Self interest is destroying our world

Austria January 2012

Our capacity for pursuing self-interest is the root cause for the destructive influence we are wielding on our planet

We talk about destroying the planet when in reality what we are doing is destroying our capacity to live on the planet. If we go then it, nature, will recuperate. We are the problem and our self-interest is the key issue.

Self-interest is everywhere and not just in competing businesses, with the monied classes or with politicians, all areas where we can expect to see it openly. Worse still it is in areas where one would expect moral leadership- in academia, in research, with NGOs and, paradoxically, within conservation groups. The AWF operates at a grassroots level, working with local communities with volunteers from around the world who understand that they gain as much from their experience as they give. But, everywhere we go we are confronted by appalling self-interest from outside organisations who really should know better.

In the Caribbean, our project teams identified an island, ideal to set up a volunteer programme- all the local players, community based NGOs and activity providers were enthusiastic but when we visited the island an Englishman who had married locally and through this relationship now sits on the environment committee of the country owning the island, whose approval we would need, intervened to say he would block us whatever we proposed as he deemed any action on the island unnecessary (he had tried to do the same things years earlier and failed!!!). !?

In West Africa, an Irish researcher was so incensed at our treading on his ‘territory’ that he complained to the Government! The local politicians laughed about the situation but that doesn’t change the facts of the nature of his actions. Our co-ordinator uploaded images of humpback whales to our Flickr account some of which, it transpired, belonged to the Irish man’s ‘team’. Rather than just drawing our attention to the situation, they tried to have our Flickr account closed down. When we suggested a collaboration, the possibility of our volunteers supporting their work, their response was aggressively dismissive.

We are to film in Borneo and Sierra Leone around the idea that communities can get kicked off their land in the name of conservation. These are uneducated peoples without voice who are not responsible for the environment disasters we have brought about and yet they are expected to pay the price without even being heard. Our project aims to give them a voice. Local conservationists- highly educated, articulate, very connected are dismissing our efforts as irresponsible as they will ‘encourage’ local communities to stand up and assert their rights.

In Tenerife we have to endure the continuous attacks from ‘researchers’ who are more interested in securing funding than actually doing any research. One was on TV a couple of years ago standing next to a female sperm whale that had been killed by, as everyone knew, Fred Olsen’s new high speed ferry (the researcher in question had friends who were divers employed to scrape the remains from the bottom of the ferries!!). He said on TV that the whale had been killed by a ‘big boat’ at which point the TV showed photos of the whale watching boats and gave voice to a local politician raging that they, the whale watching boats, needed ‘controlling’. If it wasn’t so farcical it would make one cry.

On the neighbouring island of La Gomera an encamped German team have been attacking Tenerife’s whale watching industry in what can only be described as a vitriolic manner for years whilst running their own very expensive whale watching operation. The hypocracy of the operation through which they make a good living in a foreign country from rich tourists and slam the local industry providing affordable opportunities to ordinary tourists is completely lost on them.

In Sierra Leone a particularly corrupt local NGO with whom we had offered to breathe life into their defunct community tree planting programme, funding village schools and education in the process, now openly complain about us because we baulked at the idea of handing them a £340,000 fee to facilitate their support.

A common theme is that highly educated and articulate research and conservation groups attack the idea of public access to nature but promote the idea that they should provide (very expensive) access to rich people so as to help fund their work!

These organisations are only interested in defending their turf and have no seeming interest in actually achieving anything except to preserve their jobs. They deliberately block and stop others and have absolutely no interest in collaboration.

Darwin talked of competition and natural selection but overlooked ideas of consensus behaviour, arguable the norm for the most successful species on our planet. Self-interest is undoubtedly normal in human behaviour. The difference between the present and the past is an almost total lack of moral framework. The Victorians, through competition and self-interest created the world’s greatest empire, but within the context of God, King and Country. These were common goals and values and because of them society produced great philanthropy ; today there is nothing but self-interest.

The challenge of saving our planet is to create common goals, the values that underpin the notion that all our efforts should be to help create a better world and to protect what we have; that we should measure our personal successes and achievements in terms of these collective goals. Be successful financially but within the context of helping the planet or at least not damaging it. If we get this right then people will work towards doing their bit, without any need for encouragement of coercion. This should be society’s drive- not to do it for people, not to demand that they do things. The latter approach will lead to expensive failure, writ the recent riots in British cities. Society has to give ownership to the people. Society has to work out how to make defending and protecting our fragile environment and nature the absolute goal of all citizens. If it does not do this all its actions will fail; if it does achieve this it need not do anything else!!

I am not optimistic as vested interest is around every corner and everywhere, and especially so in education, conservation, research, all areas where you would expect moral leadership. The AWF will do what it can, and it will not fail to do all that it can. It will touch the lives of many thousands of ordinary people, awakening them to their individual responsibilities. With help we could reach millions .. but, it needs cooperation and not competition.

Second EU group hits the road!

Manchester January 2012

We have just completed the induction of our second EU funded group in Manchester and will be sending 14 fired up young Brits to Tenerife at the weekend to develop and then run a whole range of projects around the world during 2012, whilst gaining experience running volunteer programmes on the whale watching boats, research guiding. Everyone is very excited!

The previous, first, group was somewhat of a disappointment in that only three carried forward. Luke is now our Director of both Research and of Volunteer Fundraising with additional responsibilities for developing projects in the Caribbean and South America this year; Jason will be out building business units in Sierra Leone in March and subsequently in Sri Lanka, with Berdie, building eco lodges and our first Field Study Centre; and Lewis will be in Sri Lanka from April setting up our bird volunteering/ eco-tourism programmes in the region.

The idea behind this particular EU programme is to give participants thirteen weeks work experience in Tenerife, research guiding on the whale watching boats building up experience helping to run a conservation project whilst allowing them time, space and facilities to focus on their own careers. They get flights, accommodation and food paid for as well as a stipend each month for spending money and two skills courses- diving etc. thrown in alongside regular Spanish lessons. This, second group, has fourteen participants and we are all optimistic as to what they will achieve.

Group 2
Common to all the group are: fundraising targets; the need to create personal sustainability plans; knowledge acquisition to be presented on our web sites for the species they are working on, making them global portals for knowledge on key issues; and individual goals and strategies to achieve them- we will act as an incubator for their efforts- pushing, supporting, mentoring, facilitating, financing.

Chris, Director of AWF Creative Productions, and Stuart will drive our filming in 2012. Their initial responsibilities are to create promotional fundraising videos for our key projects- elephants, rain forest, etc. The key focus of their work in 2012 will be in helping to organise the Borneo Eco Film Festival, which the AWF is part sponsoring, and similar film festivals in London, Amsterdam and Dublin. They have a heavy schedule for the year creating documentary films in support of AWF film series- Ordinary Lives, Communities in Conservation, Eco-tourism, Conservation Issues.

Halina and Wayne will be our main co-ordinators in Asia from April and based at the elephant project in Sri Lanka, spearheading our collaboration with the MEF. Their main goal is to help make the site at Kegalle a global centre of excellence and action in the fight to save the Asian Elephant: developing our volunteer programmes there and in the region; forging collaborations to embrace other nature projects in the country- blue whale, turtle, leopard, manatee…herbs; building up our educational and trading programmes; fundraising; developing an eco-tourism infrastructure to help fund the conservation work; and, also, developing projects throughout the (Asian) region supporting the Asian Elephant. They will also be developing trading opportunities both in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. The whole year to be filmed to create a documentary showing just what can be achieved through two young passionate and committed people.

Phil this group’s ‘bird-man’ will be developing the work of Lewis, from the first group, who from April will be in Sri Lanka. In particular, Phil will be working on implementing volunteer led bird surveys in Tenerife and looking at promoting bird watching eco-tourism opportunities. He will also be expanding his remit to build database and monitoring programmes for flora on the island of Tenerife, a unique and diverse landscape sporting over 600 indigenous plant species.

Ruby is passionate about Indonesia- its people and culture, and its nature. She will be working on developing our knowledge base on species such as the Asian Rhino, Leopard, Pygmy Elephant, Orang Utan, Sun Bear, Rainforest (in relation to palm oil production), Asian Elephant. In the process she will identify good local NGOs through which the AWF can forge collaborations, and an AWF base, in Indonesia. She will also be developing trading opportunities in support of local communities as a source of funding for conservation efforts. John will be supporting Ruby as his focus is on the Asian Rhino- he will also have ambitious fundraising targets.

Lucy is going to be our whale and dolphin expert. She will develop our existing cetacean database covering species resident to and migrating through Canarian waters and expand it to cover all cetacean species. She will identify projects around the world – research, conservation and educational, that we should support and she will prioritise these efforts. She will also identify individual areas of research which, hopefully, will incorporate tagging/ DNA work on humpback whales in Sierra Leone.

Emma has a thing about cats, and big cats in particular, and, as currently we do not have projects in this area, she will be looking at the Sri Lankan leopard and at Tigers in general ( with particular reference to Vietnam). She will create a global portal of knowledge on big cats as well as identify projects that we can collaborate with and then she will develop targeted collaborations in Vietnam and Sri Lanka, (and quite possibly elsewhere as well)

Karla and Andrew are interested in wealth creation, a prime driver, in the view of the AWF, of conservation. They are particularly interested in developing our business strategies for bamboo as a product, both in creating saleable designs for physical bamboo, (garden and conservatory furniture etc.),and in developing the technical competences to convert bamboo (70:30 cotton mix) into fabric that we can then develop into fashion ranges through community driven production in the villages where we work. Andrew is also interested in event management and will be working on developing the above mentioned film festivals looking, particularly, at potential funding – EU, Lottery, Arts Council etc

Bav and Matt the graphics team and driving force behind developing out True Fair, internet trading site. Their initial goals are to brand the True Fair concept, and to develop a range of designer driven in house merchandising: T Shirts, posters, birthday calendars, greetings cards etc. plus to lead the design competition inviting designers of all ilks to submit designs for fashion ranges, bags, graphics, art work, the winners of each category to have their ranges commissioned to be sold on line with royalties going to them!! This project creates good work in the communities we work with, ensuring ethical production and respect for the environment and provides opportunities for young designers- perfect!!

John will collaborate with the Polish wolf project. The initial brief will be to create a knowledge base on the species and to identify ‘best practice’ strategies for the development of the project. He will also be set ambitious targets for both fundraising and volunteer recruitment as we endeavour to build this new project.

Watch this space!

Is it ever right to touch a young girl’s ‘boobs’ Sierra Leone Nov 2011

Is it ever right to touch a young girl’s ‘boobs’ Sierra Leone Nov 2011

Recently, whilst in Sierra Leone, I was sheltering under a tin roofed shack with several dozen locals. The car had needed its brakes changing, urgently. Outside, the monsoon rains lashed onto the tin roofs and lightning and thunder reverberated all around. I was irritated, normal in Sierra Leone, this time because the ‘team’ had been using the vehicle as a taxi and had not maintained it so as soon as I arrived it needed repairs. Outside, the car was jacked up on one wheel, the mechanic laying on the ground, what was left of the laterite road now a veritable river. His assistant held a pink frilly umbrella over his head.
Inside, Abdul, our security- 6 ft 6 and mean, no one messes with Abdul, was sitting next to me and Kofi, an affable Ghanaiain, and head man of the village from which we operate, was sitting across the way from me. Next to him a couple of young girls, 12 maybe 13 years old were selling cakes from a tray on top of their heads. Kofi was seemingly chatting one of them up- he I about 50 yrs old and has, as far as we can ascertain, a number of wives. In my irritation, I was supposed to be somewhere ‘important’, I shouted out to Kofi as he was trying with a smile to extract the girls phone number, above the crashing thunder, ‘what are you doing Kofi, she is a child!’ he came back unperturbed that she was at least 17 years old and that this was how things are ‘done’ ‘in Africa’. But she is only 12 years old!, I said
Abdul, next to me, laughed. It is the way things work here, he said. Young girls prefer older men to ‘boys’ because they offer more security. In the dimness of the far corner was an old man with an austere expression, something like Khomeni might wear. Abdul shouted over to him. There is an old man from the country. Tell him what it’s like up country with the young girls. Instantly the old man’s countenance relaxed and he broke into a broad smile, everyone in the room laughed aloud, girls included.
At this point, and presumably to make the point, Abdul leaned over, cupped the young girls left boob into his large hand, squeezed and then announced to the whole room that she was at least 17 years old. The room again exploded into laughter, the young girl included. I moved subconsciously a few inches from Abdul lest the lightening flashing outside were to strike him down.

I bought cakes, shared them around and went outside to inspect the work. Miraculously the mechanic had not drowned and was on his third wheel. An older girl walked by, she could have been Naomi Campbell’s sister, with an even bigger tray on her head crammed with dried fish. She wore a flowing black wrap from her waist and the skimpiest of white tops which, she being drenched, hugged her body. From her top is was quite obvious that her body felt the monsoon rain to be very cold. As she walked by she smiled the smile that girls smile at men and that haunt them, men, all of their lives. The two little girls went by giggling and Kofi appeared looking very pleased with himself having secured the prized telephone number.

Is it ever right to squeeze a young girl’s breasts!?

Is it ever right to touch a young girl’s ‘boobs’ Sierra Leone Nov 2011

Is it ever right to touch a young girl’s ‘boobs’ Sierra Leone Nov 2011

Recently, whilst in Sierra Leone, I was sheltering under a tin roofed shack with several dozen locals. The car had needed its brakes changing, urgently. Outside, the monsoon rains lashed onto the tin roofs and lightning and thunder reverberated all around. I was irritated, normal in Sierra Leone, this time because the ‘team’ had been using the vehicle as a taxi and had not maintained it so as soon as I arrived it needed repairs. Outside, the car was jacked up on one wheel, the mechanic laying on the ground, what was left of the laterite road now a veritable river. His assistant held a pink frilly umbrella over his head.
Inside, Abdul, our security- 6 ft 6 and mean, no one messes with Abdul, was sitting next to me and Kofi, an affable Ghanaiain, and head man of the village from which we operate, was sitting across the way from me. Next to him a couple of young girls, 12 maybe 13 years old were selling cakes from a tray on top of their heads. Kofi was seemingly chatting one of them up- he I about 50 yrs old and has, as far as we can ascertain, a number of wives. In my irritation, I was supposed to be somewhere ‘important’, I shouted out to Kofi as he was trying with a smile to extract the girls phone number, above the crashing thunder, ‘what are you doing Kofi, she is a child!’ he came back unperturbed that she was at least 17 years old and that this was how things are ‘done’ ‘in Africa’. But she is only 12 years old!, I said
Abdul, next to me, laughed. It is the way things work here, he said. Young girls prefer older men to ‘boys’ because they offer more security. In the dimness of the far corner was an old man with an austere expression, something like Khomeni might wear. Abdul shouted over to him. There is an old man from the country. Tell him what it’s like up country with the young girls. Instantly the old man’s countenance relaxed and he broke into a broad smile, everyone in the room laughed aloud, girls included.
At this point, and presumably to make the point, Abdul leaned over, cupped the young girls left boob into his large hand, squeezed and then announced to the whole room that she was at least 17 years old. The room again exploded into laughter, the young girl included. I moved subconsciously a few inches from Abdul lest the lightening flashing outside were to strike him down.

I bought cakes, shared them around and went outside to inspect the work. Miraculously the mechanic had not drowned and was on his third wheel. An older girl walked by, she could have been Naomi Campbell’s sister, with an even bigger tray on her head crammed with dried fish. She wore a flowing black wrap from her waist and the skimpiest of white tops which, she being drenched, hugged her body. From her top is was quite obvious that her body felt the monsoon rain to be very cold. As she walked by she smiled the smile that girls smile at men and that haunt them, men, all of their lives. The two little girls went by giggling and Kofi appeared looking very pleased with himself having secured the prized telephone number.

Is it ever right to squeeze a young girl’s breasts!?

AWF Goals 2012 lets do it!!

