Category Archives: School

Residential Volunteering with RSPB – UK and Europe

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Residential volunteering is your chance to have a break, try something new or get some experience for your CV.

There are over 40 different places to stay and hundreds of things to do. You can spend a week or more on a reserve, and you can do it alone or bring a friend.

We’ll provide you with accommodation, new skills and some great memories.

Browse through the opportunities further down the page to see what takes your fancy. If you’d prefer a Highland adventure to a long stay in Suffolk, you can filter the opportunities using the location button.

If you’d like a taster of what it’s like to be a residential volunteer, you can watch this short video:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/volunteering/residential.aspx

EnviroTrek Clean Up Series 2012 – Respect the mountain

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Envirotrek Series 2012

Respect the Mountains organizes in cooperation with main sponsor KEEN Footwear the third edition of the EnviroTrek Clean Up Series. These will take place at six fantastic locations in Europe.

What is an Envirotrek? An Envirotrek is an adventure outdoor event where, aside from an the opportunity to try an outdoor activity, the participant will give back to the environment. Both locals and tourists alike can join in the fun!

The day will take a  format similar to the following.

Maximum participants: 80
09.30: Gathering and start Clean-Up;
12.30: BBQ Lunch;
13.30: Outdoor activities: Either rock climbing, raft building or mountain biking;
16.00: Goodbye + Goodie bag

Envirotrek All-Inclusive Costs
Adults – 10 Euros
Youth under 12 – Free * Minimum Age – 6 years

Envirotrek 2012 Events Dates and Locations are various and to be confirmed. Last years events were at the following locations:
Naturpark St. Pietersberg, The Netherlands
Mayrhofen, Austria
Naturpark Southern Schwarzwald, Germany
Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany
Samoens, France
Einruhr-Sinmerath, Eifel, Germany

SIGN UP VIA Envirotrek website

WWF volunteers help wolves by helping shepherds !

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The main aim is to improve acceptance of predators such as wolves, bears and lynx in the alpine range. This will be done by helping alpine farmers reduce predation damage through herd protection measures. An extra goal is to increase the understanding of these species in both city and mountain-dwellers.

Successful herd protection is essential

The re-colonization of Switzerland by lynx, bears and wolves can cause problems for the local population. The implementation of specific herd protection measures can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of attacks by the large carnivores. Furthermore the maintenance of traditional shepherding can benefit the ecological quality of high mountain pastures and forests. Protection measures however, are often frowned upon by herd owners because they require additional work and expenditure.

Herd protection measures need help!

WWF volunteers will attend an introduction course. They will then be allocated to a farm for a period of time. During this period they will implement protection measures in accordance with a scheme developed in France called “PastoraLoup”. The volunteer’s role is to actively participate in the daily work routine: they will spend the night outdoors with the guarding dogs to stand watch over the herd; they will inform tourists on the role of guarding dogs and will explain which behaviours to adopt when encountering one. Volunteers will also help raise protective fencing in specific areas. An unforgettable experience. Nights spent out in the open, long walks following the herd in beautiful mountain ranges: volunteers will experience both the joys and hardships of a shepherd’s life. Participating in the ‘Help the shepherd’ programme is a concrete action you can take. You will help the environment, by promoting sustainable farming, and you will facilitate the wolves’ return to the Alps. It is also an extraordinary adventure!

If you are interested in particiapting in this incredible opportunity: http://www.wwf.ch/fr/cequevouspouvezfaire/soyezactifs/devenezbenevole/aideauxbergers/ or if you interested in the French equivalent http://www.ferus.fr/benevolat/pastoraloup.

Volunteering with RSPB outside the UK

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If you want to take part in a conservation project and experience life in another country, these are the roles for you.

From bird monitoring in Asia to installing artificial nests in Bulgaria or training birdwatchers in Africa, you’re sure to have an adventure unlike any other.

To do any of these placements you must speak English and be over 18. You can browse our opportunities below.

http://www.rspb.org.uk/volunteering/international.aspx

New opportunities with ASK

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ASK is currently recruiting student volunteers for our 2012 Spring/Summer Programs.

This Spring we are organising Peer Mentoring and Monthly Kids and Teens Socials, as well as preparing for our Geneva and Leysin Summer Camps.

