GVI

I absolutely loved doing the GVI online internship. I did the marine conservation one and learnt a lot about not only marine conservation but how to get a job in the sector, skills that will help me get there and one of a kind opportunities with NGOs. I really enjoyed all the zoom calls where I took part in discussions, networking sessions, career workshops and masterclasses. The best part was the ability to work on a real life project with an NGO where I created 3 videos raising awareness for shark conservation with children, something that was really fun and such a good opportunity, especially when we are unable to travel.

It’s so hard to be fair to any organisation like GVI during COVID times, but I’ll try. They have been under a lot of strain as the pandemic has shredded their industry, and communications with head office have been patchy at times, but I must give them a bit of leeway here as they are firefighting an ever-changing situation.

Curieuse was not my first choice of project this year, but in the end, it was the only option, and with time off work already agreed and non-negotiable, I had to do something! GVI are not cheap, and they were not going to make it easy to get a refund, despite verbal assurances of full flexibility when I booked back in July for another pair of programmes. So, determined to make the best of a tricky situation, I set off for the Seychelles.

I have no complaints about the setup, the work or the onsite staff at all. It’s a magical island, and the basic life was pretty much as I expected, and works well. I have not felt the lack of anything really, and easy access to neighbouring Praslin means that little luxuries are usually attainable. The attitude towards COVID has been common-sense, and has not impacted my enjoyment of the work on the island.

The weeks are well-balanced with lots of early starts and early evenings, many of which allow us to watch consistently spectacular sunrises and sunsets. There is also enough time off at weekends to explore neighbouring islands, or simply relax. Each week there is a stimulating variety of surveys to complete, many of which involve energetic hikes across the island on rough trails, affording time to spot wildlife and enjoy the views.

The animals are magnificent and it’s a real privilege to be able to work almost daily with nesting turtles and shark pups. Jazzy and her team helped me to feel fully involved with the work and are very knowledgeable about the island and its ecosystems. They have also been consistently flexible during this time, adapting their schedules and the work to changing circumstances.

Eight weeks here has been time well spent, and I’m pleased with how it’s gone, considering that it was not my ideal project. As an intern, I was also able to find my own mini-project, which became about illegal poaching, and completing this added another dimension to my time here. I would recommend the project to anyone with a genuine interest in these animals.

My GVI virtual internship experience was second to none! As someone who is right at start of her career journey I had a lot of anxieties about where I fit in my chosen career field as the options just seemed endless. GVI made this experience that much less stressful by giving me the opportunity to dive into the working world of Wildlife Conservation (my chosen career programme, although there are many others available for one to explore!). I got an insider's perspective on the everyday ins and outs of some of the amazing partnered organisations making a huge impact in the wildlife conservation space. Even better than that, was being able to actually get stuck in and help them through various assigned projects. The projects are tailored to you and your specific interests. I requested a varying range of tasks and that's exactly what I got. This enabled me to really challenge myself and clearly point out where my strengths and weaknesses lie, as well as identify what type of work I really like and gravitate towards. The staff at GVI are incredibly supportive and really are the backbone of this whole programme, through regular check-ins with your supervisor, group meetings and project reviews to help you reflect on the work you're doing, you really are getting a bang for your buck. They help to answer any queries, doubts, or worries you may have along the way. Due to the amazing support from my supervisor, I felt dramatically less anxious about my work and had a very enjoyable working and learning experience. Another highlight of this virtual programme is that you get to meet so many likeminded impact-driven individuals from all corners of the world and discuss endless global topics as well as have a great laugh with some of them, GVI really made all the interns feel comfortable and did a great job in creating a very open and friendly environment. The sense of fulfilment I got upon completion of some of these projects were unmatched! I would highly recommend GVIs virtual internship to anyone looking to start a career which at its core is about making meaningful long-term positive impacts and that leaves you feeling like you are truly part of a global family. I believe the best way of learning is through doing, and GVI gives you the opportunity to do just that!

This was my first of many experiences with GVI and I absolutely loved it !!
For a first time the experience was totally memorable. I get safe and everything was so organized. I went on to do many more projects with GVi in a few other countries too. The reception from time landed at the airport until departure was all supported as well as tips in what to do locally. The food was amazing and at no time did I feel insecure or unsure. The project itself was so rewarding and definitely worth the time and money. Definitely recommend this project

Even if it's been two years now, I still remember very well my first day at the GVI camp on curieuse-island. For me, it felt like I was immersed in another world when the other volunteers and I were picked up from a beach on Praslin and we drove towards the nature-protected island with the camp boat "Dexter". The camp was located on one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. The camp, despite its simple design, looked very inviting and perhaps even a little enchanted. The impression of immersing yourself in a completely different world was reinforced by the idea that, together with the other camp residents, you were almost alone on the island. In the following six weeks, I experienced the time of my life, along with the consistently nice and great other volunteers. Every day we went on versatile excursions on the island with the amazing GVI-Stuff and got to know its flora and fauna. On this way, we learned to identify different sea turtles based on the traces in the sand, how to measure the unique "coco de mer"-palm or how to chip a young lemon shark. In the evenings we often sat together, ate cake or cookies and played cards. To tell the truth, there were also strenuous tasks, such as cleaning the camp or the boat, but most of the time you were just overwhelmed by the versatility of the island and the associated possibilities. In your free time, you could go snorkeling, climb up the island's mountain or just chill out with the camp-tortoise "Obama". Once I also had the possibility to play soccer with some of the residents on Praslin. On weekends, we were also able to make some trips to the other islands, whereby the Stuff could always give us very good tips for sights and accommodation.
My personal highlight was my weekend-trip to bird-island, which one of the stuff members had previously recommended to me. All in all, I have gained an infinite amount of experience over the six weeks, been able to get to know many different people of different cultures and nationalities, and I was able to contribute a small part to the environmental protection necessary to preserve the beautiful nature on the Seychelles. All this has enabled me the GVI program, so that today I'm very glad that I participated.