Is international volunteering right for you? This document will give you a brief outline about
volunteering with Archelon in Greece? Please read this information carefully and also read
the FAQ’s on the website. If you have any other questions email us at
volunteering@leedsbeckett.ac.uk and if you decide to apply, please download the application
form and the guidance notes from the website. Application deadline: 9th November
Project
summary
There is an opportunity for volunteers to work on a
turtle conservation project in Greece. Volunteers
will be based at a number of sites on Crete to
support a range of activities, including nest
monitoring and public awareness. You will be
joining volunteers from other countries, living and
working communally on campsites with basic
facilities close to beaches.
As soon as the team has been recruited, volunteers
will be involved in various activities such as
compulsory briefings and fundraising, so if you are
interested you need to make sure you have time to commit to the project.
The team will spend just 4 and a half weeks in Greece from approximately 18th July – 14th
August (exact dates will be confirmed once the team is recruited, this does not include any
additional holiday time). Four weeks will be spent volunteering and after the project work,
volunteers have the option to explore the fascinating and diverse Island of Crete which
boasts some of Europe’s most stunning beaches.
About the organisation and the volunteer
work
Archelon, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece
(www.archelon.gr/index_eng.php), was founded in 1983 and works to
protect sea turtles and their habitats in Greece through monitoring
and research, developing and implementing management plans,
habitat restoration, raising public awareness and rehabilitating sick
and injured turtles. In 1990, the organisation began running summer field projects on Crete
to monitor and protect the nesting population of Loggerhead turtles, and raise awareness
among local people and tourists.
Work on Crete involves early morning beach surveys to check for nesting activity, running
information kiosks in the main towns and slideshows in local hotels to raise awareness of
some of the issues affecting nesting, as well as campsite and equipment construction and
maintenance, including cooking and cleaning. Volunteers will have the opportunity to take
part in all of these tasks, but if you have particular skills or experience in any of these areas
then please let us know.
Why volunteers are
needed
Turtles are an ancient order of reptiles and have remained largely unchanged and
unthreatened for hundreds of millions of years, since the time of the dinosaurs – some of
the oldest fossils are from a genus of turtles known as Archelon, from which the
organisation takes its name. Once hatched turtles rarely come onto land, with only mature
females coming back at night during the nesting season to the beaches where they were
hatched. They choose the exact sites for their nests through a combination of light currents
and gently sloping, sandy beaches. In recent years fishing, pollution and habitat destruction
has seen populations severely reduced and six of the seven species are now listed as
endangered (including Loggerhead turtles) or critically endangered by the International
Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Since the 1960s tourists have been drawn to
Crete by its scenery, climate, ruins, beaches
and the warmth of the local people. Extensive
coastal construction has seen the development
of hotels, bars, water sports and other facilities
on the beachfront, major contributing factors to
the threats facing turtles. Females of most
species will return to the sea without laying
eggs if lights or noise on the beach disturbs
them. Unprotected nests can be damaged by
beach activities, and hatchlings emerging at
night can become disorientated by the bright
lights of hotels, bars and coastal roads.
Once the importance of the nesting populations on Crete was realised Archelon have been
working with the local people, who are fiercely proud of the presence of turtles on their
island, and tourists to highlight the threats to Loggerhead turtles and, more importantly,
what can be done to address the issues. By matching volunteers’ nationalities to those of
the tourist profile on Crete, the organisation is able to effectively promote a greater
understanding of how tourists can help.
Pre-departure activities and
commitments
There’s quite a lot for volunteers to do before departure. If you are interested in applying
you must make sure that you will have enough time to prepare for the trip in between your
studies and your work. As well as fundraising activities there will be compulsory team
briefings and a camping weekend in the UK. Don’t forget that the preparation for the trip will
add to your personal development!
Below is a list of key dates between now and departure. Dates for other sessions, the
camping weekend and some fundraising activities will be agreed at the first team briefing.
9th November
10th November
23rd November
9th December
End of Jan
Feb, March, April
23rd & 24th April
18th July (approx.)
14th August (approx..)
Application deadline
Find out if you’ve been short-listed
Interviews/selection meeting
1st team meeting (4-6pm)
2nd team meeting
3 & 4th meeting
Great Big Volunteering Abseil
Project starts
Project ends
About the trip and the
itinerary
You’ll travel together with your team leader, Katie
Johnson a University member of staff and
Archelon volunteer. After a night together you’ll
then split into groups of 2 or 3 and travel to the
sites at which you’ll be based for the duration of
the project. Most volunteers will travel to various
locations on Crete to join other volunteers from
around Europe and the rest of the world to live
and work together on established campsites with
basic facilities.
Turtle conservation field work in Crete: training will be provided (in English) by Archelon
field staff and experienced volunteers in the different aspects of the projects, including nest
location, monitoring & protection and public awareness. Other duties will involve additional
safeguarding of nests during the hatching season, excavating nests after hatching to
determine success rates, maintaining the project’s equipment and other resources, as well
as cooking and cleaning with the other volunteers – culinary expertise is not essential! All
duties will be on a rota basis and you’ll have the opportunity to take part in all aspects of
the work.
Life at the campsites is relaxed and friendly, and
getting to know the other volunteers from Leeds
Beckett and beyond is one of the many
rewarding aspects of your time on the project.
You’ll be staying in your own tent, sharing basic
outdoor cooking, sanitary and living facilities.
During July and August temperatures are in the
high 30s and the design of the campsites and
the timing of the tasks take this into account.
When you’re not involved in project activities
you’re free to explore the local towns, beaches
and countryside, and evenings can be spent
either enjoying the range of local facilities or just
relaxing in the camps’ communal areas.
You will be accompanied by team leader, Katie Johnson who is a Leeds Beckett member of
staff who has volunteered with Archelon before and will support the group with any issues
whilst away. Although your team leader will be based at one of the sites they’ll be in regular
contact with all of you by mobile, as well as the occasional visit; each site has permanent
Archelon field staff to supervise and care for all of the volunteers.
The
costs
The overall cost for each volunteer is about £850. For first time international volunteers Leeds
Beckett pay £200 of your costs, so as a first time volunteer you would pay £650.
This includes:
 28 nights camping
 1 night hotel accommodation in Heraklion
 Return flight to Crete
 Hoody’s & t-shirts from Leeds Beckett
 Travel insurance
 UK airport transfer
What
included?






Spending money
Food
The cost of some free time activities
The cost of any independent travel
Vaccinations
Camping Equipment
isn’t
Fundraising
Fundraising for the charity that you will be working with is a
requirement to being accepted on the trip. As well as
providing much needed funds for the organisation you will
be visiting, we think it’ll be a great way for you to get to
know your team. Lots of our previous volunteers have had
great success fundraising and some have continued
raising money after they got back (after being so inspired
by the work of the organisation). We’ll help you with your
fundraising and encourage you to work as a group.
Previous examples include cake sales, abseils, sponsored walks and even approaching
companies for donations and previous teams have organised a themed evening at the
Olive Tree Restaurant in Headingley. Don’t forget, volunteering and fundraising look
wonderful on your CV!
Minimum fundraising target: £100
More
information
If you have any questions please feel free to email Cara
McCosh on c.mccosh@leedsbeckett.ac.uk and we will
get back to you as soon as we can.