Ocean Science Club & Sea Turtle Monitoring Hub on Small Island, Montserrat

Details

• 

  Description

  At the Clubhouse on Montserrat, our primary focus is "community-led ocean science and research", with visual storytelling as powerful tools to support that mission. We are a grassroots ocean science hub where local youth, community members, and visiting volunteers work together on sea turtle monitoring, in-water surveys, and environmental stewardship.
  
  What We Focus On First: Ocean Science
  Our top priority is building and running a community ocean science and sea turtle program. This includes:
  
  - Sea turtle monitoring (nesting and in-water surveys)
  - Beach and in-water observation sessions, including photo-ID and basic data collection
  - Exploring AI-assisted tools for species recognition and community science
  - Ocean-focused youth and community sessions: talks, ocean clubs, beach-based learning
  
  Art, photography, upcycling, and eco-building are important parts of how we tell the story and build the space, but ocean science and conservation come first.
  
  High-Priority Skills We’re Looking For
  We give preference to volunteers who bring at least one of the following:
  
  - Certified lifeguards or professional water safety experience
  - Strong, confident swimmers who are comfortable supporting “learn to swim” and "swim-with-science" sessions in calm coastal waters
  - Marine biology, ocean science, ecology, or related field experience (students and early-career folks welcome)
  - Experience with sea turtle monitoring, snorkeling surveys, or marine fieldwork
  - Video editing and storytelling (for YouTube, short-form video, or mini-docs about our work)
  - Drone piloting (especially for coastal mapping, storytelling, and outreach)
  
  If you have both ocean science skills and media skills (video/drone), this is an ideal match.
  
  About Me and the Space
  I am a 46-year-old single mom and marine conservationist with a deep love for the sea, community, and creative problem-solving. I’ve spent years working in ocean conservation and community projects, and I’m now building this Clubhouse as a living lab where people can learn, contribute, and grow together.
  
  The Clubhouse itself is a simple, evolving space by the beach. It is closer to wilderness camping than a polished guesthouse, but it has electricity, high-speed internet, a small bathroom, and a shared kitchen. Together we’ll continue to design and build furniture, an outdoor shower, and creative elements using local and upcycled materials.
  
  Your Role as a Volunteer
  Depending on your skills and interests, you might:
  
  - Co-lead or support ocean science club sessions with local youth (turtles, reef life, ocean literacy)
  - Help run or support sea turtle and coastal monitoring (including early mornings or evenings as needed)
  - Assist with learn-to-swim/swim confidence sessions connected to ocean science for kids and adults (if you are a lifeguard or strong swimmer)
  - Capture and edit video, drone footage, or photos of our activities to help us share our work and inspire others
  - Participate in beach cleanups, upcycled art projects, and low-impact construction at the Clubhouse
  
  We value initiative, clear communication, and a willingness to learn together.
  
  Living Conditions and Lifestyle
  - Simple shared accommodation (ideally 2–4 volunteers at a time)
  - One small bathroom with shower; first big project is building an outdoor stone shower
  - Shared kitchen with gas stove; small stipend for fruits and vegetables
  - No-smoking, no-drugs, low-alcohol environment
  - Located in a community hub near restaurants and a local bar, but still close to nature and the beach
  - Access to a village banana walk and garden (about 20 minutes away) for seasonal bananas and connection to local food
  
  This is a great fit if you enjoy simple living, being close to nature, and are okay with a bit of rough-around-the-edges charm.
  
  What You Get From This Experience
  - Real-world experience in community-based marine conservation and citizen science
  - Practice in leading or co-leading ocean clubs and youth sessions
  - Opportunities to apply or grow your skills in lifeguarding, water safety, and learn-to-swim support in a community context
  - Experience in eco-building, upcycled design, and creative problem-solving
  - A chance to contribute to a long-term project with visible impact on a small island
  
  If you’re passionate about the ocean, comfortable in the water, and excited to blend science, storytelling, and hands-on building, we’d love to hear from you.

• 

  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Art Projects

  Help with Eco Projects

  Teaching

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Animal Care

  Babysitting and creative play

  Hospitality/Tourism

  General Maintenance

  Help with Computers/ Internet
• 

  Interests

  

  Art & design
• 

  UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

  ...

  ...

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  What's this?
• 

  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Learn about Montserratian history and culture. About our volcanic island and buried city. Local foods and beverages. Outdoor education, marine conservation, youth education, and meet interesting people with amazing stories!

• 

  Projects involving children

  This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

• 

  Help

  Main areas of help needed
  
  1. Social media & storytelling (ocean science first)
  
  - Manage and grow our online presence (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, newsletters or similar).
  - Turn our daily ocean science and community activities into engaging posts, short videos, and stories.
  - Help create a simple content plan: what we share weekly (e.g. “Turtle Tuesday”, “Science Saturday”).
  - Respond to comments/messages where appropriate and help keep the tone kind, inspiring, and community-focused.
  - Organize photo and video files so we can easily find material later.
  
