Navigating Ancient Shores

Volunteer with Turtles in Greece

Join ARCHELON’s sea turtle conservation project on Greece’s Mediterranean coast.

Durations: 2 - 12 weeks
Critical science

Critical science

You'll contribute to vital conservation research targeted at protecting the earth's most valuable ecosystems.
Ethical engagement

Ethical engagement

Using the UN's SDGs as a framework, we've made a commitment to positive, constructive and sustainable impact.
Beautiful adventures

Beautiful adventures

You'll spend your days exploring some of the world's most breathtaking, exhilarating and remote wildernesses.

Program information

Discover historic Greece when you live and work alongside a team of international volunteers and staff, and make a real contribution to the conservation and protection of one of the most important loggerhead turtle nesting areas in the region.

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Travel flexibility. Transfer for free up to 45 days before travel. Because life happens. Terms and conditions apply.
Overview
Dates & Prices
What's Included
Life On Base
Experiences
New
Free time
Cultural Immersion
Reviews
Speak to alumni
Parent Info
Arrivals
Flights
Your Impact
Our Ethics
Program ethics
Qualifications & Training Options
Support & Safety
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Live Updates

Program overview

Based in the beautiful Bay of Kyparissia in the western Peloponnese, you will be involved with conserving and protecting one of the most important loggerhead turtle nesting areas in Greece. GVI works in conjunction with ARCHELON’s local project. GVIs role is to support ARCHELON, The Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece, in carrying out monitoring and protection efforts for the Loggerhead sea turtles of Kyparissia.

 

Depending on the time of year you’ll be involved in activities such as the daily surveying of nesting female turtle activity. This will happen on morning patrols, in order to protect any nests that were laid overnight. Once a nest has been found you’ll protect them by using a metal grid as a barrier against predation. If necessary some nests may need to be relocated to reduce the risk of flooding by the rising ocean tides. This generally happens in the months of June and July.

 

During September and August you’ll have the task of recording the nest hatching events where you’ll monitor the tiny turtles as they make their way to the ocean. After hatching has occurred you’ll dig to excavate the nest to gather data on the hatching success. During these activities, volunteers will be able to share their passion for conservation with international visitors and the local community members.

Through assisting in one of ARCHELONs projects, GVI ensures you receive all the necessary training to meet the project’s objectives as well as providing opportunities for you to explore the fascinating Greek culture and sights of the surrounding area in your free time.

Located in the Peloponnese region of Greece, wake up to breathtaking views from our base in Giannitsochori, which is a five-minute walk from the beach. Morning surveys are spent finding turtle nests and hatchlings, and the afternoons include bamboo collecting, beach cleanups, and bio surveys. Your evenings might involve nest checks, excavations, creating shading for hatchlings. In between your survey shifts, you’ll have plenty of time to soak up the sun on the sandy white beaches on your doorstep, or relax with your fellow teammates back at the campsite. The climate is hot and can get humid, but living so close to the beach, you’ll be able to cool down with a quick dip in the sea. End the day watching the sunset over the Mediterranean.

Highlights

  • Conducting practical work with one of the endangered species in the Mediterranean;
  • Monitoring turtle nesting activity on the beach and watching hatchlings make their journey to the ocean, though this is season dependent;
  • Contributing towards protecting the next generation of Loggerhead sea turtles
  • Experiencing Greek culture first hand in a beautiful area which you can explore in your free time
  • Taking your first steps towards your career in conservation and making a lasting contribution to the preservation of endangered turtles.

Skills

  • Volunteering
  • Cultural awareness
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Communication
  • Teamwork
  • Easily adaptable

Program details

Dates and prices

Select a start date:

Everlasting summer? Yes please!

Join a program abroad and get a special offer.

Book by 30 September to save up to 15%!
Payment plans. Flexible payment plans allow you to pay in instalments.

What happens next?

Once you apply, a personal Enrollment Manager will be assigned to walk you through the rest of the process.

What’s included?

