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Website:www.lamave.orgContact:volunteer@lamave.org

CebuWhaleSharkProject

Project:CebuWhaleSharkProject

Seasondates:year-round

Costpermonth:$450

KeyRequirements:21yearsold,fluentinEnglish,minimum3-monthcommitment.Comfortableinopenwater/Freediving

Website:www.lamave.orgContact:volunteer@lamave.org

WhoisLAMAVE?LargeMarineVertebratesResearchInstitutePhilippines(LAMAVE)isthelargestindependentnon-stocknon-profitnon-governmentorganizationdedicatedtotheconservationofmarinemegafaunaandthemarineenvironmentinthePhilippines.Westriveforconservationthroughscientificresearch,policyandeducation.

Introductiontotheproject:LAMAVEhasbeenmonitoringthewhalesharkprovisioningatOslob,Cebusinceearly2012.Ouraimhasbeentounderstandhowprovisioningmighteffectthebehaviourofwhalesharksaswellasthesocio-economicimplicationssuchanactivityandindustrycanhaveonthelocalcommunity,andregion.Wearenowmonitoringthepopulationofgreenandhawksbillturtlesthatusetheareawherethewhalesharksarefeddaily,andhowtheirbehaviourmightshedsomelightonhabitatusebyturtlesintheregion.

Training/whatyoulearnBytheendofyourtimehere,youwillbeveryknowledgeableinwhalesharkandturtlebiology,ecologyandresearchtechniquesthatcanbeappliedtothesespecies.Photo-IDisagreatnon/minimally-invasivetechniquetostudyawidearrayoftaxa.Youwilllearnhowtodothiseffectivelyonbothwhalesharksandturtles,andlearnhowthesedatacanbeusedtounderstandresidencypatterns,andhowthesesharks/turtlesmightlinkuptootherareas.Youwillalsolearnhowtostudytheirbehaviorthoughfocalfollowssothatwecangetabetterunderstandingofbehaviorofindividualwhalesharksandhowhumansandwhalesharksinteractwithoneanother.Duringyourlanddays,youwillhelpusinputdata;managethesedatasets,backup,etc.EveryMondaywehost‘JournalClub’whenamemberoftheteamwillpresentapaperoftheirchoosing,orappointedtothembytheProjectLeader.Youwillbeabletodevelop/trainyourpresentationskills,aswellasyourreasoningandinterpretationskills.JournalClubisdesignedforeveryonetolearnandcriticallythinkaboutthescientificliterature.

Website:www.lamave.orgContact:volunteer@lamave.org

Dailylife/TypicalWorkingDayTypicallyourdaystartsaround6am(somestartingat8am)andcontinuestillaround4pmwithabreakforlunch.Wecurrentlyconducthourlyin-watersurveysfrom7amtill1pm,whichincludephoto-IDofbothWhalesharksandturtles,aswellasfocalfollows.Forthosewhoareassignedalandday,theycanusethistimetocatchupondataentryorconductothertaskstohelppushtheprojectforward.Youcanalsousethattimetopreparelunchfortherestoftheteam.After4pmisfreetimeandtimetosocialiseunlessyouarethechefoftheevening!Eachmemberoftheteamtakesitinturntocookaculinarymasterpieceoftheirchoosing.Dinnerisservedat7pmandeveryonehelpstowashdishessothatwecanstartfilmnight,gooutsideandstudythestars,playboardgamesorevensingkaraokeatthelocalbaroncelebratoryoccasions.

VolunteerRequirementsPleaseensureyoumeetthefollowingcriteria:

•Atleast21yearsold•Minimumcommitmentof3months•FluentinEnglish•Abletoworkindependentlyandaspartofateam•Comfortablelivinginasharedhomeandinaremotesettingwithextremelybasicamenities•Willingtoworklongandirregularhoursifneeded•Adegreeinmarinescience,zoology,environmentalsciencesorrelatedsubjectsarepreferred•Excellentswimming/snorkellingskillsandabilitytofreediveto7m•StronginterestinWhalesharks,Turtles,researchandconservation

Equipmentrequired RecommendedgeneralpackingList• Mask• Snorkel• FreeDivingFins(Freedivingfinsarenow

mandatory)• Leggingsandalongsleeverashvest/rash

suit(forprotectionfromthesunandstingerswheninthewater)

• Kneelengthboardshorts(mustbewornduringsurveys)

