Copy link. GVI Volunteer Testimonials | Kyle - Ohio State University | Volunteer in Chiang Mai Thailand by GVI. Making a world of difference and providing international experiential education since 1998 2 Reviews. Founded in 1998, GVI runs online courses, virtual programs and travel-based education and training programs in various countries around the world. The staff at GVI are incredibly supportive and really are the backbone of this whole programme, through regular check-ins with your supervisor, group meetings and project reviews to help you reflect on the work you're doing, you really are getting a bang for your buck. Ends in d h m s. Destinations. I'm so happy to hear you had such a great experience with us. We welcome participants from all around the world and help facilitate their development into global citizens. Agencies and NGOs that are serious about setting up viable programs can pull it off without charging an arm or a leg to their volunteers. I believe the best way of learning is through doing, and GVI gives you the opportunity to do just that! A free inside look at company reviews and salaries posted anonymously by employees. Being responsible in our contribution to sustainable development is at the core of everything we do and we are guided by our ethical commitments and human empowerment principles. I felt very supported by GVI and received TEFL training as preparation for my role and ongoing staff mentorship. As an intern, I was also able to find my own mini-project, which became about illegal poaching, and completing this added another dimension to my time here. I made great friends with the other volunteers and we enjoyed working together on project, socialising, and travelling during time off. GVI. We were care-free, adventurous - hiking and fishing for small fish with the local kids. It was easy to see that age was not an issue. 32 GVI reviews. :D. Being a first time traveller and first introduction into conservation, needless to say I was a little nervous as I booked my program with GVI for the first time. First time traveler with GVI - Exceeded my expectation. I have nothing but positive things to say about my experience with GVI.I had never volunteered abroad before so when I registering for the 12 weeks Marine Conservation program in the Seychelles (starting Feb 2020) I wasn't sure what to expect. I feel through both the project and online study course that I have grown in my professional career a huge deal. I would recommend the project to anyone with a genuine interest in these animals. Does anyone have any information on them. I am passionate about all wildlife and its conservation, but especially turtles due to their long life and the huge impact short sighted actions have on the population. I was originally assigned juvenile fish and soon fell in love with them. We couldn't do what we do without you and would love to see you back sometime! Share. I have been on two conservation projects so far with GVI, one in Seychelles (Curieuse Island expedition) and the other in South Africa (Karongwe surveying, identification and research). I have signed up to complete my full 6 month internship back on the same base...it just goes to show how much of a lasting impression the place, people and wildlife had on my soul.GVI has given me the confidence to push myself in ways I didn't think I ever could, I have found the courage to leave my job of 8 years in Central London to chase my dreams of working in wildlife conservation full time. Another highlight of this virtual programme is that you get to meet so many likeminded impact-driven individuals from all corners of the world and discuss endless global topics as well as have a great laugh with some of them, GVI really made all the interns feel comfortable and did a great job in creating a very open and friendly environment. When I arrived I was actually surprised by the site amenities and quality, though arguably I had no previous volunteer experience to compare it to. Join one of our award winning projects worldwide. 32 GVI reviews. To tell the truth, there were also strenuous tasks, such as cleaning the camp or the boat, but most of the time you were just overwhelmed by the versatility of the island and the associated possibilities. Jazzy and her team helped me to feel fully involved with the work and are very knowledgeable about the island and its ecosystems. I felt very supported by GVI and received TEFL training as preparation for my role and ongoing staff mentorship. The base was lovely, very comfortable with everything I needed for my stay (I could have stayed there another month or two!) I have not come across any other organisations like GVI that genuinely provide the best, and in my case life changing, experiences for both volunteers, locals and wildlife. GVI have an amazing relationship with the community and you can tell the local villagers respect the development and education they offer. You may want to try: all GVI reviews worldwide (21 reviews) Claim this company page. Thanks for your fabulous review. “GVI Costa Rica Expedition” Written on: 13/09/2016 by jg1894 (1 review written) Going to another country and working with wildlife was a dream come true. Thorn Tree forum Country forums Central America. 15 reviews. The call back I had really set the picture and even offered other programmes to consider to ensure I was getting what I wanted. Join one of our award winning projects worldwide. I spent 2 months with GVI and the days consist of two game drives which are always full of surprise as you never know what your going to see. I’ve always been interested in conservation, but thought I’d never have the time to really explore what was available. Hey Heather! It has been over a year since I spent 4 weeks in South Africa on gvi's Research Expedition programme, going on game drives almost every day and collecting data on a variety on species for their research. GVI - Global Vision International - short & long term volunteerism. And this has opened my eyes to the world of conservation and concreted my interest in it! I volunteered on Women's Empowerment, Teaching English to Buddhist Monk, and Global Health programmes. Starting in the hospitality industry she gained valuable experience, but yearned for something with more meaning bringing