DIVING & MARINE CONSERVATION INTERNSHIP

ENDANGERED MARINE SPECIES PROTECTION & CONSERVATION - Help protect endangered species and assist conserving and restoring marine environment!

Available exclusively as Internship

Your professional training starts at zero and will lead you through three complete levels of qualification

Gain basic, advanced to speciality training certification in only 9 to 10 weeks before you assist in conserving and restoring the marine environment. Thanks to this exciting diving internship you’ll gain valuable and life-changing experiences while at the same time develop specialty diving skills and help safe the environment! Even if you do not have previous diving experience, you will learn everything while protecting marine flora and fauna.

“Walk away with professional diving certifications and amazing experiences in one of the world's’ most beautiful marine environment!”

Samaná Bay is a significant breeding ground and nursery area for humpback whales from all over the North Atlantic and the most important multi-species fishing ground in the DR. While tourism is an important economic activity its impact on sensitive coastal-marine ecosystems is of particular concern. A major portion of environmental degradation in coastal areas is attributed to large-scale hotel developments in areas of high biodiversity and unregulated tour activities put at risk reproduction sites for whales and turtles. Mangrove deforestation and coral reef damage in turn decrease the resilience of these coastal marine ecosystems and increase their vulnerability to tropical storms. Additionally destructive lionfish (Pterois volitans) are invading coral reefs in the Americas and has been identified as one of the world’s greatest conservation issues. Our program is part of an effort to tackle an invasive species and help reverse coral reef damage!

What to expect

First gain advanced and speciality diving skills and certifications during 9 to 10 weeks, than assist with marine based environmental restoration activities, species protection & monitoring activities as well as invasive-species control for the rest of your 12 weeks internship. All seaborne Diving activities depend greatly on weather patterns and sea conditions and often require changes of plans on short notice. This is a great opportunity to contribute in a meaningful way to the protection of the marine environment while at the same time becoming a passionate qualified marine ecology diver. No Spanish language skills are are required.

Internship activities can include but are not limited to:

• Certified diving training as part of a 12 weeks speciality diver internship
• Day to day work at the diving station includes helping with maintaining and preparing diving equipment, assisting with logistics and office work, give a hand with installing a pirate museum, assisting instructors with attending diving students and clients
• Gain the following certifications: Open Water, Advanced Diving and one speciality like: Marine Ecology or Hunter/Collector Diver
• Assist actively with the protection and restoration of coral reefs and the protection of endemic fishes as well as the control of invasive species
• Assist with restoring and maintaining coral reefs, mangroves, beaches and coastal areas

Requirements:

No previous experiences required to participate in the program. A typical Endangered Marine Species Protection and Conservation intern should be interested in protecting flora and fauna, marine-life and diving. He or she needs to be of good health, enthusiastic, proactive, willing to learn and ready for a challenge. Responsibility, commitment, patience and perseverance are among significant qualities.

Language skills: conversational English skills are required, additional languages welcome

Volunteer placement or internship: only as internship available

Time Commitment: A minimum time commitment of 12 weeks is required (can be reduced to 6 weeks only for qualified, licensed divers)

Placement Locations: Las Terrenas

Costs & Benefits 

Aldeas de Paz works hard to keep the required financial contribution to an absolute minimum and offers financial transparency by practicing an open book policy. The calculation of your financial contribution/donation is set up so that the longer you stay the less you pay. We do this to encourage longer stays, recognizing that longer stays lead to more significant volunteer work and more energy contributed in the form of donated time in place of money! The minimum contribution for this 12 weeks internship is only €1.995. It includes three complete levels of qualification from basic, advanced to speciality training, Spanish language classes, shared accommodation fully equipped studio apartments, a special program donation as well as all scuba diving related equipment as well as VIP Welcome Service at the airport and transport to your placement location in Las Terrenas. If you wish a single room upgrade add €35 per week. For an independent Bungalow within an gated residence add €65 per week and an all in Host Family homestay upgrade is €125 per week, including a private bedroom and two meals per day.

Special Offer

Spanish language classes - volunteers or interns receive up to six free language lessons every week. The classes focus on developing communication skills so that students are able to put their knowledge to practical use as soon as they step outside the classroom. Our teaching method enables students to develop four basic skills: listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing. The idea is to learn Spanish in a natural and spontaneous way, just as students have learned their mother tongue. Our students speak Spanish right from the very first day, using it in typical real-life situations: the basic syllabus is supplemented by special exercises, such as role-play, situational dialogues and work projects. Outside the classroom, the learning process continues as you immerse in the Spanish language and the Dominican culture.

Contact Information 

Contact Person: Manfred Mönnighoff; Project/charity name: Fundación Aldeas de Paz;

Address: Samana, Dominican Republic, Tel: +1 829 7055 123;

E-Mail: mail@peacevillages.org

Webpage: http://www.peacevillages.org

Facebook: http://www.facebook/AldeasdePaz

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/AldeasDePaz

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/Peacevillages

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AldeasDePaz