destinations: Indonesian borneo.
Costs: the fee is £775, including
accommodation, food and materials but not
in-country transport.
eligibility: previous field experience is
desirable but not necessary. Volunteers must
be at least 18, physically fit, in good health
and a member of the orangutan foundation.
applications should note that the placements
require a great deal of physical exertion. due
to the nature of the work, placements are not
open to those with physical disabilities.
groups or Individuals: participants are given
each other’s contact details beforehand in case
they wish to travel together. Volunteers live as
part of a team of 12 but are sometimes divided
into smaller groups for field work. Volunteers
can apply as friends, partners or families.
annual no. of Volunteers: 36
annual projects: 1
partner programmes: 0
selection & Interview process: apply online.
Interviews are held in london or over the
phone.
In-country support: english coordinators
are on-site, speak the local language, are
trained in first aid and provide support and
assistance to volunteers. while all health
and safety precautions are taken, the project
is located in a very remote area. a satellite
phone is available for emergencies.
North American
Organisations
Caribbean Volunteer expeditions
box 388, Corning, nY 14830, usa
% +1 (607) 962-7846
[email protected]
cvexp.org
CVe offers working and learning vacations
in the Caribbean that focus on historic
preservation. programmes include
archaeology, recording and photography,
museum development and historic cemetery
surveys.
status: not-for–profit.
timing & length of projects: projects are
offered during the winter months and are
usually of one- to two-week duration.
destinations: mainly the english-speaking
Caribbean.
Costs: participants arrange and pay for
their own travel expenses, accommodation
and meals. a small registration fee (which
varies with the project) covers insurance,
group leader expenses and programme
transportation.
eligibility: participants must be aged 21
and over. work is often physical, in tropical
conditions.
groups or Individuals: small groups (five to 10
people). Individual or pair programmes can
be arranged.
annual no. of Volunteers: 15-20
annual projects: 5-6
partner programmes: CVe provides
programmes for exploritas (formerly
elderhostel) and can organise affinity-group
programmes.
selection & Interview process: register via the
website.
In-country support: CVe has knowledgeable
and experienced group leaders as well as
local community support and participation.oceanic society
Quarters 35n, san francisco, Ca 94123, usa
%+1 (415) 441-1106
fax +1 (415) 474-3395
http://www.oceanic-society.org
the oceanic society is a non-profit organisation
dedicated to protecting wildlife and marine
biodiversity. research projects are sponsored
in cooperation with selected universities;
volunteers help fund and conduct fieldwork.
status: non-profit organisation.
timing & length of projects: projects last seven
to 10 days; volunteers may also register for
back-to-back sessions lasting up to a month.
some projects (such as humpback whale
migration research) have seasonal departure
dates, but others operate year-round.
destinations: belize, Costa rica, suriname
and brazil.
Costs: project fees of us$1500 to us$2500
cover meals and lodging, research activity
costs, and in some cases, airfares. Volunteers
must provide their own insurance.
eligibility: minimum age is 16. fieldwork is
often physically demanding, and a doctor’s
approval may be required.
groups or Individuals: Volunteers usually work
side-by-side with research scientists in small
groups.
annual no. of Volunteers: 250
annual projects: 30partner programmes: 7
selection & Interview process: the organisation
commissions the fieldwork conducted
by its partner programmes, which must
share a responsible and sincere interest
in conservation education and research.
Volunteer openings for each project are limited.
In-country support: each project enforces
unique volunteer safety protocols; partner
programme staffers guide participants
throughout the project.Australasian Organisations
Conservation Volunteers australia
national office, po box 423,
ballarat, Vic. 3353, australia
%+61 (0)3 5330 2600,1800 032 501
fax +61 (0)3 5330 2922
[email protected]
http://www.conservationvolunteers.com.au
from wildlife surveys to tree planting,
Conservation Volunteers australia’s work
in urban, regional and remote australia
is renowned. CVa also offers world
Conservation programmes, enabling
volunteers to join team-based conservation
programmes around the globe. the
organisation is a founding member of the
Conservation Volunteers alliance (www.
cvalliance.org), bringing together worldwide
organisations which promote and manage
conservation volunteer projects. In 2006,
Conservation Volunteers new Zealand
(%+64 (0)9 376 7030; www
.conservationvolunteers.co.nz) was launched.
status: not-for-profit organisation
timing & length of assignments: projects take
place year-round in australia and new Zealand
with weekly departure dates; set departure
dates for programs in other countries are
advertised on http://www.conservationvolunteers
.com.au (under world Conservation).
destinations: California, Costa rica, ecuador,
france, galápagos Islands, greece, Italy,
japan, new Zealand, south africa and turkey
(the gallipoli project).
Costs: programmes in australia and new
Zealand start from a$36 per day, including
meals, accommodation and in-country,
project-related transport (international
airfares and travel insurance not included).
eligibility Volunteers must be aged between18 and 70 and should be in good health.
Volunteers with disabilities are catered for
where possible.
groups or Individuals Volunteers are placed
in teams of up to 10, with a team liaison
officer who provides on-site training and
management.
annual no. of Volunteers: 12,500
annual projects: 2500
partner programmes: 1000
selection & Interview process: a short
application form covering pre-existing medical
conditions, allergies or injuries which may
affect participation must be completed.
In-country support: teams are managed by
team leaders who provide on-site training
and management. Volunteers are given
comprehensive safety advice and orientation
before commencing projects.Overseas Organisations
fundación jatun sacha
eugenio de santillan n34-248 y maurian
Casilla 17-12-867, Quito, ecuador
%+593 2243 2240
fax +593 2331 8156
[email protected]
http://www.jatunsacha.org
this environmental conservation organisation
offers volunteers a placement in one of eight
biological stations, including one on the
galápagos Islands and others in tropical
rainforests and highlands. Volunteers are
involved in reforestation, seed collection,
developing and teaching classes in
environmental education, agroforestry,
reserve maintenance and the development of
organic agriculture.
status: not-for-profit organisation.
timing & length of projects: Volunteers can
join projects year-round, and participate for
anything from two weeks to a year.
destinations: ecuador.
Costs: details of costs can obtained via email.
eligibility: the minimum age for volunteering
is 18. an interest in conservation, community
development or environmental teaching.
groups or Individuals: both.
annual no. of Volunteers: 800
annual projects: 8
partner programmes: the projects work
alongside a number of smaller, local
organisations.
continued on p18006: Structured & Self-Funding Volunteer Programmes:Conservation & Wildlife Placements