What's Included
General
Volunteer
Intern
24-hour emergency desk
24-hour in-country support
Airport pick-up (unless otherwise stated)
All project equipment
Food (except on long-term internship placements
Safe and basic accommodation (usually shared)
Pre-program training
Volunteer
Intern
Group introductory call
Welcome presentation
Endorsed GVI Specialisation Course
Endorsed Leadership Course
Project work
Volunteer
Intern
Sustainable project work
Leadership responsibilities
Data collection and research
Real projects with partners
Remote support
Volunteer
Intern
Program training
Weekly group check ins
Remote Academic Internship Supervisor
Remote Career Internship Supervisor
Post-program
Volunteer
Intern
Preferential recruitment on GVI positions
Job portal access
Endorsed Careers Course
Career coaching sessions
Certificates and achievements
Volunteer
Intern
PDF reference - upon request
Linkedin reference and skills endorsement
What's Excluded
General
Volunteer
Intern
Additional drinks and gratuities
Extra local excursions
Flights
International and domestic airport taxes
Medical and travel insurance
Personal items and toiletries
Police or background check
Visa costs

Life On Base

Located in the Peloponnese region of Greece, wake up to breathtaking views from our base in Giannitsochori, which is a five-minute walk from the beach. Morning surveys are spent finding turtle nests and hatchlings, and the afternoons include bamboo collecting, beach cleanups, and bio surveys. Your evenings might involve nest checks, excavations, creating shading for hatchlings. In between your survey shifts, you’ll have plenty of time to soak up the sun on the sandy white beaches on your doorstep, or relax with your fellow teammates back at the campsite. The climate is hot and can get humid, but living so close to the beach, you’ll be able to cool down with a quick dip in the sea. End the day watching the sunset over the Mediterranean.

Accommodation

The hub is completely outdoors and accommodation is in a tent located in a private section of the campsite – allowing you to enjoy Greece’s coastal beauty from the campsite’s be...

Transportation

We provide transfers from the airport to our base in Giannitsochori, which is about a 4-hour drive. The beach is a five-minute walk from base, should you and your fellow partici...

Communication

You’ll have limited access to long-distance communications whilst on the programme, so make sure your friends and family know how often they can expect to hear from you. Partici...

Meals

Breakfast is self-service, with cereal, oats, toast, fresh fruit, and Greek yoghurt on offer. Lunch is prepared by participants and usually involves a combination of healthy and...

Climate

Greece gets very hot during the summer months of June to August (sometimes reaching up to 40ºC!), so make sure to bring your bathing suit. The sea in Greece is warmest in August...

COVID-19 Safety

Enhanced cleaning and social-distancing measures in place.

Learn more

Download our Travel Smart Checklist

Essential information you need to travel safely during the COVID-19 pandemic - including destination ratings, flight bookings and tests.

GVI experiences included in your program, at no extra cost.

Offered once a month, expand your adventure with GVI Experiences. These are just some of the activities offered on your program!

We want you to make the most of the chance to live in – and contribute towards –  the most diverse and unique wildernesses and communities on earth. Introducing GVI Experiences – immersive adventure, cultural and wellness activities exclusive to GVI that have been specially designed in collaboration with our local partners to support and stimulate sustainable economic development. 

Enhance your impact. Expand your adventure. Explore your world.

Free time

Joining a GVI program not only allows you to collaborate with communities or work toward preserving unique ecosystems – but it also offers plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding area or travel further to see what other parts of the region have to offer over weekends.

Field staff are a great source of advice and have helped us put together the following information on local travel options. You can choose to travel before or after your experience with GVI (subject to immigration restrictions), solidifying the lifetime friendships you’ve established on the program. Please note that the below options are not included in the program fee, and would be up to you to arrange at your own expense.

Weekend Trips

Neda waterfall

Located in west Greece near Figalia (east of Giannitsochori), the Neda waterfall is one of the most photogenic waterfalls in Greece. Passing two ...

Ancient Olympia

Olympia is an ancient site on Greece’s Peloponnese peninsula that hosted the original Olympic Games. Founded in the eighth century BC, its ...

