Company : Richmond Vale Academy
Countries: Caribbean / St Vincent
Location : St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Duration: 6 months to 1 year
Approx Costs: 3000+ to 3000+ £ Pound (UK)
The aim is to educate and inform about Climate Change issues and biodiversity to a broad audience from children to adults.
This has been done in every possible way – face to face presentations in schools, organizations, community groups as well as through TV, Radio and Newspapers. The program has consistently been present in the public Media and has also produced newspapers which have been distributed all over the Islands about Tree planting, Climate Change etc.
This has all increased the awareness about climate change issues and biodiversity and through the actions done in the community a strong network has been built and strong partnerships been created within Government officials, organizations, businesses and private people.
Volunteers taking part in the Climate Compliance Program come from all over the World with different ages and background ranging environmental engineers, lawyers, carpenters, students taking a gab year etc. They are a decisive corner stone in making this work – from the actual implementing power to the mobilization and example for the community to follow.
You can join a team for 6 months. By doing this you can make a difference when it comes to eradicating poverty because Poverty and Global Warming are closely connected. You can be part of creating an example for the World to see – “A country that is ready for Climate Change”. The program is all about building your theoretical and practical capacity to enable you to do just that.
The Climate Compliance Program seeks to educate, raise awareness and mobilize people to take action. It offers a practical solution to building greater resilience into vulnerable communities by implementing actions to protect the natural resources that they depend on.
Since the start of the program forty 700 people from St. Vincent along with volunteers from all over the World have educated themselves in Climate Compliance – specifically in the effects on small island nations – and have taken practical action such as planting 30 000 trees and removing 20 tons of trash from rivers, beaches and communities. Ecological Home Gardens have been created and mangroves planted.
PERIOD 1: GAIA WARNS YOU– 14 days:
Courses about Global Warming, Climate Change, Sustainable Agriculture, Pollution, The Oceans, Small Island Development States, the Caribbean and what we can do together to adapt to the changing climate in St. Vincent.
PERIOD 2: DIGGING DEEPER– 14 days:
Further studies and research, digging deeper into understanding how climate change has affected St. Vincent, how it will do so in the future and what we can do together to prepare for what’s coming.
During the 1st month of the program, the main focus is on studying and investigating the effects of climate change and global warming, both on a global scale and more specific in St. Vincent.
You will go out and investigate the damages climate change has already brought upon this island. In this period you build the foundation for the projects you will carry out in the next 5 months of the program.
You and your team dig deep into understanding the problems at hand and start planning the ways of working in the coming months.
Develop the organic farm, implement projects like biogas, water harvesting, develop chicken production or recycling of grey water.
During the second month of the Climate Change Activist Program, you and your team implement projects to make Richmond Vale Academy into a model farm and a model school for St. Vincent.
Your team and you will work with Permaculture principles in the food production, with water conservation, renewable energy, developing food processing systems, organic cleaning products and/or any other projects that can contribute to increase the sustainability of the Richmond Vale Academy.
You and your team also map out how you will contribute to making St. Vincent and the Grenadines into a climate compliant nation.
The last 4 months of the Climate Change Activist Program are the major part of the program, in which you and your team carry out actions shoulder to shoulder with the people of St. Vincent, to build sustainable systems and preparing everyone for climate change.
You will promote organic and climate smart agriculture techniques, teach in schools, plant trees, develop model gardens, promote recycling and establish trash management systems, start climate clubs with children and adults or spread awareness through the media or face-to-face.
You will also organize a big Climate Event, as an Open House, where you invite hundreds of people to workshops, lectures, exhibitions and training sessions.
Teach in primary and secondary schools, community centers, businesses, community colleges, medical and technical schools. Create TV and Radio programs and publish articles in the newspapers in St. Vincent. Run GAIA Clubs where children and adults can join to learn about sustainable living.
Some of your last tasks as a Climate Change Activist are: produce and distribute the Climate Compliancy Newsletter. Carry out a cleanup competition between schools called “The world’s cleanest country“. Build a playground from tires or other kinds of trash that needs to be recycled.
Establish a model garden with carbon storage in connection with new GAIA Clubs. Mobilize many people to join the action and end with a great green BBQ.
Finally, evaluate, conclude and hand over your experiences to the next team. Gather writings, reports, photos and videos and then arrange for a day at the Academy and a big farewell.
6 Months teams start 1st of February, August and November.
Program and food and board are covered.
There are no special requirement but you need to stick to the no drugs no alcohol policy we have.
I joined the climate activism 9 month program. Three of them in RVA and it was great and impressive to see and learn about a new way of living that is environmentally sustainable. One of the highlights was taking part and helping to make home gardens for local people. This was a unique experience where I learnt how to use the permaculture system and see it introduced into a community. There was a lot of people from different countries so there was cultural diversity as well.