  Great for volunteers with social media experience, content creators, communicators, or anyone who loves telling real, grounded stories.
  
  
  2. Data collection & data management (ocean + community projects)
  
  - Help collect basic field data during activities (e.g. date, time, location, number of turtles seen, plastic items collected, participants, weather/sea conditions).
  - Enter data into simple spreadsheets or forms and keep them tidy and consistent.
  - Support organizing photos and videos with dates and locations, so they can be linked to science and community reports.
  - Assist in creating simple visual outputs (charts, infographics, short summaries) for local partners, schools, and social media.
  - Help set up or improve simple systems for tracking ongoing projects (turtle sightings, beach cleanups, attendance at events).
  
  Great for detail-oriented people, students in science or social sciences, anyone comfortable with spreadsheets and basic digital organization.
  
  
  
  3. Swim-ability with kids & ocean confidence
  
  - Support kid-focused “swim-ability” and ocean confidence sessions in shallow, safe areas.
  - Help a lead adult keep children safe, calm, and engaged in the water.
  - Model relaxed, safe behavior in the sea, and gently support those who are nervous.
  - Integrate simple science into the water time (e.g. “climate-ocean interations? Turtle nesting behaviour? Nature based solutions? Coal Reef Resilience”).
  - Share basic water safety and respect for the ocean in ways that are fun and age-appropriate.
  
  Preference given to certified lifeguards, swim teachers, or very confident ocean swimmers who enjoy working with kids.
  
  4. Creative community events & youth engagement
  
  - Help design and run small community events (e.g. beach cleanups plus art-making, ocean club afternoons, storytelling circles, film nights).
  - Co-create simple workshops with me: upcycled-art sessions, ocean-themed games, drawing or writing activities, small science demonstrations.
  - Assist with logistics on event days (setting up, welcoming people, taking photos, guiding kids between stations).
  - Capture stories from participants (quotes, drawings, photos) that can be shared back with them and online.
  - Help make the Clubhouse feel like a welcoming community hub through simple decor, signs, and creative touches.
  
  Great for people who love working with kids and communities, event organizers, educators, artists, and anyone who enjoys bringing people together.
  
  
  
  5. General shared responsibilities
  
  - Help with shared cooking, cleaning, and keeping common spaces tidy.
  - Assist with basic maintenance and simple DIY tasks when needed.
  - Be a kind, respectful presence with children, community members, and other volunteers.
  
  
  
  What we ask from you
  
  - Around 25 hours per week (about 5 hours a day, 5 days a week).
  - Minimum stay: 6 weeks so you can really integrate with the kids, community, and data systems.
  - Mix of tasks: social media and storytelling, data collection and data management, swim-ability/ocean confidence sessions with kids, and creative community events.
  - Simple, shared living: you join cooking, cleaning, and keeping shared spaces and equipment tidy.
  - Attitude: kind with kids, respectful of local culture, comfortable in the ocean, flexible with island life, and happy to communicate openly and work as part of a small team.

• 

  Languages spoken

  English: Fluent

• 

  Accommodation

  At the Clubhouse Volunteers will stay in a cozy clubhouse right on Little Bay. The space includes:
  
  - Size: Approximately 500 sq. ft. floor space, accommodating up to eight people, but ideally suited for four volunteers at a time.
  - Living Space: A bright and airy space, a blank canvas for inspiring creativity, featuring space for 2 queen-size bed frames and two-day beds. --->>>>We can only provide mattresses at this point until we develop further.
  - Facilities: One small bathroom with a shower, and plans for an outdoor shower area built with local beach stones.
  - Kitchen: Access to kitchen utensils and gas cooking facilities, with a small food stipend provided for fruits and vegetables.
  - Electricity: Access to both 220 and 110 volts, with hopes to transition to solar energy in the future.
  - Community Atmosphere: Located in a tranquil area near local bars and restaurants, the hub maintains a natural charm and privacy while being part of community activities.
  
  Volunteers will share responsibilities for daily activities, including cooking and cleaning, fostering a collaborative and supportive living environment.

• 

  What else ...

  Hiking, exploring our modern day Pompeii, discovering our very unique island and magical flora and fauna.
  
  A very good portfolio building experience if you are interested in photography/videography/marine science.
  
  We are also happy to provide a virtual tour of the space to selected volunteers! Looking forward to meeting you :)

• 

  A little more information

  • 

    Internet access

  • 

    Limited internet access

  • 

    We have pets

  • 

    We are smokers

  • 

    Can host families

• 

  Can host digital nomads

  Our beachside location has a high-speed fibre optic internet connection.

• 

  How many Workawayers can stay?

  Two

• 

  My animals / pets

Website Safety

Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host

Feedback (2)