Hiking

Local hikes provide an opportunity to see local bird species (herons, kingfishers), lots of insects, and tortoises.

...

Base activities

Beach games like badminton, volleyball, bats and balls are available. There are also card decks, Uno, and books to read. The hammocks and chill a...

Areopoli

Areopoli is the second-largest town in Mani. Earlier inhabitants built their homes like small fortresses in order to feel secure. Today you will find narrow streets, stone house...

Monemvassia fortress

Located on a small peninsula off the east coast of the Peloponnese, near Laconia, Monemvasia is a well-known medieval fortress with an adjacent town. Its remains include defensi...

Archaeological site

The archaeological site of Mystras is now a world heritage site. It was built as an amphitheater around the fortress erected in 1249. Since then it has been conquered, re-conque...

Town visits

Visit Kyparissia, Kalo Nero, and Kalamata, which are very close to the campsite. Kalo Nero is a little town with a few beach bars with stunning sea views. Here you can see one o...

Local village visit and surrounds

Although not part of the program, most participants will have the opportunity to visit the villages of Giannitsochori and Elaia.

...

Cultural Immersion

Engaging intimately with a new context teaches global awareness, adaptability and critical thinking – skills highly valued in the modern marketplace. Local and cultural immersion is encouraged on all our programs around the world, and will also be one of the most enjoyable aspects of your experience. Luckily, there are many different activities that you can get involved in during your free time, or before and after your program.

On our community programs, the focus is on cultural topics, while on marine or wildlife programs the emphasis is more on the environmental element. Use your evenings and weekends to explore topics like local cuisine and religion, or how sustainable development challenges are affecting local contexts.

Spirituality and religion

While Greece is a secular state, the majority of the population identify with the Greek Orthodox Church faith.

...

Local handcrafts

Greece has a thriving tourist souvenir industry, and sells many locally made souvenirs such as hand woven carpets and rugs, beautifully decorated jewellery, and leather items. G...

Cooking and dancing

A large part of Greek cuisine features fresh Mediterranean ingredients, often featuring staples such as pita bread, olive oil, and feta cheese. Some of the traditional dishes Gr...

Festivals

The Greek people’s most notable holiday is the celebration of Greek Independence Day on the 25th of March. There are also many festivals throughout the year, such as the Patras ...

Languages

Greek is the official language of Greece and spoken by the vast majority of the population. Other languages spoken in the country are Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, Arumanian an...

Testimonials

Megan Riva

06 Aug, 2022

Friendly staff and camp members, it was an amazing experience with great activities!

Callum Smith

03 Aug, 2022

Really good experience, with nice and welcoming staff and volunteers. Good ratio of the activities to do throughout the day and time to do what you want :)

Sölvi Már Þórisson

23 Jul, 2022

It was really nice. I had the opportunity to get to know a lot of very nice people and to have a sort of vacation here. I thought the base and the campsite was very cool. I wasn't ...

Felix Simmons

23 Jul, 2022

Fantastic. Surveys and turtle nest protections were always a lot of fun and there was still time to have fun with other campers when the surveys ended. There were also a lot of opp ...

Cody Dunn

10 Jul, 2022

I had a great time! It was a wonderful way to experience another country and still be grounded. Making new memories with new friends. I’m going to keep in contact with everybody I ...

Tom Price

09 Jul, 2022

I went into my 2 weeks in Greece with no expectations whatsoever, and I had such a good time there. I learned a great deal and, although tiring, loved the relocations and tracking ...

Hollie Ullathorne

02 Jul, 2022

All the staff were welcoming and made the trip a lot of fun with the activities they had for us. The staff had everyone involved in all the different jobs during surveys which allo ...

Emma Bracken

02 Jul, 2022

Wow this was an experience of a life time. First of all it was my first time traveling on my own which was a big deal for me. Thankfully the whole process of getting to base was ex ...

Justine Bullot

27 Sep, 2021

This program was amazing. I think that my best memories were meeting the turtle in the beach, in the water, during the day, during the night and even in the camp ! And I met so man ...

