I had an incredible experience with SLV this summer. I volunteered on the 10 week placement but honestly wished I could've done 12! I have volunteered with other organisations abroad but SLV excels them in terms of support, hands-on experience, organisation, training and genuine impact on the community. For those considering the psychology placement please do not be put off by the inclusion of teaching projects. Conducting training and presentations are a requirement within most assistant psychology job descriptions and is therefore a beneficial experience. But the teaching projects were my favourite by far and were so much fun! The psychology placements are very independent, but you will gain more valuable experience applying your own skills and knowledge than aimlessly job-shadowing. You're free to exert your individuality as a practitioner and you learn new skills from the great skill mix within the team. The placement is more cost-effective than you would think. The home stays are of a surprisingly good quality whilst not tarnishing the experience of living in a traditional Sri Lankan setting. The cost of living is so cheap in Sri Lanka that I spent less money (expenses inclusive) by taking part than staying in the UK and paying rent/bills/daily living costs - and I could not have spent every weekend on exotic beaches and playing with baby elephants in the UK! I can't recommend this enough, you just can't imagine how much you'll enjoy it and as clique as it may sound you'll be a whole new person!