Peer Mentoring

We have about 5 young adults who are interested in being peer mentored. This peer mentoring activity will begin in April and we are looking for a group of students to plan outings with our mentees, to be positive role models and provide positive peer interaction whilst helping the mentee in developing their own social skills. For more information on this program please visit:

http://www.allspecialkids.org/wp/programs/care/adolescent-support/

Monthly Kids and Teens Socials

Also starting in April, we are looking for students who are interested in volunteering and getting involved in monthly weekend activities with children aged 6 to 16. This activity provides a great opportunity for the children with special needs and learning differences to meet new people in a friendly, relaxed environment, whilst also developing their social skills. The student volunteers will be learning a sensitive, positive approach to dealing with children with different social abilities.  For more information please visit:

http://www.allspecialkids.org/wp/programs/care/ask-monthly-kids-teens-social/
Summer Camp
Our Geneva day camp begins on 16th July for four weeks, ending with a final fifth week of intensive study skills. We have added a new camp this year in Leysin, a two week, sports focused camp. We are looking for out-going, fun, enthusiastic individuals who are keen to work with children and who will act as positive role models, developing the confidence and social skills of the children whilst taking part and assisting in the activities. For more information please visit:

http://www.allspecialkids.org/wp/programs/camps/

Volunteers wanted for Parent-Teacher Meetings

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Needs Responsible Citizenship hours? If so come and sign up in the High School office for Parent-Teachers day.

We are looking for student volunteers to carry out a number of tasks, including:

  • welcoming parents to the school,
  • handing out and
  • recovering parent surveys,
  • distributing refreshments to teachers etc.

Please come to the high school office to sign up if you are interested in helping for one or two hours.

Serve the City Geneva

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As you have experienced recently the temperatures have been plummeting well below zero. A bitter cold is gripping the whole Europe. To date, over 200 people have died and millions of others are affected across the continent, including many in Geneva.

One of our faithful service providers, The Salvation Army, are asking for our assistance as it aims to cope with the increasing demand of people in need.

There is an opportunity to serve lunches to those impacted by these Artcic conditions every day from 11:30 – 14:00.

If you want to serve, please contact Richard Holt at: richardghni@gmail.com

Thank you for your time and kind consideration.

Richard Holt

Serve the City Geneva

http://www.servethecitygeneva.ch/

ASK Volunteer Programmes

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We are looking for student volunteers that are interested in working with children and also volunteers who are keen to use their natural skills to help develop our programmes.

If your students are interested in getting involved with any of the following programmes, starting from January 2012, please ask them to email Lydia.shaw@allspecialkids.org stating which programme(s) they would like to help with.

Study Skills & Homework Club

This Program is for those students who enjoy working one on one with children, who wish to develop core tutoring skills and learn valuable study skills to help make learning easier, more fun and creative for the special children who have learning differences. Note: the training for this program will lead to working at our camps during school breaks and summer camps.

  • Volunteers will help with paired reading, prepare classroom activities and assist children with the computer based learning programmes.
  • Volunteers will work along-side the tutors /teachers trained in special needs education.
  • You must be available for a one day training and from 3.30pm – 6pm either on Wednesday or Thursday afternoons.
  • Location – Geneva or Lausanne

Monthly Kids & Teen’s Social

These monthly events are to provide our special children with a series of stress-free, fun monthly activities, which offer a friendly, supervised environment, while improving their social skills. Activities can be anything from ice-skating to bowling, pizza making to Pony riding.

  • We need volunteers who can help with researching and planning the activities and taking part in the monthly outings.
  • You must be available for one after-school planning session and commit to attending the weekend outing once a month.
  • Location – Geneva or Lausanne area

Research

We need volunteers who can help us research the best experts in the field of special needs, child development and learning support. We invite these specialist experts to Geneva as part of our annual seminar series.

  • You will be provided with names and template reports to do this research.
  • Location – non (location) specific, but must have access to the internet.

Lending Library

We need volunteers for our lending library, who can help us with maintaining, reviewing and publicising our books, videos and learning resources.

  • We need volunteers who can help with research, catalogue management and write book reviews.
  • You must be available 2-3 hours a week to come to the ASK office.
  • Location – Geneva

Web Support

Our website is the way a lot of parents first find ASK and we need volunteers who are skilled in IT and enjoy working with web technology.

  • We need volunteers who can help build our web presence, both through our website and on other social media sites.
  • We need assistance with regular website maintenance, create promotional fliers and marketing brochures. You must be available 2-3 hours a week to come to the ASK office.
  • Location – Geneva.