Alice Hunter

27 Sep, 2021

Overall, I had a wonderful experience with GVI in Greece and wish I could have stayed longer than just 2 weeks! I feel incredibly lucky to have seen hatchlings during every one of ...

Alice Hunter

07 Aug, 2021

Overall, I had a wonderful experience with GVI in Greece and wish I could have stayed longer than just 2 weeks! I feel incredibly lucky to have seen hatchlings during every one of ...

Megan Orledge

27 Oct, 2020

I am Megan, from England and am studying Animal Welfare and Society at the University of Winchester. I found GVI through a simple Google search of volunteering opportunities abroad ...

Jodie Sawbridge

27 Oct, 2020

My name is Jodie Sawbridge and I currently live in a small village in Northamptonshire, working as a gardener whilst I study Bsc Environmental Science with the Open University. I h ...

Alyn McKenzie

26 Nov, 2019

Picture it: I'm in the Chemistry computer lab, a struggling third-year in a degree I don't enjoy. To the right of me a dozen of my peers doing rather better and to my left, a post ...

Lilly Vlassopoulos

11 Oct, 2018

My Greece experience was one that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I learned so much not only about the Loggerhead Turtle and conservation, climate change, pollution and ...

Daisy Madgwick

11 Oct, 2018

Hi Im Daisy, Im from Britain and I have just done a month with GVI in Greece working with turtles. I have seen things that I never thought I would see and made life long friends ...

Bruno Habart

11 Oct, 2018

The two weeks what I have spent in the camp in Greece literally change my life. It was an unforgetable moment and I will remember this experience forever. During my time I made a ...

Lariza De Guman

11 Oct, 2018

I have learnt so much about sea turtles and the threats that are posed to them and in the broader context of climate change and the significance it has to their survival. I had th ...

Zaineh Dahlan

11 Oct, 2018

I always wanted to save the world, I think we all do growing up. It felt like that the first time I carved a path in the sand for the little hatchling to crawl to sea. I felt like ...

johanna jadwiczeh

11 Oct, 2018

My GVI experience was absolutely amazing. I’ve met so many great people and saw so many fascinating things. I’m not gonna lie, I was really nervous because I did this all by myse ...

Henry Smith

11 Oct, 2018

My experience with GVI Giannitsochori was the best few weeks of my life. I got to work alongside a bunch of amazing people in a team and was taught so much by a group of educated i ...

Annika Gurrola

11 Oct, 2018

What made you want to volunteer in Greece with GVI?** I wanted to volunteer with GVI this summer to help make a positive change for my generation and future generations by prote ...

James McKie

11 Oct, 2018

GVI's partnership with Archelon is amazing and to actively help protect the Loggerhead turtle is very rewarding. Having been on a package holiday and seeing a turtle I was inspir ...

Zoe Connelly

07 Aug, 2018

Volunteering with GVI Greece in conjunction with Archelon was my second GVI program. The project focuses on loggerhead conservation in the Kyparissia region. The days begin with a ...

William Hughes

25 Nov, 2013

It is hard not to regurgitate all that has been said before – ‘how the time has gone’, ‘the amazing people’, ‘combining a beach holiday with volunteer work’. All these things are t ...

Speak to alumni

If you’d like to find out what the experience of joining a GVI project is really like, simply contact us and we’ll put you in touch with one of our many Alumni.

We’ll try to match you to an Alum based on your location, nationality, age, stage of academic career, gender, and program interests. This allows you to gain insights into the experience that is most relevant to you.

Depending on your location you might be able to speak to an Alum over the phone or online, or meet up with them face-to-face at a coffee shop nearby. We also run a series of small events around the world where you can speak to GVI Alumni, Ambassadors and staff members.

Get a first-hand perspective

Meet us

Parent Info

‘If only every student could do this. It changes your life in all the right ways,’ says Chris Heritage, parent of Luke Heritage, one of our teen volunteers who has participated on two GVI programs, one in Costa Rica and another in South Africa.