2012 promises to be spectacular, the culmination of many year’s hard work by a great many people. We have vibrant volunteer programmes, spanning four continents, and a world class array of core conservation and humanitarian programmes aimed at achieving significant results within the remit of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals 2015. In 2012, we will ‘do our bit’
To fund our objectives, we have set ourselves the target of attracting 3,500 volunteers weeks across the project range and we are on target having sold 1000 weeks for next year already. But, we need help- promote our website, help us to organise talks to student, or other interested, groups- the more we do this together, the more we can achieve. These prospective volunteers will also fund raise- walking with elephants in Sri Lanka, dancing mamba in Holland, selling raffle tickets, taking on the Teide Challenge. Luke is coordinating out volunteer fundraising- contact him to see how you can get involved luke@whalenation.org.

Through our volunteer income and their fundraising efforts, we aim to achieve the following next year. Become part of the team that is going to make a real difference to our planet in 2012!

1. Goals 2012 for Species and Habitats
2. Goals 2012 for AWF Core Programmes
3. Goals 2012 for AWF Volunteer Centres
4. Goals for Positioning of the AWF by start 2013

1. Goals for Species and Habitats
In 2012, the AWF will focus on key species and habitats through its volunteer network- Rainforest, Coral Reef, Whales and Dolphins, Elephants, Sun Bears, Wolves, Orang Utan, Birds, Sharks, Tigers, Dogs (and Cats), Horses, Manatee (and Dugong). This list will be expanded organically throughout the year. Do you have any suggestion on species or habitats that should be included?

For each of the above, the AWF will:
1. Make available full information through its websites on biology and ecology; conservation issues and strategies; and information on what we can do, as individuals, to make a difference. The information will have a global perspective with detailed ‘local’ analyses. Volunteer with us to help!
2. Develop effective conservation, education and research programmes through its project centres, and disseminate ‘best practice’.
3. Compile an online global database of conservation, research, volunteering, campaigning and education projects and initiatives, and forge strong and effective collaborations with key organisations- our operating model will be based on cooperation and not competition! Any suggestions?
4. Develop educational materials to be made available through the TES website – the largest teacher network in the world.
5. Develop fundraising capacity. Do you want to help us? Contact Ed edb@whalenation.org or Ruby (Corporate Fundraising) ruby@whalenation.org or Luke (Volunteer Fundraising) luke@whalenation.org

Rainforest
1. The AWF will plant 100,000 trees
2. The AWF will fund research into the relationship between deforestation/ reforestation and human settlements; and into ‘Best Practice’ in reforestation
3. Fundraising target £100,000 Help us!
Coral Reef
1. The AWF will work with experts in coral reconstruction to enable it to play an active role in protecting and rejuvenating these critically important habitats.
Asian Elephants
1. The AWF will consolidate its relationship with the Millennium Elephant Foundation
2. The AWF will support and help fund research and education into the issues of ‘Human-Elephant conflict’ and ‘Poaching’, the key conservation threats
3. The AWF will help fund and build a Field Research Centre in Habaran, with focus on human- elephant conflict
4. The AWF will attract at least 100 volunteers to the project in Sri Lanka.
5. Fundraising target £150,000 Help us!
Wolves
1. The AWF will develop and consolidate its relationship with the Stobnica Wolf Sanctuary
2. The key focus will be on funding and constructing secure areas for wolves and in educational awareness programmes
3. Fundraising target £150,000 Help us!

Whales and Dolphins
1. The AWF will consolidate its research data in Tenerife and present it, freely, at the ECS conference 2012. It will also commence base line data surveys into cetacean populations in Sri Lanka, Honduras, Sierra Leone, Cape Verde, Malaysia and Vietnam
2. The AWF focus will be in funding and supporting projects globally
3. Fundraising Targets £150,000 Help us!
Sun Bears

1. The AWF will develop its relationship with the Borneo Sun Bear Conservation Centre
2. Fundraising target £50,000 Help us!
Dogs (and cats)
1. The AWF will complete the dog centre for old dogs in Tenerife
2. Through DAN it will support other animal sanctuaries in Tenerife
3. Through DAN it will work with dogs (and cats) through its project ranges
4. Fundraising target £100,000 Help us!
Horses
1. The AWF will develop a horse conservation programme in Deprecen, Hungary
Manatee
1. The AWF will create base line research data in Sierra Leone and Sri Lanka.
Tiger
1. The AWF will develop a project network, commencing with Vietnam
Leopard
1. The AWF will develop its relationship with the Sri Lankan Leopard Conservation Society
Birds
1. The AWF will create a global database of bird species observed from its project bases.
Shark
1. The AWF will identify a key collaboration in 2012

2. Goals for Core Programmes

Micro finance and True Fair trading- The AWF sees these programmes as key to creating wealth and lifting people out of poverty, in ways that encourage both social responsibility and environmental and conservation respect.
On a macro level, the AWF will:
1. Develop its Trading site as an effective vehicle for promoting ‘True Fair’ goods and
Services. The site will b operational from March 2012.
2. Develop the True Fair trading brand into a franchise operation through which people can generate sustainable livelihoods whilst supporting third world communities. The brand will be developed through market stalls at such as Brick lane and Camden own, London. Franchise ‘operations’ will be available from Spring 2012.
3. Develop its import/ export capacity. Two 40’ containers have been scheduled for Spring 2012, one in support of Vietnamese traders and the other in support of Sierra Leone. More will follow.
4. Develop businesses in key products- bamboo including textiles; eco tourism, educational field centres
5. Develop training and mentoring support programmes
On a micro level, the AWF will:
1. Provide seed capital and support for at least 300 new enterprises across communities within its project network Help us!
Dragon fly project, a place for women
This programme will develop and fund a dedicated space for women to include support facilities, educational resources and funding for further learning, and a micro finance fund and training. The first centre will be built and equipped in York Village, Sierra Leone Summer 2012 and, once established, the concept will be rolled out across the AWF’s project network 2013 and beyond. Funding for construction will be funded though AWF core funds and there is a fundraising target of £25,000 for fittings, equipment and resources. The AWF will fund a manager for the centre from its core funds and will work with the centre to identify and secure sources of sustainable incomes. Help us!
Plant a Tree, Fund a Dream
This is a core AWF programme, re-establishing threatened habitats, creating safe environments for endangered species, education and creating valuable jobs.
In 2012, the AWF will:
1. Build on its established tree planting programme in Sierra Leone and develop connections with rainforest expansion projects and commercial farms elsewhere in the country.
2. Establish tree planting programmes in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Poland, and at least one further country in each of Central and South America
3. Plant at least 50,000 trees
4. Fund at least 5000 schoolchildren in their education
5. Create a global network of at least 100 schools fundraising for the project and collaborating with schools in developing countries.
6. Fund research work into the effectiveness of the programme, ways to make it sustainable,
7. Create ‘best practice’ educational materials, including video output, for dissemination Help us!

