Location
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Length
26 weeks
Need-based funding, Payment plans

Program Details

Compensation
Non-Monetary Benefits
Timeframe
Year Round
Language
English
Weekly Hours
40
Age Min.
18
Qualifications
  • Willingness to work with a team of people from all over the world
  • Able and willing to get your hands dirty and implement projects with the Vincentians
  • Be willing to adapt to changing circumstanses
  • Be willing to develop an ability to find solutions where you see none

Pricing

Starting Price
3800
Price Details
The program fee includes program, food, accommodation, and local transportation to the projects you work at. You live in a beautiful, remote location, 10 min from the sea, superb hiking areas and close to the volcano La Soufriere.

The flight to St. Vincent is at your own expense, but we can assist you in finding the best and least expensive flights.
Daily life at Richmond Vale Academy is in many ways simple. We live at the end of the road in the second poorest nation in the Caribbean, very far from commercial and tourism cultures with shopping, restaurants and night life.
We produce our own culture and entertainment and food, creating a safe place for creativity and team work.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Meals Transportation Wifi
What's Included (Extra)

Local transportation to the projects you work with.
A wide range of evening programs from documentaries to drumming nights and moonlight walks.
An Open Water Dive Certificate.

What's Not Included
Airfare Airport Transfers Travel Insurance Visa
What's Not Included (Extra)

Personal pocketmoney.

Jun 02, 2024
Mar 11, 2025
78 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

St Vincent and the Grenadines is a southern Caribbean nation comprising the main island Saint Vincent and a chain of smaller Grenadine islands which has been a part of the British Commonwealth since its independence in 1979. The total population is around 111.000. It serves as a host to the training programs and projects implemented by the Richmond Vale Academy, with the engagement of its communities and leaders’ participation.

When you join our Environmental Activist program, you will learn to be the proactive force in teaching and implementing projects to make a small island nation ready to meet the many challenges of Climate Change. Your training will teach you to lead by example while mobilizing and educating local communities to make ecological home gardens, planting mangroves along the coastline and teaching in schools.

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion 💙

Non-Discrimination Policy

The policies of Richmond Vale Academy, prohibits any form of unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity or gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, mental or physical disability, political belief or affiliation, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under state law with respect to employment, volunteer participation and the provisions of services.
Non-Discrimination Policy

The policies of Richmond Vale Academy, prohibits any form of unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, gender identity or gender expression, age, marital status, national origin, mental or physical disability, political belief or affiliation, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under state law with respect to employment, volunteer participation and the provisions of services.

Impact 🌎

RVA integrates several levels of sustainability in its program: For its students, the curriculum is up to date and focused on the acquisition of technical and organizational skills which are directly applicable to future projects and careers. For its community partners, the technical resources and models are designed to be economical, feasible and scalable by the community itself after the RVA teams are no longer present. For the Environment, all technology and project models are designed to have minimal negative impact, be replicable and scalable with local resources, and fully sustainable by local players.
RVA Ethical Program Statement:

RVA works from an ethical foundation of social inclusion, participatory decision making and whole team accountability in its climate change efforts at the community level. Community members are engaged as equal team members in problem definition, project design and identification of resources and deployment of tasks.

Program Highlights

  • Written and Verbal Communication with your team
  • Proactive Problem Solving
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Self-Reflection and Decision making
  • Learn to grow ecological in a tropical climate permaculture way

Program Dates

Application Deadline
Program Dates
-
-
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Program Reviews

4.51 Rating
based on 73 reviews
  • 5 rating 65.75%
  • 4 rating 28.77%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 1.37%
  • 1 rating 4.11%
  • Growth 4.4
  • Support 4.25
  • Fun 4.45
  • Housing 4.2
  • Safety 4.35
Showing 57 - 64 of 73 reviews
Default avatar
Karolina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

"Vincy" never leaves my dreams

If somebody asks me about Saint Vincent, I always answer that I was in the place about witch, I had been dreaming for a long time (without even knowing that it exists). 3 months in “Vincy” flied in a blink of an eye. Living in a community, cooking and working together opened my eyes to so many things. I still see Saint Vincent, its wonderful nature, and people in my dreams…Thinking about time in the island, and the work we have done together with a team (making an organic garden at Chateau primary school from 0; being facilitators for youth exchange) warms my heart.

What would you improve about this program?
There can be more opportunities to live and work together with local families.
But in general there is nothing I can suggest:)
102 people found this review helpful.
Sebastián
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Another way of living

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What would you improve about this program?
I would say it will be nice to have more participation of the local community in order to guarantee the endurance of the actions developed. A the end, all the efforts made are for them.
103 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Vanessa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Unforgettable

The time spent at Richmond Vale was magic indeed. I love the way they are heading to self sufficiency,how setting an example can shape the way for others to follow, how they use to involve communities around in their actions and thus spread awareness with thousands of events,visits and conferences they use to organise in there; and last but not least how wonderful nature is in there and do not miss scuba diving and discover the wonderful undersea world as well. Briefly speaking was an eye's openning and very fruitful experience filled with joy and wonderful people that I wouldn't hesitate to have over and over again. Thanks a lot for everything.

What would you improve about this program?
.... The more people the best, there is a lot that need to be done. Filling the school with active people hungry for actions and good will to give an extra hand to communities and the common life is what can make it work up to the peak.
91 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
derrol
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I learned a lot

During the one(1) month course at the Richmond vale academy. I have learned a lot an organic farming and climate change for example like natural fertilizer their is the banana that get potassium and also natural pesticides like pepper and gallic liquid etc. which good for the use of plant care. so we all live sustainable and make the world a better place, well i must say that i had an amazing experience during may time the Richmond vale academy and urge others to come an experience this interesting program.

What would you improve about this program?
by have more volunteers to enhance the teaching process.
99 people found this review helpful.
🌎 Love to travel 📚 Third Sector Specialist 📌 Born in Brasília (Brazil) 📸 Photographer by Hobby ♻ Re-use lover 🌎 I play for change
Ricardo
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing experience

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What would you improve about this program?
...
95 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Sara
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An Opportunity to Learn, to Grow, and to Act.

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What would you improve about this program?
Increased community engagement. 

Communication between teachers/staff/students and even guests. (Although, communication within RVA works fairly well and the teachers are always available to the students, there is always room for improvement and the introduction of new systems of communication.)
92 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Malte
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Unforgettable 6 Months

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What would you improve about this program?
More preparation before the program starts, meaning you don't have to start everything from scratch, but rather can build on the work and efforts of other teams.
More involvement of the students in the decisions of the teachers that involve the students.
Better planing/communication between teachers, students, workers and other people.
A more open minded view and willingness to discuss and compromise on both teachers and students decisions and opinions.
100 people found this review helpful.
Maria
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

RVA provides sustainable projects to communities, using your skills to make a real difference to the communities, learn through immersion in another culture, and have the experience of a lifetime.

This program was a gap year for me to learn and give back to the society. The lifestyle of was very different compared to staying in the urban areas. As a Development Instructor in Richmond Vale Academy has been a life changing experience for me. I left back memories and best friends.

I strongly recommend this program to anyone who wants to expand their understanding of this world and make a difference for someone and especially for you too. Remember All depends on the creativity of the Volunteer.

92 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers