Benefits of Joining an Animal Volunteer Program Overseas

As an animal lover, you may have tried your hand at volunteering to help care for animals in shelters or by helping local organisations, but imagine going beyond this and joining an animal volunteering project overseas. By doing so, you not only get to experience a totally different group of animals, but you will experience a different culture, something that almost everybody craves for at least once in their lifetime.

Some benefits in joining an animal volunteer program abroad are:

• Have someone else do all the work finding good projects for you – Volunteering abroad does not have to be complicated, it’s easier than you could have imagined. When you use a reputable not for profit volunteer recruitment organisation, you have access to a variety of fantastic, fun and worthwhile projects. These types of organisations aims to link nature and animal lovers with sustainable, conscientious and ethical animal rescue and release projects around the world.

• Meet new people – One of the best things about travelling is meeting new and interesting people. This especially applies to volunteer projects as you have the chance to work alongside other well-meaning animal lovers who also volunteer, plus you get to spend time with some amazing animal carers and shelter owners. An opportunity to work with like-minded individuals who care about the safety and welfare of animals is a great way to make friends who are all working towards a common goal.

• An opportunity to travel and see unique and unusual places – Animal volunteer projects are located in some of the most unusual places in the world, and volunteers who sign up to such adventures find themselves in places they would never usually find on a standard holiday. The outback of Australia, the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador, the Whale Coast of South Africa, or the stunning Galapagos Islands, imagine finding a purpose here while you care for, study or research animals of various kinds.

• Have fun – Jump into the deep end and try something different. Volunteer with animals and you will have the time of your life. Imagine a baby wombat running behind you as you teach it how to run, picking up a wallaby falling over from its healing injury, or having your hand near swallowed by an elephant steaking a banana ball? You can’t get these kinds of experiences on a normal holiday.  Koalas, elephants, sharks, turtles, wombats, birds, penguins and wallabies, the list is comprehensive. Then you may even have time to explore, sight see or laze around on a tropical island after your work is done.

Animal Volunteering Projects in Australia: Learn More About Australian Animals

While it is always good to volunteer at local animal rescue and care centres, volunteering abroad in countries like Australia can help broaden your view of the importance of wildlife and the value of people working together to save it. Joining an animal volunteering project in Australia can also be your chance to learn more about Australian animals and travel abroad. If you are thinking of volunteering in Australia, be sure to sign up with a not for profit volunteer recruitment organisation that is based there.

A reputable animal volunteer recruitment organisation has access to ethical rescue shelters, carers, and hospitals that look after displaced and rescued wildlife. However, you need to be careful when exploring your options. There aren’t a lot of opportunities to volunteer with animals in Australia, and many recruitment agencies aren’t even based there, so be sure to choose an Australian-based organisation, and take steps to ensure that they have the safety, health, and welfare of the animals and the environment in mind.

Choose a not for profit volunteer recruitment organisation that it is owned, run and managed by committed volunteers who know the organisations inside out. Then you can be sure that you are volunteering at a project that supports the best interests of the environment and the animals in mind. Imagine getting up close with Australian animals including koalas, sea turtles, wallabies and wallaroos? Some projects give you the opportunity to personally care for these kinds of animals, feeding them and maintaining their enclosures to ensure that they are living in comfortable conditions until they are ready to go back into the wild. There aren’t many opportunities to do this in the world!

A good volunteer recruitment organisation in Australia links nature and animal lovers from around the world with a network of sustainable, conscientious, and ethical not for profit organisations concerned with the care, rehabilitation, release, and rescue of Australian animals. Why not join a project? You could benefit from an animal volunteering projects in Australia as you accompany your holiday with a unique travel experience while making a great contribution to criteria-assessed animal conservation and welfare projects.

Blog Source URL: http://www.oceans2earth.org/volunteer/blog/learn-more-about-australian-animals

Learn More about Australia's Animal Welfare and Conservation Projects

You won’t find many opportunities to volunteer in animal welfare in Australia. Whether you are a traveller or a local who wishes to help animals, there isn’t many prospects to work close with the local wildlife. Here are some things you should consider and know about before taking the plunge into animal welfare and conservation projects and volunteer work in Australia:

·         Consider the difference between a not for profit organisation that is privately owned compared with one that is a government incentive or a company (zoo, for example). Decide what you want to support and locate a project that fits your criteria of what it means to help animals. Of course it should be something that you are passionate about so find out what activities the project demands and commit to a realistic time frame. Animal welfare and conservation initiatives are fuelled largely by the enthusiasm of volunteers, so get on board and try your hand at something you will never get the opportunity to do in a normal circumstance.

