Join our team!  La Tortuga Viva is looking for volunteers/interns to fill the position of Sanctuary Assistant.
You will have the opportunity to get into our sea turtle community conservation program on the beach of Playa Icacos, Mexico, leading our activities of ecotourism, education and much more. This is a full-time role, and meals and accommodation are provided. Long-term commitment, with a minimum of 5 months, and speaking fluent English and Spanish are essential requirements.

Update May 2022

If you have experience in social media management, speak Spanish and English and would like to live in a rural community on the Guerrero Coast, this opportunity is for you. We are looking for a person who would like to volunteer for at least three months to manage the social media for Playa Viva.

It includes:

• Hosting in the volunteer house with other volunteers from all over the world located in the community of Juluchuca. (your own private room)
• Two meals a day in Juluchuca or Playa Viva.
• Internet access
• Internet
• Introduction to the local community
• Pristine nature and an environment of wellness and yoga.

Please if you are interested send your application with your portfolio, Instagram or resume to: (See the CONTACT DETAILS section below 👇🐢).

Other opportunities (volunteers & interns)

Volunteers & Interns are essential to our organization. We are currently looking for motivated and skilful candidates to join our small international team in the position of Sanctuary Assistant (on-site)

Sanctuary Assistants support the local team that runs the conservation operations on the field. It is a unique opportunity to experience firsthand sea turtle conservation by working alongside the local team to relocate nests, maintain the sanctuary and lead initiatives in community and education, fundraising, communication, ecotourism and much more.

All positions are unpaid. We do not charge any fee to volunteer with us. We do not provide insurance, transportation to and from Mexico, or cover other personal expenses. Volunteers are welcome to fundraise for their position. For on-site volunteers, accommodations and 2 meals per day are provided (note: cost of living outside the position’s benefits runs 100-200 USD per month).
All positions are eligible for internships and placements that offer educational credits for students and researchers who want to collaborate with us. All fields of study are welcome, though students on biological, environmental & social, tourism, communication and marketing paths are well applied.
Volunteer roles depend on availability, location, experience, and fulfilment of basic requirements:

1. Long-term commitment: minimum 5-6 months for volunteering on-site
2. Fluency in English and Spanish
3. Ability to work independently as well as part of a team

Sanctuary Assistants join our on-site team and live in the rural village of Juluchuca. It is a core position at LTV, assisting in every aspect of our work. Alongside the remarkable responsibilities that come with caring for a sea turtle Sanctuary, the Assistants will also work beyond our beachfront, becoming a strong presence in our community where they will assist social and environmental projects like community engagement, education programs, team coordination and much more. Sanctuary Assistants will work under the guidance and mentorship of the Sanctuary Coordinator, Playa Viva’s Social and Environmental Impact Manager & the President of the local NGO, whom they will also report to.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

Conservation Operations

Support La Tortuga Viva activities and the local volunteer team, train and coach local volunteers, research and ensure the best conservation practices for nest relocation during the nightly patrols of the beach, sea turtle monitoring and ecotourism. Attend night patrols, oversee and help in nest relocation, data collection in the field and data entry, maintenance and improvements of the hatcheries, campsite and facilities.

Educational Program

Organize and conduct educational activities such as workshops, classes, or small presentations for the local schools (preschool, elementary, and high school), as well as for visitors and tourists, hotel staff, guests, and the local team. Provide support training for the local team and help to develop educational materials, programs and new activities.

Eco-Tourism

Facilitate the coordination of activities for Playa Viva guests and other visitors such as hatchling releases, guided tours to the Sanctuary, night patrol excursions, and interactions with sponsors, donors, and group visits.

Fundraising, Marketing, and Grant Writing

Lead face-to-face interactions with Playa Viva guests and visitors, help to raise donations for the Sanctuary and tips for the local volunteers, and help to raise funds through the program of Adopt a Sea Turtle Nest program. Help to develop online marketing, assist in scouting for funding opportunities and sponsors, and writing grant proposals.

Community engagement

Organize and conduct community outreach activities, public releases of baby sea turtles, clean-ups, projections of documentaries, and other public events and strategies to engage the local communities.

Management and administration

Help with answering enquiries, conducting inventories of supplies and equipment, fulfilling permit requirements and applications, recruiting volunteers, developing protocol and procedures, writing reports and guides, analyzing data, and creating informative and educational materials for the local team, guests, and local community.

Social Media and Promotion

Engage followers and donors via various social media platforms (Playa Viva blog, Facebook, newsletters & Instagram etc). Liaise with the Remote team to encourage and foster new and existing partnerships with .conservationists and conservation organisations locally and internationally

Other projects

If volunteer(s) have specific interests and skills, there is also the possibility to contribute to other social-environmental projects for our local communities, eco-constructions, recycling plastic bottles, sport and health. Currently, on our work site, we need help to build eco-toilets.

