Volunteer Review

by Umphafa Private Nature Reserve

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

4/5
  • The Role
    4.8
  • The Company
    3.8
  • The Culture
    3.1

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

    • This was one of the best work placements I have ever been on. Everyone (other volunteers, supervisors and locals) was so friendly and we all got on very well. The work was varied and exciting and all this plus the amazing setting of the South African bush made it really unforgettable.

    5/5
  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

    • We all got on very well so made sure we all felt valued.

    5/5
  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

    • Our supervisors were really professional and made sure we all knew what we were doing. They were also very approachable so were easy to confide in if we had a personal problem we wished to discuss.

    5/5
  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

    • There were always lots of jobs to do and the day was split up with breaks really well.

    5/5
  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

    • There were a lot of us volunteers so it wasn't possible to give us all big responsibilities. But it was clear that we were trusted and we were often left to complete jobs without supervision.

    4/5
  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

    • Learnt a lot of practical skills e.g. rodent trapping, game capture, population sex ratio counts, setting up camera trap grids and vegetation surveys that will be really useful for other jobs in conservation.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

    • The general atmosphere was fun, light-hearted and a good community spirit.

    5/5
  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

    • It was very well organised. We were given all of the appropriate and needed details before leaving and were met at the airport when we arrived. The rest of the placement was as expected and described in the beforehand information.

    4/5
  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

    • We were there to help with the day to day management of the reserve. So in the long term, not much was invested, but day to day. we were given development.

    3/5
  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?

    • 5/5
  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

    • There are very little employment opportunities in the nature reserve itself as there are few employees there. However, going on this placement may improve your opportunities with getting a job at Colchester Zoo.

    3/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

    • Every Saturday we would have a braai (BBQ) where we would eat, drink and socialise with each other. We also went to the local pub and bowls club where we socialised with the locals.

    5/5
  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

    • The cost of living in South Africa is very cheap. The money that we pay towards this placement pays for accommodation and food and you get your moneys worth. So little spending money is needed but a little goes along way.

    5/5
  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

    • There is no night life on this placement as we lived on a reserve. I think there is nightlife in the local town but it would not be very safe.

    1/5
  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

    • The supervisors were good at organising extra activities outside of work e.g. safaris etc.

    2/5
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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

Environmental Science

South East

January 2014

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