Conservation Volunteers Wanted for Award Winning Marine Programme

  Madagascar

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 3-6 months
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: All year

Description: The field research of Blue Ventures projects is carried out by our overseas volunteers, who work closely with our field research scientists and camp staff.

Every 6 weeks a new team of volunteers arrives at the field site, ensuring year-round sustainability of our research in the region. At any one time there may be up to 16 volunteers working at the camp. In addition to volunteers, the camp comprises Malagasy and international research scientists, as well as local and international Blue Ventures staff.

During the course of a Blue Ventures research expedition, research volunteers are encouraged to play an active role in all aspects of research currently underway in the marine environment and local community. Through participation in ecological research efforts, volunteers dive to collect data at monitoring sites, surveying the ecological health and status of coral reef habitats.

Underwater volunteers also take part in exploratory and reconnaissance research efforts, identifying new sites of interest, and visiting previously unknown marine environments. Onshore, volunteers participate in social research projects. These include fisheries and socioeconomic surveys, community environmental education and awareness-raising initiatives, and teaching English and French in local schools.

Volunteers with no previous experience are given PADI scuba-diving training up to Advanced level.

Highlights: 'Brilliant and thoroughly fulfilling. An unforgettable experience due to the quality of the staff, the charity's aims and the site.' 'Everything about it was amazing and something I will talk about for a long time.' (Mike Cowdy, February '05.)

'I would like to say a massive thankyou to everyone involved in BV. I had an amazing time over there, learned a lot and made some important decisions regarding my own future whilst on site.' (Neil Madigan, December '04.)

"The overall experience is difficult to put in words. It will be one of the best experiences of my life and I am sometimes still speechless when friends ask how it was." Edwin Surtel, 41, from The Netherlands, April '05).

Limited Volunteer Numbers

Blue Ventures limits the number of volunteers on each expedition to 16. We believe that by ensuring that numbers are kept low, volunteers receive a high standard of scientific training and support, no matter what their backgrounds.

Many organisations offering volunteer research opportunities and expeditions work with several times as many volunteers in the same programme, simultaneously. We feel that this can limit the learning experience, the availability of facilities, and the activities and training that the volunteer can participate in.

Staff to volunteer ratio

The question that leads on from volunteer numbers is staff numbers. Blue Ventures expeditions are run by highly experienced teams of at least 5 international staff members working alongside 5 local staff members.

In addition, there may be local scientists, medical staff, and visiting researchers and students, all of whom are on hand to assist in volunteer training and support. We believe that this ensures that volunteers have adequate guidance for expedition activities at all times.

Qualifications: No qualifications are needed to become a Blue Ventures volunteer

Cost in US$: $3,735.00 for 6-week trip

Volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds and have equally diverse qualifications, in terms of both diving and science backgrounds. Prices vary according to previous diving qualifications - the full price expedition only applies to dive trainees - volunteers who are planning to learn to dive on the expedition.

If you are already qualified as a diver you will be entitled to a reduction, depending on your level of certification, as follows:

Divers qualified to PADI Open Water level (or BSAC/NAUI/CMAS equivalent) - 1,850
Divers qualified to PADI Advanced Open Water level or above (or BSAC/NAUI/CMAS equivalent) - 1,750

In addition to the expedition joining fee volunteers are expected to purchase:

- Personal Diving kit (e.g. mask, snorkel, wet-suit, fins)
- Other field kit (e.g. torch, sleeping bag)
- Malaria prophylaxis
- Innoculations
- Flights
- Visas

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: We welcome applications from volunteers of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. At any one time, we are able to accept up to a maximum of 16 research volunteers per project. In our experience these numbers allow us to maximise the research potential, whilst ensuring that the team gets the utmost enjoyment from the research. Larger numbers of people means that volunteers would dive less or feel less involved in the projects.

Age Range: 18-50

This Program is open to American, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Madagascar Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 15

Application Process Involves:

• Phone Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records

Post Services Include:

• Exit DebriefingAbroad

Year Founded: 2001