• Rashguard(mustbewornduringsurveys)• Hat&Sunglasses(polarizedifpossible)• Laptop(thisisessentialforwork)• Smallbackpack• Phonethatiscapableofrunning

whatsapp

• Towel• Smalldrybag/ziplockbagforelectricals• Long(smart/jeans)trousers(forformal

occasions)• Sunscreen(notallowedwhensnorkelling

ordiving)• Insectrepellent• Casualclothing• Swimwear• Raincoat• Waterproofcamera(fordaysoff)• Thin,longsleevedtopsandtrousers

recommendedtoprotectagainstbitinginsects

• PersonalFirstAidKit• Torch• Traveladapter

Website:www.lamave.orgContact:volunteer@lamave.org

InsuranceAllvolunteersarerequiredtohavemedicalinsurance.Thestudysitesfortheprojectsareoftenbeinremoteareas.AllmedicalservicesinthePhilippinesneedtobepaidforbyindividualvolunteers.CostsvaryfromPHP50foraconsultationatthelocalhospitaltoPHP12,000forafullCTIscaninmosthospitals.Volunteersthatcontractacontagiousdisease,thatmayputothervolunteersandstaffatrisk,maybeaskedtodepartfromtheprojectstudysiteforhealthreasonsuntilappropriatehealthclearance.

DressCode

Tanktops-“wife-beater”and/orlowslungsleevelessshirtsexposingmidsectionareforbidden.Pleaseseeexamplesbelowofwhatnottowear:

The$450amonthContributionBeinganon-profitorganization,werequestacontributionof$450USDpermonthtohelpcovertheproject’scosts(accommodation,threemealsaday,transporttoandfromsurveysites,LAMAVEt-shirts,equipmentmaintenance,supportFilipinoscholarsacrossourprojects).ThecontributionisdueBEFOREyourarrival(PayPal/BankTransfer),oronarrival(cash)attheprojectsite.TheProjectLeaderwillrefuseentrytotheprojecthouseuntilthisispaidinfull.

VolunteerscontinuetorepresentLAMAVE,evenafterworkisfinished,therefore,weenforceadresscodethatisconsistentandinoffensivetothelocalcommunityandculture.Shorts-hotpantsandveryshort-shortsareforbidden.Shortsmustbeatleastmidthighinlength.Shortsthatreachjustabovethekneearepreferred(pictured).

Website:www.lamave.orgContact:volunteer@lamave.org

OthercostsVisas

Onenteringthecountrymostvisitorsareallowedtostayinthecountryfor30dayswithoutapplyingforavisa,butpleasecheckthetermsforyournationality.Beforethe30daysareoveryoumusttraveltoanImmigrationofficetorenewyourvisa.Thefirstrenewallastsfor29daysandcostsapproximately3300PHP.Ifyouplantostayinthecountryafterthisvisadate,youwillneedtorenewagainandwillberequiredtopurchaseani-card(atouristidentitycard)withyourvisa.Thiswillcostapproximately7000PHPforthei-cardanda1-monthextension.*Pleasenotethisinformationwascorrectasofthe30thApril2017andmaybesubjecttochange.

RulesandregulationsGroundsfordismissal

Volunteersmaybeaskedtoleavetheprojectiftheydisplayinappropriatebehaviourorattitudethatdisruptswork,thelivingenvironmentorportraysanegativeimagefortheorganization.Groundsfordismissalcanalsobeasaresultofreleaseofsensitiveinformationtomedia/socialmediaplatforms.DismissalisattheProjectLeader’sdiscretion.Theuseofdrugsduringtheplacementisprohibitedandwillresultinimmediatedismissal.

Daysoff

Eachteammemberwillbegivenadedicateddayoffeachweektorelaxortravel.DaysoffcanbespenttakinginthemanywondersanduniquecultureofthePhilippines.

Holidaysandvisitors

AsavolunteeryouarecontractedtoassistLAMAVEforaminimumof3month,thereforeshouldyouwishtohavetimetoexplorethePhilippinesfurther(whichwestronglyadviseyoudo!)pleaseplantimebeforeorafteryourstaywithus,asduringthethreemonthsplacementwedonotallowvolunteerstotakeadditionaldaysoff.

Website:www.lamave.orgContact:volunteer@lamave.org

HowtoApplyEmailusacoveringletterandacopyofyourCVtovolunteer@lamave.org

Rememberto:

• Statewhichprojectyouareapplyingforintheemailsubjecte.g.Cebu–Whalesharks• Telluswhyyouwanttojointheteam,indicatedatesyouwishtojoinandanyotherrelevantinformation

inyourcoveringletter.• StateifyouareFilipinoandapplyingforoneofourScholarships.

Welookforwardtohavingyouontheteam!