her to GVI where she aims to grow and contribute to the change. This volunteer experience taught me new skills in self-reliance and social awareness. The first few weeks were hard due to the language barrier but the whole family were very welcoming and as I began to understand their language, Pakinyaw, I began to feel more at home and became good friends with them. As far as safety goes, when in the city or at airports, the most important thing is to be aware of your surroundings, stay with or near people you are familiar with (other GVI people), and exercise the same precautions you would anywhere in the US. I have no complaints about the setup, the work or the onsite staff at all. On this way, we learned to identify different sea turtles based on the traces in the sand, how to measure the unique "coco de mer"-palm or how to chip a young lemon shark. Overview . In 2017 I completed a 2 week Volunteer trip with GVI at the Karongwe Big 5 Game Reserve. In the evenings we often sat together, ate cake or cookies and played cards. Overall what gave GVI the upper hand and the reason I'm volunteering with them again this April on their Jaguar Research program in Costa Rica is because of their evident long term impact and partnerships with local organisations and communities. The completely vegetarian meals, cold showers, lovely people, kayak trips, beach walks, silly card games, deep conversations. Report. I spent 6 weeks in Costa Rica on a biodiversity conservation program, With the wonderful organization GVI !Our days were marked by different surveys, we work on the canal (with a canoe), in the forest, in the coconut plantation but also on the beach. I went on to do many more projects with GVi in a few other countries too. From testing each other on our bird knowledge, having drum lessons under the light of a full moon to sharing stories of the days drives around the heat of the brie pit...unbeatable! This was my first ever volunteer trip and it was honestly amazing! It had 3 bedrooms (each of 8 beds, a communal space and a study area. These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders. Making a world of difference and providing international experiential education since 1998 Other activities like hikes, the monthly conservation trip to Koh Ra, and different community activities were scattered each week, to keep it from getting too repetitive.What really made the trip so amazing was our location. Well done - we would love to see you back on base in the future! I had the most incredible time and never wanted to leave which is a feeling I have never had when volunteering abroad before. I'm so happy to hear you had such an unforgettable time with us in South Africa! I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to join the GVI Wildlife Conservation Program in Karongwe and the passion and dedication of the GVI team for conservation was humbling. The animals are magnificent and it’s a real privilege to be able to work almost daily with nesting turtles and shark pups. Well done - we would love to see you back on base in the future! I was extremely impressed with GVI's approach to volunteering. I came out convinced of my career choice and more motivated than ever to make it happen. Seriously, they have a full time staff person whose only job is to delete negative reviews of the company. ... 200 reviews. Search job titles. The GVI Staff were very hands-on, and very patient considering this was my first introduction to marine conservation. Browse program options, read reviews and interviews, view photos, and apply to go abroad with GVI. With bases in Chiang Mai and Phang Nga, you could get involved in education, marine and wildlife conservation, volunteering with children, supporting public health, community development, or contributing towards construction based activities. We would all gather up on weekends (which we had free!!!) Even if it's been two years now, I still remember very well my first day at the GVI camp on curieuse-island. Filter reviews. That was it, I was set to go. I couldn't reccomend a better experience! I volunteered on Women's Empowerment, Teaching English to Buddhist Monk, and Global Health programmes. A baby hawksbill turtle that we found lost at the back of the beach so helped into the ocean, The team working up a female turtle who had come up onto the beach to neat. I would highly recommend volunteering with GVI to everyone! I was able to see how great the biodiversity of Costa Rica is.Life at the camp is minimalist but that makes the beauty of the place, no hot water, flushing or light in the rooms, but the warm atmosphere makes us forget everything, even when we are not an English native!This experience brought me many things.I learned a lot about nature, about others but also about myself. We would spend our drives tracking her movements and interactions with the male coalition KZN (Kwa, Zulu & Netal) as well as the other predators on the reserve. Salary New. Hi Sam, Thanks so much for your thoughtful, detailed review! We'd love to see you back on base sometime in the future! Stay tuned for more locations coming your way soon, including a new location addition in the Canary Islands. 248K likes. Browse program options, read reviews and interviews, view photos, and apply to go abroad with GVI. I gained direct experience of GVI following the UN SDGs framework through sustainable projects which made volunteering feel really worthwhile. Finally, you have weekends off, which most people take the opportunity to travel around the country together to visit other tourist attractions and cities. We welcome you back to base again sometime in the future. It's surprising how much you don't need in life to be happy. Overall, volunteering with GVI in Cambodia has been a personally enriching which is giving my life perspective. My GVI virtual internship experience was second to none! They are reviewed on TourRadar, GoOverseas, and Volunteer Forever with hundreds of reviews from among others Nepal volunteers. It certainly sounds like you made the most of it! We had a cook who made us both lunch and dinner from Monday to Friday.I did this project as part of my placement year for university and I have been inspired to work in marine conservation. 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