Marine conservation and diving in Portugal

Project description

It is forecasted that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish. To help try to combat this, volunteers join a passionate team of divers who dive every day to remove marine debris from the ocean.

Each day you will complete one dive lasting about 20 - 50 minutes. Dives vary from 10 - 15m in depth. On each dive, you will be surveying an area of the ocean bed looking for plastic, fishing gear and other rubbish. This will then be collected, separated and disposed of safely. To date, almost 3000kg of waste has been removed from the sea.

Project highlights

• If you have never dived before, you will gain your open water certification in your first week
• For divers who are already certified, you will take extra certifications whilst you are in Portugal.
• Help to rejuvenate the Portuguese coastline, removing trash every day to encourage marine biodiversity
• Learn more about how to dive sustainably, whilst also improving your diving skills
• Live in the buzzing city of Lisbon, and enjoy the stunning beaches, great food, amazing wine, ancient monasteries and city life

Accommodation and food

You will be living in possibly the most eco-friendly guest house in Lisbon. The accommodation is just 30 minutes from the city centre, in a quiet residential area. You will be sharing accommodation with other volunteers.

Important things to know about the accommodation are:

• Every effort is taken to avoid single use plastic - ranging from food packaging to toiletries packaging
• Any plastic that cannot be avoided is shredded and then reused
• Three yummy meals are served each day. Any food that is wasted will either be composted or be donated to the homeless

Free time
You will be working on the project Monday - Friday, either on a morning or afternoon shift. This working pattern means that you have plenty of time to improve your Portuguese, explore the local area and get to know your fellow volunteers. You will have weekends free to explore the local area including the beaches, Lisbon, Porto, Sintra and more.

Extra useful information about the organisation of this project

• You will be with other international volunteers from around the world
• There is 24/7 emergency support
• Speak to someone who has done this project - our experienced team have volunteered on all of our projects and know them intimately
• You will need travel insurance to be able to join this project - we can offer advice of what to look for in a travel insurance policy