We are a parent-run organisation that is incredibly serious about health and safety, and increasing the impact, as well as the long-term career benefits of our programs. Our programs help young people develop the skills to select a career path that is personally fulfilling, and live a life aligned to the well-being of our planet and the global community.

GVI is a proud member of the Gap Year Association.

Ken and Linda Jeffrey, whose son Sam volunteered with GVI in Thailand, talk about how the experience affected Sam. He also went on to volunteer with GVI again in South Africa. ‘I know it sounds like a cliche but in a sense, he did go away as a boy and he came back as a young man. Both of us could recommend GVI without any hesitation to any other parent thinking about exploring an opportunity for their children to explore the world and to see different parts of it.’

Parent Info Pack

Download the Parent Pack and learn more about:

Our staff: All our projects are run by staff, selected, vetted, trained, and managed by our central office.
Health and safety: Our safety practices include a child and vulnerable adult protection policy and high participant ratios.
Staying in touch: See what’s happening on base, by following a hub’s dedicated Facebook page.
Free parent consultations: We would love to talk to you about exciting opportunities available for your child.

Arrivals

When it comes to support, we ensure that each participant is provided with unparalleled, 360 degree support, from your initial contact with the GVI Family, all the way through your program, and even after, as you become part of the GVI Alumni Team.

As part of this promise, we will ensure, whenever possible, that one of our dedicated staff will be available to meet you at the airport. In most locations, we also set up a Whatsapp group to help with managing airport arrivals. We will arrange with you prior to your departure that, should you arrive in the agreed upon pick up window, a member of our staff will be there to welcome you, easily identifiable in a GVI t-shirt or holding a GVI sign and wearing a friendly smile. This means there will be someone there to greet you as you land, and from there you will be transported to your GVI base to start your adventure and meet the rest of your team.

COVID-19 safety

Enhanced cleaning and social-distancing measures in place.

Learn more

Flights

Download our Travel Smart Checklist

Essential information you need to travel safely during the COVID-19 pandemic - including destination ratings, flight bookings and tests.

Your Impact

All of our programs have short-, mid- and long-term objectives that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This enables us to report on our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner, measuring which UN SDGs we are making a substantial contribution to. Furthermore, this will help our local partners and communities measure and visualise their contribution to the UN SDGs.

Prior to your arrival on base, you will be educated about the UN SDGs. Then once you arrive on base, you’ll learn about the specific goals we have in this particular location, our various objectives, and also clarification of how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these.

Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to be an active global citizen after your program, helping to fulfil our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.

ARCHELON’s project in Giannitsochori that has been running in this area since 1983. This makes it one of the oldest conservation projects in the Mediterranean, and one of our most important partners.

We work to safeguard the sea turtles and their breeding sites along the coast of Greece by supporting ARCHELON’s efforts. This is done by protecting nests, monitoring turtle activity, collecting data, and excavating nests. During these activities, you’ll have the opportunity to share your knowledge with international tourists and members of the local community – assisting with developing the awareness of sea turtles.

We assist in the conservation of endangered sea turtles and address many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as Goal 14: Life Below Water, Goal 15: Life On Land, Goal 17: Partnerships For Goals, and Goal 11: Sustainable Cities And Communities.

Project objectives

 

GVI Giannitsochori Long-term Objectives:

1. Support ARCHELON in documenting nesting activities for the largest loggerhead nesting site in the Mediterranean. This can provide evidence of the importance of continued protection of this endangered species and its ecosystem.

2. Contribute to the efforts of our local partner ARCHELON to make Kyparissia Bay a marine-protected area.

3. Reduce the amount of plastic pollution in the turtles’ nesting area.

4. Educate participants on environmentally sustainable practices and the importance and impact of climate change.

Our Ethics

Below is a list of core ethics and best practices we believe are essential to the operation of high quality, ethical volunteer and sustainable development programs. We believe that all responsible volunteer and sustainable development operations should focus upon these principles. If you are considering volunteering, these are some of the key considerations you should question, to ensure that your time and money contributes towards positive change.

