I took part in the 4 week mental health placement in Bali in 2016. This provided me with valuable first hand experience working with people with mental health issues in different settings, ranging from a psychiatric facility to within the community. Attending the same projects over the course of 4 weeks means that you are able to watch the service users develop their skills and you can see the positive impact you are having on different individuals lives. At the time it was a pilot placement that had not been run before and so there were some areas of improvement, but the staff were always asking for our feedback on different areas of the project and had put our feedback in action by the time the next group of volunteers had arrived. The organisers were really keen to make the project as best as it could be for everyone involved (homestay owners, service users, staff, volunteers etc), and it was nice to see that we as volunteers were having a positive impact on the development of the project. Not only did this volunteer placement provide me with excellent work experience, it was a great opportunity to explore a different part of the world, live in a different culture and to meet some great people - some of which I am still in contact with now! I would definitely recommend doing this placement as volunteering abroad gives you the best of both worlds, and the SLV staff are really approachable and always on board to answer you questions and give you support whenever you may need it.