Program Reviews

I’ve just completed the Advanced Wildlife Conservation online learning programme through GVI. This programme consists of 6 courses – Wildlife Conservation, Conservation Science & Research, Climate Crisis & Sustainability, Impact Measurement, Leading Teams for Impact and Careers in Sustainable Development. I loved the flexibility of the programme and being able to work this around my day job. The course material was relevant, topical and inspiring. The online learning platform was simple to navigate. And GVI support was outstanding throughout the process, as always. I have now signed up for a GVI Wildlife Conservation Internship next year and I can’t wait to get into the field and put what I’ve learned through this programme into practice! Highly recommend.

I have just completed the Wildlife Conservation virtual Internship which included a course in careers in sustainable development and wildlife conservation. I was partnered with an organisation in Laos who are creating an education centre about the illegal wildlife trade. My group and I got to work with the organisation through zoom meetings and did research and created resources for them to use in the centre. I really learnt a lot on this course, not only about conservation but also about Laos and the culture there, careers advice and also about myself. It’s great because you know you are making a difference to the organisations you are helping.

I would really recommend this program especially to those starting out in conservation but also to those looking for a career change or even those who would just like to make a difference! I can’t wait to join another program in the future.

I am a 26 year old female from the UK. The GVI Marine Conservation programme in Mexico was a lifechanging experience and I loved every second. It was a challenge and I was thrown completely out of my comfort zone, in the best possible way. I achieved my EFR certification and my PADI Advanced Open Water certification in the short time I was on the programme and made friends for life. The staff inspired me with their passion and enthusiasm for conserving the ocean and I cannot wait to get another opportunity to participate in another programme. The biodiveristy of the Mesoamerican reef and the diving opportunities were outstanding and I miss waking up to get on the boat more than anything. Thank you for an amazing two weeks!

I am so glad I did the Wildlife Conservation Virtual Internship with GVI. I received constant support from my supervisor and had the opportunity to meet a lot of people and work with amazing partners from Seychelles and South Africa.
By working on 2 different projects, I truly felt that I was being useful to the partners and that my work would help make an impact on conservation.
I have definitely learnt a lot from this experience and I can not wait to join a volunteer programme with GVI soon !

I really enjoyed my 4 week virtual internship in Wildlife Conservation. I am currently off work and wanted to get involved with some hands on volunteering during my time off. Unfortunately due to Covid I could not travel, so I opted for the virtual internship instead.

The program really did exceed expectations! I got involved with two really interesting projects with two different charities. It was great to meet first hand (via zoom!) with the owners and staff working for these charities and my intern supervisor was always on hand to provide strong support throughout. The projects were really rewarding, knowing that the work that you were doing was helping to support the charities.

Aside from the projects I also completed two online courses that were provided with the internship, these were very interesting and had a good mix of reading, videos, quizzes and activities. Another highlight for me were the masterclasses provided every two weeks, where an industry expert would give a talk on their subject area. These were extremely interesting and it was great be able to ask them questions!

Other benefits of the program included networking events where you had an opportunity to meet with other volunteers and discuss current world topics. And last but not least, the careers workshops which provided useful information on how to find your ideal career and were also ran interactively.

As you can see the internship isn't simply just doing some work for a charity, it includes a lot of resources and the majority of it is ran interactively which is a huge benefit as it is more personalised to you! Not only is what your doing rewarding because you are contributing to the greater good, but you will also gain a lot of personal development from the program!

I've spent two month in Jalova scientific base in Costa Rica. It is located in Tortuguero National Park, in the middle of the rainforest just next to the Caribbean sea. It's been a wonderful experience, both social and scientifically enriching. I've loved my trip here and it taught me a lot about local species, biodiversity conservation and more specifically about jaguars, especially jaguar behavioring here in TNC, sea turtles and also birds. Everyday, we could learn something new or see species that we've never seen before as, around base, biodiversity is incredible and really unique.
Moreover, life on base was very basic. For example, we took water from a well and at night we were using torches; nevertheless it was such a good experience to live like this and we didn't feel like missing something, just adapting to live in the middle of the jungle without a lot of electricity and mosquitos instead.
People around here are really nice and friendly as well, and most of all very open minded which helps making your trip even better and enriching.
Finally, it was worth the trip to see all these different species of animals such as amphibians, reptiles, mammals, bugs and a lot of birds. I was impressed by the staff's knowledge about that and learned a lot in the field.
Finally, we could enjoy our free time by relaxing on the beach, reading a book, cooking for everybody, gardening, going birding in the coco plantation next to base or even building a new ping pong area at the time I was on base which was a really good experience too.
All volunteers feel involved in the conservation programs on base and all of our activities were important for the data, so I would say that volunteering in Jalova is really worth it.

Enjoying my education and passionate about international development but unsure of where it could all take me in a career, I decided to take on a summer of interning with GVI. As a degree-level student of foreign languages, I knew I wanted to travel but my experience with GVI has given me the opportunity to realise where my passion in supporting remote communities lies. I completed an amazing virtual internship collaborating with two organisations in Peru and Nepal who do incredibly important work for their target communities, supporting them while allowing them to not only maintain their independence but to develop it further by strengthening their current skills. I found that through every part of the GVI internship I found myself learning more about myself and the world and I could really see the difference I was making to the lives of the individuals I worked on projects supporting. I’m really looking forward to travelling to Mexico to complete an in-field community development internship and making a noticeable difference!

I had an amazing time learning about bad working with sea turtles and their nests in Greece. The program was 2 weeks long; and throughout the experience I learned so much about how much good people can do for the environment and local animals. While I was there, I helped protect nests from predators, observe the tagging of mother sea turtles, and meet some amazing volunteers from around the world that I intend to keep in touch with. Overall, I had a great time and I highly recommend this GVI program.

Going to Ghana I signed for the teaching programme and I am so unbelievably grateful that I did, i stayed with my class for 13 weeks and I got to watch them improve and grow and it was the most rewarding feeling I’ve ever had. I have fallen in love with everything about this place- the people , the food and the country. And on top of all that I have made some best friends for life. I enjoyed my time here so much that I am planning to come again over Christmas 😊. My perspective on life and values have changed so much.

I've travelled all over the world, but I have never lived in a place quite like this. There is nothing more immersive than waking up in the middle of a rainforest; Frogs croaking, Birds singing & Monkeys howling. What a way to wake up.
From taking surveys along the river, through the rainforest & on the beach there is no better way to feel so connected to nature & knowing that you are playing a part in looking after it.
The wildlife is amazing to watch & see, with their diverse colors, hypnotic melodies & intriguing footprints. There is also something to see around every corner.
If you really want to feel connected to nature & feel like you are making a difference; GVI Jalova is a trip worth taking. Whether you are there for two weeks or two months, you will feel a sense of serenity whilst make life-long friends.