PSGB Volunteer Opportunities

Here are some volunteer opportunities I can personally recommend or that have been recommended to me. If you know of any more, please let me know.

• Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund (CWAF)
  http://www.cwaf.org
  CWAF offer volunteer placements at their sanctuary in Cameroon to enthusiastic individuals aged 21 and above. Volunteers live and work, for a maximum of 3 months, at a 1,044-hectare forest site in Mefou National Park. Situated approximately 30km south of the capital Yaoundé, the sanctuary is home to over 70 chimpanzees, 15 gorillas and a variety of other primate species. Duties may include caring for quarantined orphans, cleaning satellite cages and construction work. Volunteers must be adaptable and able to respond to the needs of the project at any given time. For a 3-month stay, volunteers are expected to raise £1,000 for the charity through fundraising activities. Additional personal expenses will include £200 per month for food and accommodation plus international airfare. For further information contact Caroline McLaney – camclaney@yahoo.co.uk
• Chimpanzee & Human Communication Institute (CHCI)
  http://www.cwu.edu/~cwuchci/apprentice.html
  The Chimpanzee & Human Communication Institute (CHCI) is currently taking applications for our Summer Apprentice Program. Graduates, undergraduates, and post-graduates from various academic backgrounds (e.g. Anthropology, Biology, Psychology, Linguistics, Philosophy, etc.) and all nationalities are encouraged to apply. The dates of the program are June 28 to August 21, 2009. The program fee is $1800 and there is a non-refundable $25 application processing fee. The costs do not include housing and transportation. Inexpensive housing is available on campus. A course in ASL is highly recommended but not required. For more information on the program and the application please see our web page at http://www.cwu.edu/~cwuchci/apprentice.html or contact Dr. Mary Lee Jensvold, CHCI, CWU, Ellensburg, WA 98926 jensvold@cwu.edu. The deadline to apply is March 30, 2009.
• The Monkey Sanctuary
  http://www.monkeysanctuary.org
  The Monkey Sanctuary Trust is situated on the coast Nr Looe, Cornwall. The Sanctuary was established in 1964 to provide a refuge for ex-pet and ex-zoo woolly monkeys, the Sanctuary maintains its role as a rescue centre and is now home to colonies of both woolly and ex-pet capuchin monkeys. Several dozen volunteer placements are available each year for two, three or four week periods. Applicants must be over 18 and have a general concern for animal welfare, conservation and global environmental issues. Dormitory accommodation and vegetarian meals are provided for a voluntary contribution of £35 per week for unwaged and £40 per week for waged. Duties vary depending on the season. Summer volunteers are expected to clean monkey territory and prepare monkey food, as well as cater for the needs of the public during opening times. Over the winter, volunteers are involved in maintenance work and fundraising activities as well as general monkey care. Although volunteers do not have direct contact with the monkeys they are an essential element of Sanctuary life. For further information contact the Volunteer Co-ordinator – info@monkeysanctuary.org
• Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary
  http://www.monkeyland.co.za/volunteer.htm
  Monkeyland offer a range of volunteer positions at their free-rooming multi-specie primate sanctuary in South Africa. Inexperienced volunteers are accepted providing that they are hard-working, fast-learning, enthusiastic and prepared to walk tourists from the entrance gate to reception and help in the gift shop. However, Monkeyland are specifically looking for multilingual guides, grant proposal writers, photographers, IT specialists, public relation skills and veterinarians. Placements are for a minimum of 3 months. For further information contact Lara Mostert – info@monkeyland.co.za
• PASA (Pan African Sanctuary Alliance)
  http://www.pasaprimates.org/help/volunteer
  A number of PASA member sanctuaries have volunteer opportunities, including Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage in Zambia, CERCOPAN in Nigeria and Limbe Wildlife Centre in Cameroon. Visit the PASA website for contact details.
• The Monkey Sanctuary, Ireland
  http://www.monkeysanctuary.com/help.htm
  This sanctuary welcomes practical, hard-working people who are serious about animal welfare. The minimum stay is two weeks and preferred volunteers are described as “mature, laid-back individuals, in their twenties and over, who are used to travelling and have realistic expectations of volunteering”. Basic accommodation is provided in a mobile home or caravan. Vegetarian food ingredients are provided for self-catering. For further information contact Yvonne – yvonne@monkeysanctuary.com.
• The Gorilla Organization, London
  http://www.gorillas.org/
  Volunteers are always needed in the London office of The Gorilla Organization. Tasks include basic administration activities such as filing and preparing mail-outs. Volunteers willing to dress up in gorilla suits can also join the team on collection days. For further information contact Sam – sam@gorillas.org.
• Great Apes Film Initiative (GAFI)
  http://www.nutshellproductions.co.uk/gafi/
  GAFI distribute BBC documentaries to the great ape habitat countries of Africa and Asia. GAFI is currently looking for great communicators, web designers, legal experience, fundraisers and data analysts to volunteer their expertise on a ‘as needed’ basis. For further information contact Madelaine Westwood – nutshell@btinternet.com.

Other volunteer opportunities that we know about but do not yet have personal experience with:

• Umpalazi: Community & Wildlife Project
  http://www.umpalazi.org and http://www.umpalazi.org/Working_Volunteer.html
  The Umpalazi: Community & Wildlife Project, South Africa, incorporates local community upliftment, including skills training, environmental education and aid work; with the rehabilitation of injured and orphaned wildlife. Volunteers will have a unique opportunity to work closely with South African wildlife, primarily the South African Vervet Monkey. Volunteers will have a direct and positive impact on the conservation of wildlife and the environment through snare/trap clearing; game counts, and environmental management. This opportunity costs £610 per month (includes food, accommodation) and the only requirement is that volunteers have a love of animals and the environment. For more information or to apply visit our website at www.umpalazi.org or email de@umpalazi.org
  

• Visit Primate-Jobs for listings of other volunteer positions and job opportunities..