Climate Action & Sustainability in Africa

Responsibilities

• Follow host conservation procedures, field instructions and environmental safeguards.
• Respect wildlife, ecosystems, protected areas and surrounding communities.
• Use field equipment, protective clothing and conservation resources responsibly.
• Avoid handling wildlife or entering restricted areas unless specifically authorised and supervised.
• Report safety, environmental, animal-welfare or safeguarding concerns promptly.
• Maintain accurate notes or records where monitoring and research activities require them.
• Protect confidential information relating to sensitive habitats, endangered species and conservation operations.
• Follow host guidance on climate, sustainability and community-engagement activities.
• Communicate climate information accurately and avoid unsupported technical claims.
• Respect local experiences of climate impacts and community adaptation priorities.
• Use project data, equipment and educational materials responsibly.
• Support inclusive participation and avoid imposing external solutions.
• Report safeguarding, environmental or health-and-safety concerns promptly.
• Protect confidential community, household or project information.

Typical activities

• Support habitat restoration, environmental clean-ups and ecosystem rehabilitation.
• Assist with supervised wildlife, forest, marine or biodiversity monitoring.
• Participate in environmental education and community-awareness activities.
• Help maintain nurseries, conservation sites, trails, equipment and project resources.
• Support responsible data collection, observation records and non-invasive field surveys.
• Contribute to recycling, waste-reduction, climate-awareness and sustainable-livelihood initiatives.
• Support climate-awareness sessions in schools and communities.
• Assist with water-conservation, waste-reduction and sustainable-livelihood initiatives.
• Help prepare educational materials, surveys and community workshops.
• Support tree planting, soil conservation or climate-resilient agriculture projects.
• Assist with approved sustainability audits, records or data-entry tasks.
• Contribute to community campaigns connected to energy, recycling and responsible consumption.

A typical placement day

• Begin with a planning meeting covering the day's sustainability objective and community context.
• Support a morning field activity, school session, household survey or climate-awareness workshop.
• Review findings and prepare materials or records before lunch.
• Assist with an afternoon community activity, project documentation or sustainability campaign.
• Close with a team review of lessons, community feedback and next actions.

Learning outcomes

• Understand how community participation supports long-term conservation outcomes.
• Develop awareness of biodiversity protection, ecosystem restoration and climate resilience.
• Learn to work responsibly within supervised conservation and field environments.
• Strengthen observation, communication, teamwork and environmental-recording skills.
• Recognise the ethical boundaries of volunteer participation in wildlife and environmental work.
• Understand how conservation, livelihoods, culture and sustainable development are interconnected.
• Understand how climate change affects livelihoods, health, agriculture, water and ecosystems.
• Learn basic principles of community adaptation and climate resilience.
• Recognise the role of education, behaviour change and local leadership in sustainability.
• Develop responsible climate-communication and community-engagement skills.
• Understand links between conservation, energy, consumption and sustainable development.
• Improve teamwork, project documentation and cross-cultural communication.

Career benefits

• Provides exposure for students and professionals interested in sustainability and climate action.
• Builds experience in climate education, community engagement and project support.
• Supports career exploration in environmental management, development and ESG-related work.
• Strengthens evidence of communication, research support and sustainability awareness.
• Develops international and cross-cultural experience relevant to climate-focused organisations.

What hosts expect

• Arrive on time and participate consistently in agreed activities.
• Follow all safety, safeguarding, conservation and animal-welfare requirements.
• Remain within the volunteer role and avoid presenting yourself as a qualified expert.
• Respect community knowledge, local staff leadership and host priorities.
• Use equipment carefully and report damage, incidents or environmental concerns.
• Do not publish sensitive wildlife locations or operational conservation information.
• Present climate information accurately and within your level of competence.
• Respect community priorities and avoid imposing untested solutions.
• Attend briefings and prepare properly for workshops or field activities.
• Protect household, community and project information.
• Follow environmental, safeguarding and health-and-safety procedures.
• Support long-term host objectives rather than short-term personal projects.

Frequently asked questions