HeART (Art & Culture) Centres
Art and cultural activities provide social cohesion, learning and development opportunities and the potential for rich and fulfilling lifestyles. The first HeART centre will be built in York, Sierra Leone Summer 2012. It will incorporate music (instruments, recording facilities), dance, film making and photography, theatre, and art workshops.
The AWF will fund the construction costs from its core funds and underwrite the costs of employing a full time manager of the centre. It has a set a fundraising target of £25,000 for fittings and equipment. We are relying on donations of equipment and are particularly interested in securing sponsorship deals, (perhaps on a room to room basis) to fund the further growth of the project.
Although the goal is to learn, explore, create and generally have fun, the AWF will be looking for ways to create sustainable incomes- sale of art work, music recordings etc
2013 the intent is to roll the HeART concept out across its other project bases Help us!

AWF Creative Productions
This is a key area, bringing together the creative talents of our volunteers in bringing to life the cultural and environmental value of the people and communities it works with. Key focus will be:
1. Film making Series- Ordinary Lives, Conservation and Communities, Conservation Issues, Eco-tourism Join us!
2. Sponsoring Borneo Eco Film Festival Join us!
3. Development of embryonic film festivals in the UK, Holland and Ireland Help us!
4. Book production and illustration Series: Species conservation; Myths and Legends; Children’s tales
5. Graphic design Merchandising to create sustainability and fund conservation Help us!
6. Product design Merchandising to create sustainability and fund conservation Help us!
7. Fashion design Merchandising to create sustainability and fund conservation Help us!
8. Jewellery design Merchandising to create sustainability and fund conservation Help us!
Eco Tourism
Eco tourism is a key driver for wealth creation within local communities but only if they are in control of the process and properly trained and have marketing support
The AWF will:
1. Construct eco lodges in Sri Lanka ( three locations – Habaran, Kegalle and Matara), Vietnam (Dai Kat), Sierra Leone ( York, Tiwea island), Poland,
2. Construct of three 80 bed field research centres Sri Lanka (Habaran), Guyana, Sierra Leone
3. Development of training and educational programmes- free to locals
4. Development of web site www.awf-adventureholidays.org and network of supporting tour operators from around the world. Building bespoke eco-tourism packages with local communities
5. Promote community based tourism initiatives, globally.
6. Promote eco tourism opportunities through its websites, direct marketing, tour operator networks and travel markets WTM, London, Beijing, Holland Help us!

REACT
The REACT programme will commence in June, once teal members are free of their university commitments. The research targets for Summer/ Autumn 2012 will include Sierra Leone, June (Manatee, Chimps), Sri Lanka, July(Manatee), Vietnam, August (Tigers, Asian elephants), Venezuela, July (Pink Dolphins), Sierra Leone, Sept- Oct (Humpback whales)

Education
Education is a central to the operation of the AWF, and in many aspects.
1. The AWF will deliver at least 100 different courses across its network in 2012 Join us!
2. The AWF will deliver Summer Schools in Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka and in Tenerife Join us!
3. The AWF will fund at least 1000 school children’s annual school fees Help us!
4. The AWF will fund at least 10 PhD research studentships Help us!
5. The AWF will contribute educational resources to the TES website, the largest teacher resource in the world, and will aim to get in the top three downloaded contributors. Help us!

3. Goals for Volunteer Centres
Sierra Leone link to project pages Join us!
Sri Lanka Join us!
Borneo Join us!
Vietnam Join us!
Cape Verde Join us!
Honduras Join us!
Poland Join us!
Hungary Join us!
Tenerife Join us!

4. Goals for Positioning of the AWF by start 2013

A. By the end of 2012, the AWF intends to have developed a strong organisational framework with strategic and strong conservation, education, and corporate partners, and with a strong divisional structures: AWF Africa; AWF Asia; AWF Europe; AWF Central and South America

B. By the end of 2012, the AWF intends to have consolidated each of its current projects and core programmes and to have identified through the summer Passport to the Planet workshops new ventures for 2013

C. By the end of 2012, the AWF intends to have established its Eco tourism, Education and Trading collaborations.

August Workshops Itinerary

August 1st AM PM Participants arrival
Collect from airport , settle into accommodation
EVG Dinner reception , and orientation Each participant will have the chance to present himself , mention their name, background, interests and expectations from the programme. The organizers and project leaders will also have the opportunity to present themselves.

This activity will allow the participants to reflect on their own identities in the context of a multicultural group. It will improve their ability to value diversity and respect for others.

