Dance in Sri Lanka

Volunteering on Dance in Sri Lanka with Disabled Children and Youth

Volunteer teaching dance in Sri Lanka for Disabled Children an Adolescents at a Dance Academy in Badulla in order to help with the children’s socialization.

Itinerary for Childcare Volunteers

Arrival on Saturday

You will need to notify us of your arrival time at least one week in advance. Many international airlines offer direct flights to Sri Lanka. If you are not arriving in the scheduled date, you need to provide us the address where you are going to be hosted so we can pick you up on the program start date. We prefer to pick you up at Colombo. If you are staying outside Colombo please let us know in advance for arranging the pick up without any hassle..

Once you have arrived at the airport or bus station our team will be waiting for you with an Iko Poran Welcome Sign or a paper with your name on it. They will take you to the accommodation to meet the host family and to rest after a long flight, and/or to begin familiarizing yourself with the neighborhood.

The dancing academy is located Badulla (accommodation arrangements also in Badulla), which is far away from Colombo or Bandaraike Katunayake International airport. Therefore, we will be happy to provide the first day of accommodation at our center in Wattala (next city from airport / Colombo) for you to relax and feel comfortable before going to the project. Formal orientation will begin upon arrival. You will meet the country coordinator at the orientation session. On the next day you will be transferred to the program location by bus or train.

Orientation Session and Arrival at the Kindergarten on Monday

The Orientation session begins after breakfast around 08:00 at your accommodation. Your coordinator will explain the details of your program as well as the schedule for the weeks ahead. The coordinator will take you the program location introducing the teachers. Then after lunch we will take you for a short tour of the city to be familiar when you explore it in the afternoons or weekends.

Teach Dance in Sri Lanka for Disabled Children and Youth

Project hours are typically 08:00 am – 11:30am. Students arrive on the dancing academy with a backpack and lunch box. Volunteers start their mornings welcoming students. The volunteers are welcome to assist the local teachers in many tasks.

The students are categorized as “differently able” due to their various inabilities on birth.

The main aim of the dancing academy is to ensure the socialization process for the students. The best approach towards socializing them is arranging dancing and singing sessions.

The volunteers are requested to visit the dancing academy in the morning hours. They can help clean the dancing academy/ help with drawings & paintings. Since the students have good skills in dancing, we need volunteers to arrange dancing sessions. Moreover, volunteers can also play or paint with the sutdents during the daytime.

Very important information: The project will not be available during the months of April, August & December when the students are on vacations. As mentioned above, there is no typical day or curriculum to follow. We ask you to be flexible, cooperative and proactive under limited resources.
The above description should serve as a general info, but in your daily work you can face different situations that you might not be expecting. Adapting to a new environment and tasks is crucial for a great volunteering experience. Do not take it for granted that the project will adapt to you.

Please help us to provide a better quality of life to these children and their families. We all appreciate that you can bring materials to work with these kids, indoor games, liquid painting, and art & craft supplies. You can collect them from families and friends; second hand materials & toys are fine. We love to recycle! Thank you very much!

Enjoy your free weekend

For those continuing their program for subsequent weeks, Saturday and Sunday will be free to relax and explore the beauty of the project location and nearby touristic cities. If this is your final week at the program, it will finish on Friday and Saturday morning you should leave to the airport or bus station, or to continue your travels. It is your responsibility to organize the transfer back to airport. If you want help arranging it please talk with our staff. They will definitely be happy to assist you!!

Additional Information

Iko Poran Sri Lanka special school program is located in Badulla. You need to have plenty of enthusiasm and confidence. It is important to be proactive to create innovative classes with almost limited school resources. Your role is also to check homework from the last day, help to maintain children paying attention to the lessons and help the children to develop the assignments of the class. The dancing academy has limited resources. You can help the local teachers to carry out their lessons, help teachers with arranging lesson plans.
Please be aware that you might face communication issues. We mostly speak Sinhala, which is one of the main languages.
Working and living in Badulla is an incredible life experience. You will see the real life of the Sri Lankans, will be part of their traditions and will taste the local cuisine at the home stay. Take your free time to visit the museums, archaeological sites, take incredible pictures in this beautiful Island.

Basic Information about Sri Lanka

They say there is no other country in the world like Sri Lanka. A smiling sun all year round, golden beaches, ancient cities, exciting safaris, colorful culture, adventure sport and lovely people… where else can you get all these in one place?
Found at the tip of India, this little exotic island is abundant with marvelous discoveries for any tourist. Be it a journey of exploring the wilderness, an Ayurveda wellness holiday, a relaxing get-away in the sun, or even that quick business trip, there is something for everyone.
A wonderful mix of modern towns and rural villages, there are 5 star hotels and boutique villas spotted around the country as the Sri Lankan tourist sector is booming following the end of the civil war in 2009.

Apply now!