GVI: Virtual Internships

I have just completed the Wildlife Conservation virtual Internship which included a course in careers in sustainable development and wildlife conservation. I was partnered with an organisation in Laos who are creating an education centre about the illegal wildlife trade. My group and I got to work with the organisation through zoom meetings and did research and created resources for them to use in the centre. I really learnt a lot on this course, not only about conservation but also about Laos and the culture there, careers advice and also about myself. It’s great because you know you are making a difference to the organisations you are helping.

I would really recommend this program especially to those starting out in conservation but also to those looking for a career change or even those who would just like to make a difference! I can’t wait to join another program in the future.

I am so glad I did the Wildlife Conservation Virtual Internship with GVI. I received constant support from my supervisor and had the opportunity to meet a lot of people and work with amazing partners from Seychelles and South Africa.
By working on 2 different projects, I truly felt that I was being useful to the partners and that my work would help make an impact on conservation.
I have definitely learnt a lot from this experience and I can not wait to join a volunteer programme with GVI soon !

I really enjoyed my 4 week virtual internship in Wildlife Conservation. I am currently off work and wanted to get involved with some hands on volunteering during my time off. Unfortunately due to Covid I could not travel, so I opted for the virtual internship instead.

The program really did exceed expectations! I got involved with two really interesting projects with two different charities. It was great to meet first hand (via zoom!) with the owners and staff working for these charities and my intern supervisor was always on hand to provide strong support throughout. The projects were really rewarding, knowing that the work that you were doing was helping to support the charities.

Aside from the projects I also completed two online courses that were provided with the internship, these were very interesting and had a good mix of reading, videos, quizzes and activities. Another highlight for me were the masterclasses provided every two weeks, where an industry expert would give a talk on their subject area. These were extremely interesting and it was great be able to ask them questions!

Other benefits of the program included networking events where you had an opportunity to meet with other volunteers and discuss current world topics. And last but not least, the careers workshops which provided useful information on how to find your ideal career and were also ran interactively.

As you can see the internship isn't simply just doing some work for a charity, it includes a lot of resources and the majority of it is ran interactively which is a huge benefit as it is more personalised to you! Not only is what your doing rewarding because you are contributing to the greater good, but you will also gain a lot of personal development from the program!

Enjoying my education and passionate about international development but unsure of where it could all take me in a career, I decided to take on a summer of interning with GVI. As a degree-level student of foreign languages, I knew I wanted to travel but my experience with GVI has given me the opportunity to realise where my passion in supporting remote communities lies. I completed an amazing virtual internship collaborating with two organisations in Peru and Nepal who do incredibly important work for their target communities, supporting them while allowing them to not only maintain their independence but to develop it further by strengthening their current skills. I found that through every part of the GVI internship I found myself learning more about myself and the world and I could really see the difference I was making to the lives of the individuals I worked on projects supporting. I’m really looking forward to travelling to Mexico to complete an in-field community development internship and making a noticeable difference!

I have just completed a virtual Wildlife Conservation with GVI and had an amazing experience. I chose the part time eight week programme, as I was also working full time. Everyone who I met during the process were extremely helpful and passionate. The courses that I studied were in Wildlife Conservation and Careers in Sustainable Development. They were well organised and engaging, and could be completed at my own pace. I was assigned a research project in the Seychelles on Aldabra Tortoises, and I really loved the work. Even remotely, I gained a vast amount of kowledge on the ecology and behaviour of the species, and contributed to ongoing studies currently being carried out in the field. I would highly recommend a GVI programme to anyone aiming to begin a career in Conservation.

Going into GVI, I was uncertain about what career path I wanted to follow. I have always been somewhat drawn to working with the environment, but didn't have much experience. Their online Climate Crisis and Sustainability internships allowed me to partner with two unique South African organizations where I got to learn more about the South African school system and about how waste is processed or reused. I work a full time job, so it was nice to be able to space out my research for each internship over the course of several months and then have a little extra time to complete the courses. This program helped confirm that I wanted to continue working with the environment and sustainability, and I plan to go back to school for master in public health (MPH) in global environmental health in the fall of 2021.

I absolutely loved doing the GVI online internship. I did the marine conservation one and learnt a lot about not only marine conservation but how to get a job in the sector, skills that will help me get there and one of a kind opportunities with NGOs. I really enjoyed all the zoom calls where I took part in discussions, networking sessions, career workshops and masterclasses. The best part was the ability to work on a real life project with an NGO where I created 3 videos raising awareness for shark conservation with children, something that was really fun and such a good opportunity, especially when we are unable to travel.

My GVI virtual internship experience was second to none! As someone who is right at start of her career journey I had a lot of anxieties about where I fit in my chosen career field as the options just seemed endless. GVI made this experience that much less stressful by giving me the opportunity to dive into the working world of Wildlife Conservation (my chosen career programme, although there are many others available for one to explore!). I got an insider's perspective on the everyday ins and outs of some of the amazing partnered organisations making a huge impact in the wildlife conservation space. Even better than that, was being able to actually get stuck in and help them through various assigned projects. The projects are tailored to you and your specific interests. I requested a varying range of tasks and that's exactly what I got. This enabled me to really challenge myself and clearly point out where my strengths and weaknesses lie, as well as identify what type of work I really like and gravitate towards. 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. They help to answer any queries, doubts, or worries you may have along the way. Due to the amazing support from my supervisor, I felt dramatically less anxious about my work and had a very enjoyable working and learning experience. 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. The sense of fulfilment I got upon completion of some of these projects were unmatched! I would highly recommend GVIs virtual internship to anyone looking to start a career which at its core is about making meaningful long-term positive impacts and that leaves you feeling like you are truly part of a global family. I believe the best way of learning is through doing, and GVI gives you the opportunity to do just that!