2nd AM PM Whale Watching Trip. The whole group and workshop leaders will undertake a four hour whale watching trip on the Muscat sailing boat, on which they will be introduced to the work by the AWF. They will also have the opportunity to snorkel and fish , they will also be given fish identity cards in English and Spanish. They will also be offered the opportunity to try a scuba diving session , taught in both English and Spanish.

This activity will allow individuals to bond within the group, to engage in shared experience, an important part of the first days of the project.

EVG Introduction to the Programme The participants will be introduced to the stages of the programme. There will also be a presentation of the overall outcomes desired by the programme. They will be encouraged to ask questions and raise concerns, if any. This will raise awareness of the importance of working effectively in order to meet the outcomes. Understanding that they have to produce certain outcomes by certain deadlines will improve their time management skills.

3rd AM Global Issues workshop This session will introduce the group to the UN’s millennium goals for 2015 and review how these issues relate to the various AWF project bases in Sierra Leone , Ghana, Cape Verde, Vietnam , Sri Lanka , Bolivia , Hungary and Tenerife.

This activity will allow each participant to reflect on where their individual interests lie, and through this process to form informal work groups within the larger group.

PM
Ethical enquiry workshop This workshop will introduce reflective management techniques designed to help participants think about what they are doing and their motivation for doing it. They will also help participants reduce and or avoid stress in their lives. Participants will start to examine their own motivations and reflect upon what they wish to do as an individual , and why! It will also enable them to reach personal goals which they will see through to the end.

EVG Group Discussion On the Ethical enquiry workshops with reference to Global Issues outlined earlier in the day.

African Story telling with drums, food etc Participants will start to form groupings around specific UN objectives and project areas.

Introduces participants to essence of cultural ‘knowledge’ and how it can be recorded.

4th AM

Introduction to Spanish

The group will receive a basic survival guide to Spanish in order to be able to manage living in a non English speaking community.

Knowing how to communicate in Spanish , albeit basically will create a bond between the participants, improving their European citizenship.

Ethical Enquiry Workshop

This workshop will continue the work of the first workshop and will enable the participants to put into practice the concepts raised .

Participants will start to learn how they can use reflective management techniques to both focus their efforts and deepen their understanding.

PM Global Issue Workshop Two sessions , the first on Poverty and Development and the second on Enterprise Creation and Access to Technology. Both sessions will be delivered in the context of the various AWF project bases.
Participants will increase their focus on their own individual goals throughout the course of the programme and identify a further sub group with which they will be working.

EVG Group Discussion On the issues discussed during the day, with individual participants indicating which issues are of a particular relevance to them and why. This process will further concentrate the participants ideas and who they wish to work with.

5th AM Global Issues Workshop Two sessions , the first on the Role of Women in Society and the second on The Importance of Education Participants will continue to focus their individual goals , and the groups they are working in.

PM Final Global Issues sessions Double session on Environmental issues and Conservation , focusing especially on the AWF project bases. With the completion of this session , participants will have a coherent understanding of their individual goals and the group they wish to work with.

EVG Group Discussions Each participant will be given the opportunity to say which issues are important to them and which project bases. The group will be further encouraged to discuss forming teams with similar interests. Through this process, there will be clear teams developing with focused goals.

6th AM End of Week session Review of UN objectives , relevance to AWF project bases, and of Ethical enquiry processes. At the end of this session participants will be given the chance to , by the end of the coming weekend, to fix their group and their group objectives. The participants will now have two days in which to decide their groups and the objectives of their chosen project.

PM Ethical Enquiry Time

Free Time This is for participants to reflect on their thoughts about the upcoming projects.

To prepare for an intercultural evening.

EVG Intercultural evening English , Dutch , Spanish food prepared by participants, to be followed by Salsa Dancing Lessons. This will further strengthen the bond between individuals and the groups.

6th 7th Weekend Activities (heavily discounted)
Free Time Scuba Diving ,Horse riding , Surfing , Walking , Relaxation time. All activities to be delivered in English and Spanish to improve vocabulary. This will further consolidate the bonding process.
EVG 7th Group Session Individual teams announce themselves and their team members and declare their objectives. These new teams will form the basis of development over the following two weeks.

8th AM Project Management workshop This workshop will introduce the key concepts of project management and each team will have to demonstrate an understanding of these concepts in relation to their own projects. Participants will learn to understand the various elements needed to bring a project to conclusion.

PM Review of Selected Projects in relation to Global Issues and AWF project bases.
This session ease in focus on key aspects to be managed effectively. Individual participants and each team will begin the process of thinking when they develop their project.

EVG Group Discussions Each team will present what they consider to be the key elements involved in the projects and the group will be encouraged to critically appraise their contributions. Through this process each team will begin to understand the critical issues involved in the projects and will be encouraged to explore the varying aspects of each of these issues.

9th AM Free Time Time for each team to research around their chosen project and to determine the individual roles within each team. Each team will have to identify key areas which are not covered within the team itself. This process will further consolidate he bond within the team and the individuals roles within the team. The team will think how they will compensate for the areas absent from the team.

PM Fund Raising Workshop Each team will be able to reflect on which methods of fund raising are most suited to their specific project.

EVG Group Discussions Team presentations on fund raising methods most appropriate for their projects. The group will be encouraged to critivally appraise these stategies. Through this process , teams will start to develop concrete business plan in support of their chosen project.

10th AM Ethical Enquiry Session Individual and group reflections on the ethical nature of their chosen project. This is to ensure that their project goals and processes are ethical in nature.

