Why volunteer with Volunteer Compass?

A Professional vehicle
After literally decades of helping others and pointing potential volunteers in the direction of genuine conservation projects, the directors of Volunteer Compass (Chris Tabor and Christine Le Voi) were persuaded to formalize and construct a vehicle for their knowledge and expertise. Volunteer Compass is the result of that.


Experience...

With age comes expertise, experience, patience and wearing the T-shirt many times! For over 20 years we have been active in the Marine Life volunteering world. We have built up a treasure trove of links, contacts and information. All this, we wish to pass on to our volunteers. Knowledeg used in the right direction and for the good of everyone can be very powerful.


We're human and approachable

Although passionate people about what we do, our heads are not stuck in the clouds as you may find in other organizations. We are realistic and we tell it 'as it is'. We are human - hence naming people and putting contact numbers, e-mails etc., all over this site!


It's nice to be respected and looked-after

Once you have volunteered with us, you will be a friend for life (if you want to be of course). Our friends span just about every continent. We don't and will never treat you as "a volunteer sent to "X" country for two weeks". That's not our style or our approach. We go that proverbial extra mile for each and everyone of our friends. If you have a respect for Marine and wildlife, we'd be proud to be your friend and fellow volunteer.

PS - we're not soppy either!


Why volunteer at all?

You've heard it a dozen times, 'the world is in a fragile state'. Just about every country in the world has its own volunteer organizations, associations, clubs and societies. For the most part, they do a very good and worthwhile job. As for just obtaining helping hands for their projects, they don't need us. However, what they do need is someone else to look in and give help and advice (as well as a hand or two) - not just physical labour by itself.

To get 'qualified', enthusiastic and a different perspective can seriously help a project. As a volunteer you are not an automaton. You do have a brain, feelings, common-sense and a passion. If anything, this makes our volunteers stand out amongst the crowd. Our aim is to make you feel proud of what you are doing and give you more than a feeling that you have REALLY contributed to a project. Volunteering is REALLY worth it to ALL concerned.


Why do I need to register and pay for volunteering?

As a volunteer you are giving many things: your time, your skill, your expertise, your knowledge, your passion and many, many other attributes you have. However for all the projects we have on offer, you are not paying us. You will be paying directly to the project where they (not us) will benefit totally. All our partnering organizations are largely funded by your fees. Your fees will go to pay for example, your accommodation, your food, your transport, your welfare and many other things - just to make your volunteering time excting and comfortable (don't get carried away, we don't hire 5* hotels!) Where these facilites are not included in your fee, you will see the project fee is much, much cheaper.

Your Registration fee to Volunteer Compass enables us to look after you, helps us keep communication open with the various project leaders, pays for administration, research and resources and a lot of administration! Unfortunately looking after people and keeping the wheels in motion (smooth motion at that) in this day and age costs money. This is where your £195 registration fee goes.


How do I volunteer with Volunteer Compass?

We try and make things as easy as we possibly can.

Click on the BOOKING PROCESS tab to see the three simple steps to be a Marine Life or Wildlife Conservation volunteer.

Why do you only cater for Marine Life and Wildlife Conservation projects?

There are a plethora of humanitarian volunteer organizations on the Internet where one can sign up for volunteering to teach in schools, look after HIV people or even help-out in orphanages. There are some that try and do everything including wildlife and marine projects. With us, our love and passion is nature.

Seven tenths of our blue planet is covered in water. Man has been to and explored the Moon but not to the deepest part of our own Oceans! The other three tenths of the planet is land. On this fragile and fast becoming developed land, us humans are in conflict with animals. As bold as it may sound, we're here to help restore some of the balance and put back what us humans have plundered over the centuries. As they say, we know what we are good at, and that is what we do; Volunteer Compass is here to help (aid, assist and) point volunteers in the right direction to worthwhile, ethical and darn good projects. We stick to what we know best.

Do I need any special qualifications or skills to volunteer with Volunteer Compass?

In short: no. The vast majority of projects and programmes we have selected require no specific skill set apart from you being passionate about what you know and want to help with. Some Marine projects may require special skills such as being a certified scuba diver or being able to snorkel. Even this may not prove to be a problem as where there is a will, there is a way. If you are willing to be taught to be a scuba diver (Open Wate Diver for example) this can be incorporated into your volunteer project time - if the project requires this skill of course. If a 'special' skill is required, the project notes will outline this clearly. If in doubt - give us a call or e-mail!

I am not from the UK, can I volunteer with Compass Volunteer?

YES!
Although we are based in the UK, we talk with and commuinicate with people all over the world. No matter what your nationality, as long as we can communicate and understand each other, we will be able to place you on a volunteer project.

Are flights and travel insurance included in the project fees?

Project fees go directly to the NGO or the project. Unfortunately with volunteers coming from all four corners of the globe, there is no way to give a 'fair' price to include airfares and insurance to everyone.

Unfortunately we are not a travel company nor an insurance broker, but we can point you in the right direction as well as give you solid help and advice. Airfares depend on so many factors it is near impossible to give a blanket or definitive price. The Internet is a wonderful thing!

Please note travel insurance is not obligatory for any of our projects, but in ANY country, things can go wrong, things can be stolen or misplaced and sometimes accidents do happen. This is when good insurance is invaluable. Once again, this is an aspect we may be able to help you with.