Education and Outreach Assistant

 Sea Watch Foundation – Voluntary Education and Outreach Assistant opportunity based in Cardigan Bay for the 2018 summer season

The Sea Watch Foundation is seeking an Education and Outreach Assistant for the 2018 season. This position will suit a volunteer who has a strong interest in marine conservation and recognises the importance of educating and raising awareness by involving the public. This position can be very busy so applicants will need to demonstrate their ability to deal with varied and heavy workloads.

The assistant will be responsible in aiding the Sightings Officer with the following duties:

• ·        Promoting and running the National Whale and Dolphin Watch event (28^th July – 5^th August 2018)
• ·        Participating in presentations and creating activities to take to local schools/ community groups/ tourist centres
• ·        Researching and writing articles
• ·        Creating educational/promotional materials (posters, displays, flyers)
• ·        Assisting in the organisation of training courses
• ·        Social networking (Facebook, Twitter, website)
• ·        Raising Sea Watch Foundation’s profile locally (organising events, manning the Sea Watch stand on the pier, liaising with local boat operators to produce educational materials)
• ·        Interacting with the media (radio, TV and newspapers)
• ·        Representing Sea Watch at public events and within the UK generally
• ·        Liaising with the Adopt a Dolphin Coordinator for the promotion of Sea Watch Foundation and the Adopt a Dolphin scheme

The Education and Outreach Assistant will also have some opportunity to be involved in the fieldwork aspects of the “Cardigan Bay Monitoring Project” (land-based and boat-based surveys). This project manages the conservation of a coastal population of bottlenose dolphins, the largest in the UK. Monitoring of harbour porpoise and grey seal populations is also part of the project.

The field season will run from April to October 2018 and has been split into four periods of seven weeks for Research Interns. Our Education and Outreach Assistant is required to stay for the second half of the season and will take over from a student on placement in the role. The assistant will be based in New Quay, West Wales. Accommodation is provided at a rate of approximately £73/week in a house, sharing with the Research Interns. The assistant is responsible for their own travel and living expenses, but it is generally quite easy to obtain part-time paid work in the area if required.

Education & Outreach Assistant periods for summer 2018:

Periods 3 & 4: 16/07 – 21/10

Important skills/qualifications

Essential:

• a strong interest in marine conservation and education
• outgoing personality with confidence to interact with the public
• excellent verbal and writing skills
• must have initiative and bring their own ideas and personality to the position
• strong commitment to volunteering work
• an ability to work in an organised and reliable manner and to manage a variable workload, including appropriate delegation
• an ability to get on well with others in a small team and within shared accommodation

Desirable:

• a background in marine biology/environmental science or similar
• a strong interest and some knowledge of British cetaceans
• good IT skills (Office package)
• prior experience in public speaking
• experience with postings in social media
• prior experience in boat-based survey work
• willingness to work long hours outdoors in often very changeable Welsh weather

The Sea Watch Foundation

The Sea Watch Foundation is a national marine environmental research charity that aims to achieve better conservation of whales and dolphins in the seas around Britain and Ireland, by involving the public in scientific monitoring of populations and the threats they face. It is the longest-running research charity in UK focusing upon cetaceans around the British Isles, and maintains a national sightings database, the largest in Europe. It works closely with all the UK statutory conservation agencies, and has provided advice to the UK government, the UNEP Regional intergovernmental Conservation Agreement - ASCOBANS, and the European Commission, as well as the major conservation charities and marine industries operating in the UK.

Public awareness

We aim to raise awareness and understanding of the importance of the marine wildlife and the habitats supporting them, to encourage respect and conservation of the marine environment for future generations. We also run training courses for the public in cetacean identification and survey methods.

A list of recent of recent awareness and education achievements is given below:

• Sea Watch Director, Peter Evans, received the European Cetacean Society Conservation Award, 2012
• Sea Watch Foundation was recipient of the UNEP/ASCOBANS “Outreach and Education Award”, 2009
• Sea Watch Foundation was voted best UK animal adoption scheme by BBC Wildlife, December 2008