 

We want to constantly develop our own understanding of ethical best practice. In so doing, we aim to provide an exemplary industry standard for other education institutions, international development organisations, and social enterprises. Our Badge of Ethics stands for the drive to always do good, better. Find out more, click on the Badge below.

Our 10 ethical commitments

01

Locally Driven, Collaborative Projects

We aim to design all our projects in collaboration with local organizations and communities and ensure that they are locally driven.

02

Clear Objectives & Sustainable Outcomes

We aim to clearly define short-, mid-, and long-term objectives with sustainable outcomes for all our projects.

03

Impact Reporting

We aim to track, record, and publish the impact of each of our projects.

04

Working Against Dependency

We aim to build in-country capacity by assisting local organizations in becoming self-sustaining.

05

Responsible Exit Strategies

For each local organization we work with, we aim to have a plan in place for withdrawing support responsibly.

06

Clear Roles & Specialized Training

We aim to ensure that every participant is assigned a clear role and that they are fully trained and supported to carry out their work by specialized staff.

07

Respect for all

In all our actions we aim to respect the skills and efforts of all and seek to protect the rights, culture and dignity of everyone who engages with GVI.

08

Local Ownership

We work to ensure that credit for the results of any project, along with any data collected, research conducted, or Intellectual Property developed, remains the property of local organizations.

09

Transitioning from the Orphanage Model

We do not condone and aim to withdraw support of orphanages and residential care centers.

10

Child and Vulnerable adult policies

We will live by our Child Protection and Vulnerable Adult policies.

Continual Development

As an organization, GVI is committed to striving toward best practice, and to educating both our potential participants, our partners, and the world at large about them. Both the volunteering and sustainable development sectors are increasingly, and rightly, under scrutiny. Many recent local and global articles highlight poor practices and questionable ethics. GVI is widely recognized for striving to apply global best practice in the volunteering, education and sustainable development sectors throughout our operations by reputable organizations such as ChildSafe.

However, global best practice is always evolving and we dedicate both time and resources to engage with internationally respected experts and learn from the latest research to ensure our programs both fulfil their potential to create maximum positive impact, and minimise their potential to create unintentional negative impact. Along with and as part of the sustainable development and volunteering community, we are constantly learning and applying this learning to practice. We do not always get everything right, but we seek feedback from our community members, partners, participants and our staff, and react accordingly. We know are already doing a great job, and feedback we have received confirms this, but we aim to do even better and are continuously refining our operations to improve upon our already excellent reputation.

Program ethics

No orphanage programs

We don’t support or allow participants to work in institutional residential care facilities, also known as orphanages. We partner with ReThink Orphanages and Freedom United.

Learn more
Child and vulnerable adult protection policy

Our Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy requires all our staff and participants to complete a criminal background check and to learn why you shouldn’t reveal a child’s identifying factors in photographs. We support the ChildSafe Movement.

Learn more
No medical volunteering

We don’t offer any programs where our participants engage in medical treatment. This is because our participants aren’t typically qualified to do this work and would therefore not be able to do this work in their home country. Our participants only assist with public health programs.

Learn more
No disability support programs

We don’t offer any programs where our participants work directly with people with disabilities. This is because our participants aren’t typically qualified to do this work and would therefore not be able to do this work in their home country.

Learn more
Aligned to local objectives

Each one of our initiatives is aligned to objectives set by a local organisation or professional. Our staff and participants work to support these local actors in achieving their specific goals.

Local employees remain employed

Our participants don’t replace the staff employed by local organisations. Rather, they support currently employed staff with achieving their objectives. Our goal is always to increase local capacity to address local problems.

Local employees remain focused

Participants require training and support to ensure that they carry out tasks correctly. Our staff provide this training and support so that local staff can focus on what is truly important to their organisation at the time.

