Program Reviews

It was a great experience with lots of ups and downs. Definetly a good choice, if you want to learn more about yourself and the world! The passionate team leaders will encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and to try many new things. Participants need to be open-minded and able to work in a team, since the main focus is working together to reach goals. The location is beautiful and inspiring. You get to be part of a community that you never thought would grow on you so much. It was definetly worth it and enriching in many aspects.

My Journey started on November 1st 2022 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. I was a student at the Richmond Vale Academy. We were 22 People in my Team from different coutries. The first 4 weeks was a lot of theoretical stuff and learning about climate change, mangroves and more. Every Wednesday was Common Action (Helping in the garden or in the fruit forest for example). And once a month is Building Weekend. We had so much fun during the practical work. The second period of the program was more practical work. I helped building benches in the fruit forest. During the Christmas time we went to a different Island called Bequia. You should definitely visit this Island. Beautiful Beaches and a nice landscape. after the Christmas holiday we came back to the Richmond Vale Academy. We had still work to do, and prepared our trip to Union Island for getting mangroves seeds we wanted to plant in St. Vincent. We also had to prepare our next Period: Going out to the Communities/Villages. From February to April we lived and worked with the locals in the Villages. We did Beach Clean-Ups, builded some benches and helded lessons for Children at the School in Peto (The Village where i lived two months). The last period was called bring it to the public. We came all together for the last month of our program and worked on our Final Product (For example a article or video).
It was an unforgettable experience!
If you are interested in fighting against climate change, learning life skills and working with a team from different cultures you should definitely join this program.
A 6-Month-Journey you´ll remember forever.

The school offers an environment that I would definitely recommend, both in terms of the education system and the administrative staff. Furthermore, it conducts its educational activities in the most special location with the stunning view of St. Vincent. It is possible to eat healthily with the vegetables and fruits it produces entirely on its own. Additionally, offering social activities during the education period makes the time spent there much more special. Even though four years have passed, I have not lost contact with both my teachers and my friends there. I want to visit the school at the first opportunity, just like how former students often used to visit when I was there.

I joined the program in October 2022 and finished by August 2023. It was my first time as volunteer and that's why I decided to join, I didn't need experience or even studies related to it. During my first 3 months I was involved in the most interesting classes, discussions and debates about climate change, poverty, another kind of history, colonialism and Africa, also, I was taking part in many workshops that later would be helpful in my service period. At Richmond I found the most amazing experience, I made wonderful friends and I got to be more interested in subjects related to the word.
For the next 6 months I was a preschool Development Instructor in Malawi, working with preschools in the rural areas of the country defiantly change my loge, now I look back and im proud of taking the chance of joining such a life changing experience. I got to know the people and their culture, live the daily Malawian life and make many memories and friends for the rest of my life, I also evolve as a person and I found my purpose in life.
during my 10th month I was back at Saint Vincent where I was able of sharing experiences and realising that I had changed.
If I would known before about it I would have done it way time ago, never is too late to join.

This experience for me was really too much fantastic, because is open our eyes and mind about another cultures, context, situations etc. Because also we can prove our personalities and is growing every moment. Besides is maverous when we know another topics like climate change, colonization, also when we practice news technics about organic agriculture, permacultur, productions food. In every country is different for example about the soil, seasons, facilities for water, economic situations etc...

RVA is a great place to meet people who are interested in learning and finding solutions to big problems like climate change and inequality. It is not only theoretical knowledge but you are also working with communities. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in expanding their awareness and wants to live in a better world while also making new friends from all over the world. St. Vincent is an amazing place, really safe and beautiful. Thanks to this program I was able to get closer to my purpose. It was a great decision to join.

RVA is a great place to meet people who are interested in learning and finding solutions to big problems like climate change and inequality. It is not only theoretical knowledge but you are also working with communities. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in expanding their awareness and wants to live in a better world while also making new friends from all over the world. St. Vincent is an amazing place, really safe and beautiful. Thanks to this program I was able to get closer to my purpose. It was a great decision to join.

Hello, my name is Mónica, I am from Portugal and join Richmond Vale Academy (RVA) as part of a 2-year program that started in Denmark. In RVA you will meet people from all over the world, who, most of the time come from a very different context than you. During my time in RVA, I had the chance to share my life with people from Colombia, France, Germany, Austria, Costa Rica, Belgium, New Caledonia, Japan, North Korea, Norway, Hungary, Honduras, Italy, Denmark, Brazil, and Saint Vincent. The common life and the friendships one develops are the best and the most challenging part at the same time. Sharing home, meals, cooking, and cleaning duties with close to 50 people can be challenging but it is also through this you learn about different cultures, learn more about your own country, learn to be more emphatic, and make friendships that will follow you when you leave.
The Climate Activist program has both theoretical and practical components. You will have courses about Climate Change, Coral Reefs, Caribbean History, Organic farming, and also some specific topics - in the case of my team was about mangroves. There is also a practical period both in RVA and in the communities. My team was responsible to improve the tree nursery and create 2 pathways that connect the school to the beach, through a fruit forest. During this period we had the real chance to team building, develop our leadership skills, and witness the power and the things you can accomplish when you work together.
Later on, we moved from RVA to nearby communities to develop the Mangrove project - for me, this was the most exciting period. When we live in the school we don't get the real feeling of Vincy culture, costumes, and its people. But when you move out everything changes! Everyone I met in SVG is super friendly and happy to share their stories with the students. Life happens more locally and there is a big sense of community.
It also comes with some difficulties, but nothing that one can not overcome with the support of its teammates. You'll learn so much about yourself and enhance your beliefs toward a more sustainable and conscious life.
RVA is located quite far away from everything on the island, so, if you want to move around to visit and explore the beautiful nature and landscapes be ready to spend some money since public transportation is very low on weekends and without actually schedules. Always remember to enjoy your time here!

Thankful that I was part of the 6 month program of the Richmond Vale Academy.
Firt of all, my experience would not be the same without the people I met here. It was amazing to learn and grow from and with each other.
I learned how important it is to take responsibility. I understood what it means to live in a community. And I recognized what is possible if you work together as a team. For me it is making the impossible possible.
Our main task as climate activist was to implement our Mangrove project in the communitys. For that we moved together in a house during two months. Like this we had the chance to experience St. Vincent with its people and culture to the fullest.
Honestly, mobilizing people can be very tiring especially if you are not the type for that.
Also if you sign in, you should bring flexibility and patience. If you don't have these skills, at least you should be willing to develop them.
Most of the time, things work in a different way than you expect at first.

This experience of 6 months in Saint-Vincent-and-the-Grenadines was unique and I will never forgot it ! I met people from all over the world with different background and it was an incredible human experience. This program help me to grow up, to be envolved and to learned a lot. Thanks to Richmond Vale Academy and all the person I met, today I really know what I want and what is my purpose. Also I’m aware about the world where I live and the importance to take care of the Earth. Projects allow us to work directly with the community by taking actions and do the maximum to have a positive impact in the island.
The program show us the collective strength, help us to build our opinion and our vision of the present and the future. I also learn how to improve my relationship with people : tolerance, listening, trust, empathy… The things that I really appreciate is that you are never alone : your team become part of your family. I did a lot of things that I never think I was able to do thanks to the experience. To conclude, don't hesitate, this program is amazing !