a huge positive impact on all kinds of individuals and I can't wait to get started.
Every SLV placement is voluntary based, unpaid work but it does cost. While I will be working as much as I can and saving like crazy, I'm asking anyone who can and is willing to donate to my campaign to do so, knowing with every penny you donate you will be doing your part to help benefit a very special community in Sri Lanka.
I will be posting pictures of projects and will happily send anyone who wants one a postcard to keep them updated on what their money is helping to achieve.
As an extra to help fundraise I’ve signed up to do X-runner (a long, muddy obstacle course run) and will be also be doing dry January.
Thank you so much for donating!
  • Sri Lanka