Digital Storytelling & Sustainable Tourism Advisor

Assignment Type:

Canadian International Volunteer

Eligibility Requirements:

Open to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada only

Assignment ID:

VA-107489

Assignment Title:

Digital Storytelling & Sustainable Tourism Advisor

Partner:

Lanka Jathika Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya (Inc.)

Country:

Sri Lanka

Duration:

6 months

Time Commitment:

Full time

Assignment Context

Are you passionate about using digital storytelling to drive sustainable tourism and community development? Do you have a knack for creative content creation and a love for grassroots impact?

As the Digital Storytelling & Sustainable Tourism Advisor with the Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, you will support the team in capturing the heart of Sri Lanka’s rural communities. Your expertise will help revamp Sarvodaya's digital footprint, package authentic eco-tourism experiences for international markets, and put their community-led initiatives on the global map.

From creating high-impact visual assets in tropical eco-villages to building modern digital campaigns, your skills will directly empower local changemakers and attract eco-conscious travelers.

Apply today to pack your camera bag, share inspiring stories, and help grow ethical travel across Sri Lanka!

Roles and Responsibilities

1. Content Strategy & Digital Asset Creation

• Field-Based Content Harvesting: Travel to rural eco-villages (such as the Thanamalwila Eco-Village) to shoot, produce, and edit high-impact visual assets (short-form video/Reels, photography, and impact stories) that spotlight organic farming, homestays, and community-led conservation.
• Social Media Growth Marketing: Revamp Sarvodaya’s tourism-facing digital footprints (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok) with a structured content calendar aimed at attracting Western, eco-conscious travelers.
• Immersive Media Integration: Introduce innovative digital tools, such as interactive Google Maps, virtual eco-village walkthroughs, or curated multimedia previews to modernize the digital guest experience.

2. Eco-Tourism Product Innovation & Positioning

• Experience Packaging: Collaborate with the Sarvodaya Community Tourism wing to bundle existing assets into marketable experiences tailored for international markets (e.g., Wellness/Meditation retreats, Agro-tourism experiences, and Impact-Travel packages).
• Ethical Platform Distribution: Audit and list Sarvodaya’s travel experiences on conscious consumer platforms, responsible travel networks, and global ethical travel directories (e.g., Good Market).
• SEO Optimization: Ensure Sarvodaya's digital touchpoints are optimized so international travelers searching for "authentic/sustainable travel Sri Lanka" easily discover their properties.

• Participate in pre-assignment training
• Participate in at least 3 public engagement initiatives with Canadian audiences before, during, or within 6 months after the end of the assignment. Volunteers will be equipped with the tools, training, funds, and support to achieve these goals. Volunteers must also report on each of their public engagement activities through our Volunteer Information Portal. Virtual chats and individual check-ins can be booked with the Senior Public Engagement Officer throughout the course of their assignment and during the 6 months following its completion to seek guidance and support with their public engagement activities.
• Canadian volunteers are required to do at least one activity that contributes to meeting a fundraising target of $1,500. The minimum requirement is met by each volunteer using our Volunteer Information Portal to report having sent one message to their network about their volunteer assignment that includes the link to the WUSC Shared Impact Fund webpage. This message also counts as one of their three required public engagement activities. Volunteers will be supported with the tools, training, and resources to achieve the fundraising goal.
• Submit reports as required by the partner organization and by WUSC.

Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Tourism, Social Work, or a related field
• Two years proven experience in marketing, strategic development, or partnership management
• Strong understanding of community-based tourism, social enterprises, or sustainable development
• Excellent communication, storytelling, and digital marketing skills
• Experience in gender-responsive programming or women’s economic empowerment is highly desirable
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders and rural communities in Sri Lanka
• Flexibility, adaptability, excellent interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity
• Experience with group facilitation and trainings, including content development considered an asset
• Experience living and working internationally considered an asset
• Written and oral fluency in English
• Flexibility, adaptability, excellent interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity
• Experience with group facilitation and trainings, including content development considered an asset
• Experience living and working internationally considered an asset
• Written and oral fluency in English

Project Description

Volunteering for development is one of the important ways in which WUSC pursues its mission. The IGNI+E project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, supports over 70 partner organizations to advance gender equality and the economic empowerment of 1.2 million youth around the world. IGNI+E harnesses the knowledge, capacity and expertise of skilled Canadians through volunteer assignments and public engagement activities to assist partners in improving their performance, advocating for gender equality, and implementing more sustainable, innovative and inclusive initiatives and services for poor and marginalised youth, particularly young women. Overseas, our volunteers collaborate with a wide variety of partners, including enterprise and social enterprise development incubators, skills training centres, women’s organizations, and youth groups. In Canada, WUSC works with institutions and individuals to identify, prepare, and support volunteers who travel overseas to support our partners. Our network in Canada also works with WUSC to raise awareness among Canadians to inspire greater action on global development issues. Our collective focus is on sustainable and inclusive changes to create a better world for youth.

Partner Description

Sarvodaya is Sri Lanka’s most broadly embedded community-based development organization network. Sarvodaya works with 25 district centres, 325 divisional centres and over 3,000 legally independent village societies in districts across the country, including the northern and eastern provinces. Key programmes include income generation, microfinance, youth programs, and internally displaced youth.

Support Package

• Support and guidance from the WUSC Volunteer Mobilization Team prior to departure and from the WUSC Country Team while on assignment
• Pre-departure training to learn about the volunteering for development program, gain practical skills for living and working in an intercultural context and network with other volunteers
• In-country orientation upon arrival in country of assignment
• Language training in country of assignment, where required
• Modest monthly living and accommodation allowance
• Airfare to and from the assignment country
• Visa/work permit
• Pre-departure medical exam
• Health insurance
• Vaccinations and antimalarial medication
• Criminal record verification
• Vacation leave entitlement
• Debriefing after completion of assignment
• An incredible opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to global development, enhance your professional skills and participate in an experience of a lifetime!

WUSC’s Safeguarding Policy

WUSC’s activities seek to balance inequities and create sustainable development around the globe; the work ethic of our staff, volunteers, representatives and partners shall correspond to the values and mission of the organization. WUSC promotes responsibility, respect, honesty, and professional excellence and we will not tolerate harassment, coercion and sexual exploitation and abuse of any form. Successful applicants will be required to sign off on the WUSC Code of Conduct and the Self-Disclosure Form. International and national volunteers will also be required to submit a criminal record verification.

WUSC is a signatory to the Cooperation Canada Leaders’ Pledge on Preventing and Addressing Sexual Misconduct. The pledge represents the shared commitment as Canada’s global development and humanitarian leaders to ensure the full implementation of practices and policies that will protect and respond to our own staff, volunteers and the communities we serve. We are committed to creating safe and respectful workplaces and programs that promote gender equality and are free from gender-based violence, including by addressing and responding to all abuse of power, holding people to account, and protecting the vulnerable. Read the full pledge.