PM Group Presentations Each team will present on the ethical nature of their chosen project. The group will be encourage to crticially appraise these presentations. In this proves the ethical quality of the work can be best assured.

EVG Free Time For further research , reflection and planning. This will give the participants time to consolidate time for thinking.

12 AM Risk Assessment Workshop This workshop will review the variety of risks which have to be assessed and evaluated and will indicate ways these risks can be minimized. This process will encourage each team to think about the risks involved with their chosen project and how they can minimize these risks.

PM Free Time Each team will use this free time to create a risk assessment of their project and determine strategies to minimize these risk. Through this process participants will understand the nature of the varying risks as they apply to their projects.

EVG Group presentation on risk Each group will present on which risks will affect their project and how they will minimize these risks. The group will be encouraged to critically appraise these presentations.
Through this process groups will develop an in-depth understanding of risk and ways in which these risks can be accommodated.

13th AM Review of work so far. Workshop leaders will present a review of each individual projects to date, indicating areas of strength and weakness, facts which each team may reflect on over the coming weekend.

This will give each team a critical and authoritative appraisal of the work to date and indicate the areas to work on over the coming weekend.

PM Free Time For reflection , ethical enquiry . Relaxation time. opportunity for teams to relax and unwind , so as to facilitate the further reflection over the weekend.

13th 14th Teide CHallenge

Each team will take on the Teide challenge , as a fund raising event climbing the third highest volcano in the world. They will fundraise in competition with other teams with funds being allocated to their individual projects. They will fund raise via social networking sites.

special prize will be awarded to the winners of the Teide Challenge. This process will further bond each time , as well as start their fund raising efforts/ The competition will create a sense of camaraderie within the group

16th AM Cultural Sensitivity Workshop This workshop will review issues of cultural sensitivity with particular relevance to the groups the participants will be working in. This will enable the groups to think about the cultural implications of their project and how these will be best managed.

PM Ethical Enquiry Workshop This session will be designed to address the cultural issues involved in each teams project. This will ensure, as far as is possible , that each teams acts in an ethical manner /

EVG Group presentations Each team will present on the cultural implications of their project and how they will deal with these implications. The group will be encouraged to critically appraise these suggestions.
This process will ensure that each team is sensitive to the cultural implication of their projects and how these are to be approached and managed. It will ensure that will behave in an ethical manner.

17 18th Team Workshop Sessions
Over these two days, each teams will be developing their own business plans for their projects. Workshop leaders will be available for mentoring.

Over these two days , each teams ideas will be incorporated into a clear business plan and implemented over the course of the following year.

19 All Day Individual Group Presentations Throughout this day , each group will have the opportunity to present their business plans to the overall group. The group will be encouraged to critically appraise these plans/
This will be the final chance for the teams to receive critical appraisal of their work and efforts. On the basis of this they will prepare their final proposals.

20 AM Final Presentation of Business Plans
Each team will hand in their final business plan by midday for expert appraisal .

AWF Coordinator Work Specification

AWF co-ordinators manage projects globally. Based at our operating centre in Tenerife, where we run the volunteer programme on one of the world’s largest whale watching industries, involving many hundreds of volunteers from all over the world, they oversee a multitude of tasks based around-

1. Research Guiding on the Whale Watching Boats of Tenerife
2. Developing the on line ‘Community’ based on the whale watching industry in Tenerife
3. Building and supporting a global network of conservation and community projects.

In addition to the above, each co-ordinator has an individual goal, linked to their personal, career aspirations. These ‘personal’ goals are linked to AWF initiatives – either country based, species specific or programme orientated. The range of possibilities is listed below and it is possible to add others to this list where a strategic case can be made (so, for example, one potential co-ordinator wants to focus on ‘sharks’ and we have no problem with this)

With their own goals, we expect each co-ordinator to develop a five year plan with a view to implementing the first year of the plan personally and, hopefully, the subsequent years as well. We will support co-ordinators with expertise in Project Management, Fundraising, Ethical Enquiry, Cultural Communication, Risk Evaluation, Global issues. We would expect co-ordinators within their plans to incorporate events- exhibitions, conferences, publications- into their programmes and we will endeavour to fund these.

The AWF will fund living and travelling expenses ( globally) and where possible, as with EU funded programmes, provide a stipend as well. The AWF will also work with each individual to develop personal funding sufficient to support them whilst implementing their five year plan. One of the AWF’s key goals is to help make such ‘alternative’ careers sustainable.

ALL WE ASK OF OUR CO-ORDINATORS IS THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT ‘CAN DO’ ATTITUDE.

Coordinators can chose from a range of options under the headings of ‘Country’ ‘Species’ ‘ Programme’

Country We have project bases in Sierra Leone, Ghana, Cape Verde, Tenerife, Hungary, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Bolivia and Argentina.
Species We have species specific programmes with Asian Elephants, Whales and dolphins, Primates, Big Cats, Horses, Dogs, Marine Turtles
Programmes We work within the UN’s Millennium Development goals 2015 Key programmes include Eco Tourism, Tree Planting, Fair Trade (inc Micro Finance), Film & Media, Volunteering, Research, Campaigning, Fundraising, Spiritual, Education.

There are three strands to our educational work- developing and delivering educational programmes at our various project bases, facilitating and funding postgraduate and undergraduate research work, funding educational costs at our project bases.

