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This game reserve spans over 6000 hectares. The project was founded some 20 years ago to offer education and perpetuate nature conservation in an affordable and accessible manner, both for local and international visitors. It is designed for volunteers interested in having a truly African experience while making a difference to the local wildlife and environment. Their work will play a valuable part in the sustainability of the region.
Location | Paterson (closest town: Port Elizabeth), South Africa |
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Duration | From 2 - 12 weeks |
Dates | all year round |
Requirements |
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Minimum Age: | 18 |
Your impact | |
Documents required | Enrolment form, curriculum vitae, letter of motivation, passport copy, proof of medical insurance |
Day of arrival | Monday |
Day of departure | Sunday |
Activities are dependent on weather and other factors. Volunteers will be divided into groups, depending on the number of volunteers available. Each group will have an outdoor volunteer coordinator as a leader and mentor. The groups will be engaged in different, daily activities but will all do the same type and number of activities by the end of the week.
In some cases, all the groups might do the same activity at the same time depending on the type of activity, e.g. game capturing.
There is an itinerary of all the activities which are scheduled for each week and the programme varies on a day-to-day basis and generally runs from Monday to Friday with two sessions per day. Weekends are usually free.
Volunteers are expected to get involved in various wildlife and conservation activities of the reserve. They will assist the team leader/s in a variety of tasks, which would depend on various factors including the weather and time of year. However, activities may encompass the following tasks:
It is important to note that this description serves as an example only. The daily tasks and challenges depend on the volunteer, the time of year and the work that needs to be done. The final job description can therefore vary substantially from the above. The project, however, tries to keep the activities as exciting and varied as reasonably possible and allowed for by the various dynamic factors.
Your accommodation lodge is located directly on the Game Reserve so there is no additional transfer needed; you are already there.
Volunteers will sleep in dorm style rooms, allocated by gender. The bathroom is shared. The lodge is very clean and modern with lots of spacious communal areas to hang out in such as an entertainment room with a pool table, table tennis, darts and a big screen TV.
There is also a little kitchenette where volunteers may get drinks or a cup of tea any time they want.
The outside area invites one to relax and enjoy time at the pool or get involved in sporting activities out on the cricket field or tennis-court. Wi-Fi is available at the lodge.
The accommodation offers full board. A vegetarian option is available and it is also possible to cater for special dietary requirements.
Silvan from Germany
"I had a great time at this beautiful Game Reserve. The work is not too hard and I had a lot of fun with all the other volunteers and the funny and friendly coordinators. If you like to work and live with people from all over the world and want to change something with your work I would highly recommend you the Big 5 Game Reserve Conservation Project."