Volunteer: Environmental + Travel Photography Programme in South Africa

Location

Mossel Bay, South Africa

Duration

4 weeks. Start dates available each month. (Enquire when applying.)

Cost

$3,900 USD per month (all food, accommodation, pre‑departure & in‑country support, orientation and all project‑related activities included. Flights, travel insurance, personal spending, visas and vaccinations are not included.)

Benefits

Hands‑on experience working with an environmental and media company in South Africa.

Ideal Candidate

Interns with an interest in documentary film‑making and creating a 5‑minute video to showcase skills.

Responsibilities

You will learn how to develop, film, and edit your own wildlife documentary set in an African game reserve. The internship is divided into four weeks:

1. Week 1: Orientation and Introduction
   1. Orientation to Mossel Bay and the program
   2. Intro to journalism and journalistic writing styles
   3. Narrative writing workshop and assessment
   4. Guided edits and personalised learning system creation
   5. Intro to ethics, standards and practices
   6. Expedition to the archaeologically significant Point area of Mossel Bay ("the origins of humankind")
2. Week 2: Rewriting and Editing
   1. Tutorial: Rewriting and editing previous submissions
   2. Tutorial: Interviewing techniques – what are they?
   3. Research: conduct research on two individuals and prep for mock interview
   4. Practical: Writing and submission of Interview 1 + 2
3. Week 3: Travel Writing
   1. Research: conduct research on specific upcoming expeditions
   2. Expeditions – travel writing and blogging in various venues
   3. Practical: Writing, submission and editing of articles 1‑7
4. Week 4: Environmental Journalism
   1. Research and prep for final piece
   2. Self‑led interviews and source finding
   3. Practical: Writing, submission and editing of EVJ piece
   4. Expeditions in the Garden Route region of South Africa; visiting reserves, sanctuaries, tourism attractions and research institutes (Plettenberg Bay, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, George, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Albertinia, Sedgefield, Wilderness)

Schedule Details

Program runs weekdays only. Weekend activities include optional tours or relaxation.