Ed Bentham June 2011

Funded Ph.Ds

AWF and Centre for Transformational Management Practice

We are offering three funded scholarships for field-based Ph.ds in the broad area of ethical and social entrepreneurship

The subject areas to be investigated are;

Introducing ethical inquiry into business practice
This would build upon the work carried out in the centre on ethical inquiry, and would entail setting up and carrying out cross-cultural workshops in ethical inquiry, particularly for young people so that they can become ambassadors of new ways of relating and understanding business. The candidate for this will be expected to have an already established reflective practice from either a spiritual or therapeutic tradition, or preferably both.

The preservation and dissemination of ancient wisdom and medical traditions
This would entail working in the field in selected areas of the world, finding ways of integrating and sustaining ancient health practices and finding them a voice in the modern world through the creation of sustainable business practices.
This would require careful study of the practices within the community context in which such practitioners operate and exploring the human and natural processes which underpin such practices – and translating these into a dialogue with the globalising forces of the West.

New theoretical frameworks for understanding the relationship between macro economy and social enterprise
This Ph.d would examine the new theories of chaos, complexity and their applications in the ethical unfolding of sustainable business. The area for investigation would be the global work of the AWF, and understanding its growth in a world faced by environmental, economic and ecological disaster.

Candidates will be expected to be open-minded, strong, critical, curious, and with a desire to find ways of bringing new ways of thinking and doing into the mainstream.

All candidates will be interested in developing new methods and ways of validation for their work that helps evolve and the current scientific paradigm.

Fees will be paid at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge and food and accommodation, travelling expenses at a basic level for the three-year period. Candidates will also be expected to contribute to the work of the AWF throughout the period. Candidates will also be expected to participate in the research training offered as part of the Ph.d process at Anglia.
The projects will be agreed with and supervised by Dr Bronwen Rees.

Volunteering Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is an extra ordinarily beautiful country – amongst the top ten richest bio diversities on the planet and home to a wonderful people, strongly Buddhist and with a rich respect for both other religions and for nature itself. The world has much to learn from this amazing country.

We are forming a collaboration with the Millennium Elephant Foundation (MEF)in Kegalle on the approaches to Kandy and the ‘Hill Country’. This sanctuary for old and injured elephants is set in several acres of jungle and is breathtakingly beautiful, the elephants are amazing.
Our goal is to help make this a centre for concern and action for Asian elephants across the world. A focus for attracting funds to be used in education, raising awareness, conservation, research, supporting and developing projects not only in Sri Lanka but throughout Asia. This would be a fantastic vehicle for AWF volunteers to get behind in their fundraising efforts.

Apart from achieving these objectives, volunteers would be taking part in on-going education courses, servicing other projects around the country (Turtles, Whales and Dolphins, Leopards, Birds etc) , developing educational materials, fund raising and marketing efforts, plant and tree planting, market gardening, research monitoring programmes, and of course tending to the elephants.

They would also have the opportunity to learn through specialist educational modules on a variety of courses designed to compliment undergraduate studies in Europe and the USA and covering The Asian Elephant, on Sri Lanka itself, Rainforest Habitats, Sri Lankan Flora, Leopards, Whales and Dolphins, Turtles, Sri Lankan Birds and Herbal Knowledge. Courses would be certificated, one credit bearing six week, 10 hours per week combining both practice and learning and with a formal examination structure.

Also,
Eco Tourism we will be funding material costs and providing design expertise and volunteers to build 5-6 eco lodges with latest eco design methods and sensitivity to the local environment, to market through our eco tourism website with a percentage going into the MEF for the elephants.

Film making We have several projects in mind including a surfing film based on Arugam Bay, an Eco Tourism film in preparation for our stand at the WTM in London in November and a documentary film on herbal remedies used in elephant care at the MEF

Tree Education programme This is an important programme for us as we aim to plant a minimum one million trees each year in rain forest environments around the world. We want to work with local children who are paid to plant seeds to transplant in to local forests. In exchange we fund their education.

Fair Trading We will be working with local artisans, particularly mask makers, and with specialist herbal practitioners to market these products through our Fair Trade websites.

Photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/atlanticwhalefoundation/collections/72157626908986068/
Bookings forms can be found on volunteering pages of www.whalenation.org
More information edb@whalenation.org Volunteers from October 2011

New Volunteer Dog Project Tenerife

AWF volunteers this summer will be building new dog kennels for Viv (Askaroff), long time friend of the projects and a much respected member of the animal care community on Tenerife for her decades of work with the various animal sanctuaries on the island.

Viv has noticed how older dogs in particular, from sheer overwhelming numbers of abandoned animals in the dog centres, are often neglected and even put down as of lesser priority. She has also seen how such dogs are often ‘bullied’ by the younger dogs in the centres.

So, in collaboration with the dog centres, she has decided to provide a special, caring home for the old dogs, ‘ Viv’s Retirement Home for Old Dogs’, and AWF volunteers will be building the kennels this summer.

At the same time, she will be co-ordinating for the AWF, volunteer placements in the various dog and cat centres around where she lives and providing opportunities for work with local vets. We have accommodation for up to eight volunteers in a charming old house which is in the village of El Desierto, within walking distance of a local horse riding school!!

Over the years, we have found that some animal management students want a closer experience with animals and are definitely not keen on office based computer work or interacting with tourists on the whale watching boats. This project is ideal for such students as they will get varied and intense work with a number of animal centres through Viv and will help with the old dogs as well. She will be living next to the student accommodation and will supervise everything. Times of work will be more normal than with the 247 AWF operation which, again, will suit such students.

Pricing and booking procedure will be as now through the volunteering pages of www.whalenation.org More info edb@whalenation.org