Mental Health Project in Bali
Volunteer in Bali, Summer 2025!
Promote Positive Mental Health & Wellbeing in Bali, Indonesia.
On Think Pacific's Mental Health project in Bali, you will work as part of a team to deliver psycho-social group activities at a selection of our trusted partner projects and local initiatives. Think Pacific's aim is to support both individual and community mental health and well-being through the delivery of this professional placement.
You will have the chance to learn from local professionals to develop your understanding of mental health in a global context. The project will focus on community well being, and allocate time to working with local people to exchange ideas and promote well being through local initiatives.
During the project, you will have the incredible opportunity to live in home-stay accommodation in a traditional Balinese village, work alongside Think Pacific's local and international staff team, and develop your understanding of the Balinese culture. Think Pacific are proud to be the only organisation that can promise such a huge amount of professional and cross-cultural experience in such a remarkably beautiful place.
Before you apply, it’s important to know that we actively work to respect local communities and traditions, by dedicating time for each student to learn from local people about Balinese culture, views and approaches to supporting community initiatives.
Find out more about the project on Think Pacific's Ulster-only webpage
Information Sessions
Register for an online information session to find out more:
| Host Organisation | Think Pacific |
|---|---|
| Dates | Sun 6th Jul – Sat 2nd Aug 2025 (plus a few days for travelling) |
| Eligibility | Open to Undergraduate and Postgraduate students (not suitable for final years) with a genuine passion and interest for mental health and wellbeing, and a desire to make a positive contribution to the project. Additionally a minimum of 3 months work experience or volunteering experience in a relevant setting will be required. This experience can be in the form of part time work or volunteering, or a combination of different relevant experiences that make up the hours. Some example settings: Accepted course disciplines are as follows:
Please note: you must ensure that you have achieved the relevant 3 month experience by the Project start date. |
| Included |
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| Project cost | Project Cost: £1,895 to be paid by student to Think Pacific (this includes the £195 registration fee) Turing funding is available for eligible students to assist towards the project cost. Students will be expected to contribute the following amounts towards the project cost: £415 for most students or £0 if your household income is less than £25,000* *you can check the full criteria for this higher Turing rate in the 'Widening Access and Participation' section below. |
| Flights |
An additional scholarship of up to £1000 is available towards the cost of your return flights. This will be paid to students once flights are confirmed and evidence (receipts) are provided. You must ensure you have the funds to pay for your flights as you do not receive this scholarship in advance. |
| Additional Costs (Approximate) | £220 for visa costs. £100 for equipment. Comprehensive kit list and pre-departure advice provided, including specific items of clothing, footwear and first aid resources. £400 for spending money. |
| Application Form | Applications now closed. |
| Application Deadline | 13 December 2024 |
| Interview | You will be invited to an online group interview if you are shortlisted at application stage. Interview Dates: 13 to 24 January 2025 |
| Interview Guidance | If you require support and guidance to help you prepare for interview reach out to your Employability & Graduate Futures Team. You can request a 1:1 appointment via Handshake or contact the team via e-mail: graduatefutures@ulster.ac.uk |
Mental Health Project in Bali
At a Glance...
- Award-winning sustainable community projects, since 2009.
- 4-week placement in Bali, Indonesia
- Up to 100+ hours of learning, mentoring and global work experience.
- Cultural immersion in a traditional village. Live with a Balinese host family.
- Advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals & community-level initiatives.
- Work for a selection of our trusted local partners.
- Develop soft skills, cultural intelligence and leadership skills to boost your employability.
Why Join a Mental Health Project in Bali?
On a Think Pacific Mental Health Project in Bali, this is your opportunity to:
- Experience; Gain hands on professional experience in mental health
- Challenge; Expand your comfort zone by immersing and working in a new culture
- Alignment; We match your skills to projects that seek purposeful collaboration
- Purpose: Join a project that has been carefully crafted by local mental health professionals
- Sustainable: Provide supplementary support to sustainable local initiatives
- Learn; Learn about mental health in a new context and from inspiring partners
- Skills; Grow your ‘soft skills’ such as teamwork, communication, emotional intelligence & leadership.
Respected Local Initiatives + Cross Cultural Learning + Local Empowerment = Unique Professional Mental Health Placements
Who is this Project For?
This project is ideal for individuals passionate about mental health and eager to gain hands-on experience in a cross-cultural setting. It is perfect for students and early-career professionals in psychology, social work, counseling, or related fields who are keen to expand their global perspective. Participants should be open-minded, adaptable, and committed to learning from local professionals while contributing their skills to support community wellbeing.
Due to this placement being in professional capacity and in direct contact with service users, we ask that participants have the following:
- A passion for promoting mental health and wellbeing in the community.
- An open-mind towards pathways that support an individual’s mental health (in the diversity of a psychosocial support session and how it can aid an individual’s mental health, in non-clinical settings).
- Before joining us in Bali we ask that you have 3 months of work or volunteer experience, working with children or vulnerable people/groups (to ensure you are prepared for service user engagement and activity support session delivery).
What Does The Project Involve?
Cross Cultural Learning & Practical Experience
We see the projects primarily as a learning experience, offering you the chance to gain insights into mental health from a Balinese perspective and to understand how activities, processes, and support differ from those in your own country. You will have the opportunity to design and deliver activity sessions under the guidance and in collaboration with qualified local staff.
The project integrates mental health settings that value cross-cultural collaboration with students who bring relevant skills, experience, and a learning mindset, fostering a global understanding and advocacy for mental health and wellbeing. This is achieved through three key components of the programme.
Before applying, it’s important to understand that we are committed to respecting local communities and traditions. Each student is given time to learn from local people about Balinese culture, perspectives, and approaches to supporting community initiatives. Our participants contribute to initiatives that align with their experience and skill levels, similar to what they would do in their home country, but with the added benefit of learning in a global context.
Widening Access and Participation
You will be eligible for a higher rate of Turing Scheme funding if you meet one of the criteria below:
- You are in receipt of an Ulster University Access Bursary
- You are from an area of low higher education participation, low household income or low socioeconomic status (including those with an annual household income of £25,000 or less)
- You receive Income Support or Universal Credit and are financially supporting yourself or financially supporting yourself and someone who is dependent on you and living with them, such as a child or partner
- You are from a background of care
- You have caring responsibilities
- You have no living parents
- Your parents cannot be found or it is not reasonably practicable to get in touch with either of them (estranged students)
- You are a refugee or asylum seeker
Proof of the above criteria will be required as part of your application.