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?

Animal Welfare and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Volunteer Projects in Australia

Habitat conservation and animal welfare continue to be the main focus of many volunteer projects in Australia. This is because natural wildlife habitats also continue to be threatened because of environmental and manmade reasons. Fortunately, there are many different organisations and groups that are steadfast in pursuing their mission to promote wildlife conservation and general animal welfare. This provides you plenty of opportunities to do your part in helping save the environment and its inhabitants from neglect and ensuring a richer place to live in for generations to come.

Every animal species requires its own set of environmental conditions to move around, feed, live, reproduce, and thrive. Over time, however, we have seen these habitats destroyed either by natural disasters or by humans. Mining, industrial and commercial projects and developments have been at the forefront of this destruction and these kinds of threatening activities have jeopardised the ability of wildlife to survive. Couple this with climate change and we are witnessing two of the biggest major threats to the welfare of the environment and its inhabitants in our lifetime. We need to see a shift in our way of thinking and decisions makers must feel compelled to act. By implementing policies and programs that protect natural habitats, wildlife is also protected. In Australia, countless organisations play leading roles in campaigning for and protecting natural animal habitats and have turned their attention to ensuring animals who fall victim to negative human intervention of some kind are well cared for in welfare in shelters and sanctuaries, with the aim to release back into the wild. Animal welfare and conservation organisations are integral in holding Governments and decision makers accountable for shaping sound conservation policies when managing forests, National Parks and other conservation areas to ensure that wildlife can thrive in their natural environments.

When seeking out opportunities to help animal welfare and habitat conservation initiatives, it is best to find ethical volunteer recruitment organisations whose goals are to protect animals and the environment. While many companies provide opportunities to help, many fail in delivering sustainable projects that are required to ensure long term change. When looking for an organisation that cares for rescued animals and wildlife, do your homework and ask the organisation what checks and measures they have in place to ensure the animal’s best interest are at heart.  

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.