No entertainment-based activities

We don’t support the use of wild animals for entertainment purposes. This includes riding animals, having them perform tricks, feeding or bathing them or getting close to them to take photos

No orphaned animal sanctuaries

We don’t encourage, support or allow the rearing of “orphaned” wild baby animals kept at a “sanctuary”. The conservation value of these types of programs is negligent and would only ethically be used in extremely rare cases

Guidelines for touching or movement restriction

When wild animals are restricted for conservation purposes we follow the guidelines of Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA), approved by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Animal welfare guidelines

We ensure that the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare are followed. These include the freedom to express normal behaviour and freedom from distress, discomfort, hunger, thirst, fear, pain, injury or disease.

Local community empowerment

We ensure that conservation efforts are also always locally led, that community needs are front-and centre of any conservation effort and that our participants, projects and partners work to increase local community engagement in local conservation efforts.

Learn more
No veterinary programs

We don’t offer any veterinary programs or animal rescue and rehabilitation programs. We don’t allow participants to do any work they would not be able to do in their home country.

Learn more

Training

A GVI program is an investment in your career. No matter which you choose, you will be working toward improving your employability by mastering new social skills, gaining further technical expertise and earning qualifications in many cases. Most of our staff are, in fact, GVI Alumni, and we have helped many of our Alumni discover, move toward, and earn their own personal dream jobs. Each program includes introductory workshops, ongoing presentations, as well as on-the-ground professional support provided by our very own trained staff members. In addition, our training programs are critical for helping us to ensure the long-term impact of our sustainable development projects around the world.

For all GVI participants

Orientation: Your Health, Safety and Wellbeing

Learn about COVID-19 pre-departure guidelines, base expectations, personal and area hygiene practices and what we are doing to keep you safe.

Orientation: Travelling Responsibly and Ethically

Learn about the importance of child and vulnerable adult protection best practices and how to apply them while on project.

Orientation: UN Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction to the history and evolution of sustainable development, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) and how these related to your project work.

Orientation: Further Opportunities for Impact

Learn about our country locations and further opportunities available to you during or after your program.

For all participants at Giannitsochori

Conservation: Survey Techniques and Logistics

An introduction to different survey techniques and best practice guidelines for surveys; introduction to different types of data and how to record information via a datasheet.

Conservation: Biodiversity & Target Species Identification

Learn about biodiversity and how biodiversity is measured, and classifying different species and how to identify species that indicate the health of the habitat.

Marine Conservation: Pollution and Plastics

Learn about issues with plastic and measures that can be taken to help reduce plastic consumption.

Marine Conservation: Coral Reefs

Learn about what a coral reef is, its importance, how it is formed, how this ecosystem works.

Public Speaking and Demonstration Training

How to conduct demonstrations on the impacts of plastic pollution on the natural environment and human health.

Research Training

Learn how to conduct research, such as monitoring the beach for turtle tracks and nests, and where to find the egg chamber. You will also learn how to put measures in place to protect nests and capture data, such as the number of nests on the beach.

Monitoring Induction

Monitoring Induction training from our local partner, that has been conducting conservation research in this area since 2012.

Certificates & qualifications

GVI Online Wildlife Conservation course (optional)

If you have a passion for wildlife conservation then this course will provide you with the foundational skills and understanding needed to achieve your conservation-related goals. You’ll learn about the various methods of wildlife monitoring, as well as exploring the delicate balance involved in terrestrial ecosystem management. After successfully completing the course, which you have the option of doing prior to your in-country program, you’ll receive a certificate from the University of Richmond.

This online course, valued at £295, is included in all volunteering programs. Full course details can be found here.

Support & Safety

We won’t sugarcoat it — traveling abroad is usually a complex process that carries an element of risk. But this is exactly why we’re passionate about providing extensive support throughout the process as well as the highest safety standards during the in-country phase. We believe that volunteering abroad should not only be impactful, but an enjoyable experience that carries as little risk as possible. This is exactly how we’ve been able to maintain our reputation as the most highly respected volunteering organisations in the sector over the past two decades.

COVID-19 safety

Enhanced cleaning and social-distancing measures in place.

Learn more

Safety

View support and safety protocols

Support

View risk mitigation

Download our Travel Smart Checklist

Essential information you need to travel safely during the COVID-19 pandemic - including destination ratings, flight bookings and tests.

Health and safety case studies