Benefits

This position is an outstanding opportunity to become a part of a purpose-based NGO and the inner workings of conservation. LTV explores all elements of sea turtle conservation available & our Sanctuary Assistants are fully immersed in our mission. Below is a list of the potential benefits of working for LTV:

Fieldwork in sea turtle, community conservation and eco-tourism
Sanctuary Assistants at LTV receive unforgettable field experience, working closely with the local team on the preservation of marine turtles & their nests. Nightly patrols, nest discovery & relocation, protection and releases of baby sea turtles, and excursions with Playa Viva guests, are common activities for the Sanctuary Assistants. If you are looking for practical experience, apply here.

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided in a three-bedroom house shared with other volunteers from permaculture and other projects of Playa Viva Social and Environmental Impact. The house is located in the neighbouring village of Juluchuca, a small traditional Mexican settlement of nearly 700 people.

Meals

2 meals a day are supplied at Playa Viva Resort for 6 days per week.

Cultural Exposure

Sanctuary Assistants get to experience the vibrant culture of a coastal-rural setting in Mexico. Becoming part of the community is in many ways its own reward as well as being an essential component of succeeding at LTV. For volunteers coming from Western-based countries or busy urban areas, the position will be a cultural reset.

Academic Fulfilment

Many volunteers assist our NGO as part of their academic career (internship, placement, academic credit).

Letter of Reference

Upon the successful completion of the period of service with us, LTV leaders encourage volunteers to request a reference for future prospects.

Required Certifications, Skills & Qualifications

• A long-term commitment of 5+ months
• A complete integration into LTV takes at least 3 months. During this time the Sanctuary Assistants will be learning from the team, forming relationships in the community & understanding the complexities of the role. Our conservation project largely focuses on the local community, specifically the faction of poachers within it. Hence, the effectiveness of Sanctuary Assistants is based on their relationships with others. For this reason, long-term volunteers will be preferred over short-term ones.
• Full COVID Vaccination
• Fluency in Spanish AND English
• As a Spanish-speaking district, español is essential for operations. Likewise, English is essential for coordination & communication with our team and foreign tourists. Language barriers present a real issue if present.

 

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

 

Un post condiviso da La Tortuga Viva (@latortugaviva)

Support La Tortuga Viva from anywhere in the world!

Either as a volunteer, academic or part of an internship/placement, the Remote Conservation Intern (RCI) role offers its candidates a unique opportunity to use the resources of their domestic location to aid an international NGO. This position is for those with proficient research, writing and organisational skills. It is a multifaceted role designed to help with fundraising and grant applications, outreach, networking and communication.

 

Visualizza questo post su Instagram

 

Un post condiviso da La Tortuga Viva (@latortugaviva)

La Tortuga Viva is an active applicant for international grant opportunities.

Grant opportunities intended for environmentally-based non-profits are a meaningful collaboration between two organisations working towards a healthier planet. RCIs will monitor the available market for grants and work with the LTV team towards their acquisition. We also conduct fundraisers for various important projects, such as vital construction work at the sanctuary, equipment, materials, and educational projects. As we are a non-profit organisation, this is vital to keep our NGO running and we are always looking at new possible opportunities for this.

Aspects of this role include but are not limited to:

• Grant Writing
• Seeking grant opportunities
• Compiling necessary information for applications
• Writing applications to a professional standard
• Submitting completed applications within the allotted time frame, as well as ensuring a copy is saved to the LTV Google Drive
• Monitoring the progress of applications
• Assisting with the stewardship of successful applications
• Fundraising
• Researching fundraising opportunities
• Promoting current and future fundraisers
• Managing fundraising projects, such as GoFundMe accounts
• Outreaching to businesses/organisations which may wish to collaborate or sponsor LTV

Benefits:

• Develop NGO Support Skills
  • RCIs can learn the details of an NGO, how it is run and how it impacts the world. This role teaches its candidate extensive skills in its respective fields. Support skills are highly transferable to other fields and stand candidates in good stead for similar careers. Grant-writing, report-writing and documentation is regularly practised in this role.
• Social Media Management Skills
  • Learn to manage different social media platforms, including accounts with over 1.5K followers. Develop useful skills in promoting, graphic development, marketing and more. Interact with an online community of followers and connect to organisations all over the world.

Networking opportunities also arise for candidates through this role.

About La Tortuga Viva

La Tortuga Viva partners with sustainable boutique hotel Playa Viva to protect the thousands of sea turtles that come to nest each year along the beach of Playa Icacos, an area stretching from Petatlán to La Barrita on Mexico’s Pacific coast. Our mission is to simply protect and preserve these turtles for present and future generations for the benefit of both people and nature.

CONTACT DETAILS 🔍📧 How to apply?

media@playaviva DOT com y volunteer@playaviva DOT com

For more information, questions or doubts, candidates can email latortugaviva@gmail.com

For the general volunteer programs go here:👉  https://www.idealist.org/en/nonprofit/500e99542faa4c0aaeb24237b32f4778-la-tortuga-viva-juluchuca

Website: https://www.playaviva.com/

More links:

See more volunteering opportunities in Mexico

or visit the Animal Sanctuaries projects abroad 🐏