·         Obtain plenty of information about the organisation you want to work with. Read all aspects of the website and see if you can find any online reviews from past volunteers. An organisation’s Facebook page is a good place to look as it should give you a good idea of what the organisation is about and you may get a good insight on what the project is all about and what you will be doing. Learn about the key people who run the organisation and who you will be dealing with. You will soon know which organisation is reaching out to you and is a good fit.

·         Volunteer sending organisations should include a lot of information about each project on their website. There should be write-ups, testimonials, photos and videos, and when volunteering in a foreign place, it is important to know exactly where you are going. Most organisations will provide you with an information guide once you sign up which will give you all the information you need to know, so get started volunteering with Australian animals and make a difference to their beautiful creatures.

Tips to Find Animal Volunteering Opportunities in Australia

Animal lovers are often looking for ways to take an active part in wildlife conservation efforts, however their attempts to locate a place where they can have a meaningful impact can often end at the doors of dubious ‘voluntourism’ organisations. Unfortunately, some organisations are companies that rely on profits rather than preservation, and others, although well-meaning can unknowingly do more harm than good. If you would like to go beyond a photo opportunity, you will need to dig deep and do your research.

Here are some pointers to help you get started:

Find out about the roster. Volunteer work can be arduous and require long hours working in less than ideal conditions (heat, cold, etc). Other projects only work a few hours a week. Do not commit more time and energy than you can afford or you may be left with your expectations not being met.

Bring a partner or friend. Animal volunteer work is rewarding and challenging. If you have a friend to share the experience with, it is less difficult when you arrive home as you have someone local you can share your laughs, memories and experiences with, good and bad.

Find out the physical requirements. Find out how physically demanding the volunteer work is. Chopping corn for elephants on a 40 degree day is not easy! You may prefer feeding squid to turtles and scratching their backs instead. Choose an animal volunteering program according to what energy output you are seeking and ensure that you can manage the work if you have a medical condition. Many projects offer programs for mature age and people with special needs. Speak to the project coordinator and get a good feel for whether it is for you. Ask them what project would suit. Choose your project according to your abilities and your limitations.

Find out if the work requires any special training or certification. Most organisations will provide you with all the necessary training, tools and materials. However, some special projects, internships and projects (vet work) may need additional qualifications or even a University degree.

Find out about the animals on the project. You will get the most out of your placement if you know about the types of animals you will be working with and how close you will be getting to them. There may be projects that you discard because of the local, wild animal population. For example, if you are hesitant about snakes and spiders, then don’t volunteer in the Amazon!

Find out about the health risks involved with animal volunteering and the vaccinations that are required for your placement. Contact with diseased wildlife can be risky if you are not properly protected. A good volunteer organisation will ensure you are up to date with all your vaccinations.

Find out if the organisation has a support system in place for medical emergencies. How does the organisation handle volunteer injuries or accidents? How far away is the nearest hospital?

Learn All About Overseas Volunteer Programs Available in Australia

Feel like volunteering? If you find yourself developing a strong motivation and desire to contribute to society, you can participate in countless different programs—a compulsion that can only be satiated by leaving your comfort zone and heading out to volunteer. With the number of volunteer organisations eager to take you under their wings and nurture your heart for volunteerism and conservation, it can be quite overwhelming to select a program that will best suit what you want to accomplish. Depending on your goals, the following categories can help you make an informed decision on the kind of program you should invest your time and yourself in:

• Short-term volunteer programs – Most short-term programs are focused on cultural learning experiences. Some of these are non-profit, while some are for profit. Short-term intercultural placements in fact, make up the majority of today's overseas volunteer programs. Most don't require specific professional or educational qualifications.

• Long-term volunteer programs – Long-term programs focus more on empowering local people or the program beneficiaries. These often involve some form of skills transfer, which means you may be required to have a certain professional or educational degree or qualification.

• Conservation or environmental volunteer programs – These are the types of programs that are mainly concerned with environmental and conservation work out in the field. The motivations and goals of organisations involved in these kinds of causes are wildly varied, but most focus on environmental issues on a local scale. These types of volunteer programs are advisable if you want projects that are results-oriented.

• Relief/emergency volunteer programs – The focus of emergency and relief volunteer programs is on relieving emergency situations that often arise as a result of natural disasters or political/civil conflicts. These programs often run on short notice and are concentrated on basic needs like food, water, medicine, sanitation, shelter, and rescue.