[vc_row][vc_column][rev_slider_vc alias=”about”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]MISSION – VET to recover the Blue Planet
Volunteer & EcoTravel (VET) is one of the leading professional volunteer companies. We are specialised in marine conservation & research projects and in those dedicated to the most endangered animals in the world. We work on a highly proficient manner to offer volunteers a safe, smooth, educative and effective volunteer adventure from our programs all over the globe. Sending volunteers to where they are needed most, with the spirit of ‘acting locally, helping globally’.
Volunteer & EcoTravel (VET) was established upon executing our own conservation and research volunteer project. The results with the help of volunteers were just amazing! Through the first hand experiences VET has gained an absolute belief into the strength of volunteering in making this Blue Planet a better place. The team has years of experiences, previously also from the business sector, therefore either for the organization or support – we know what’s needed to enrol the volunteer into the quality program where one helps and grows at the same time. We are helping to many volunteer projects that are professionally chosen by VET, to meet the above average standards (aim and organization) and offer to volunteers the best possible lifetime experience. Our partners are organizations and renowned scientists with their conservation & research efforts. Be it about the marine top predators, coral reefs or other wildlife and environmental initiatives- after your volunteer experience, you will understand how, before all, human activities affects our beautiful, fragile, biodiverse places in the world. As a volunteer you will gain first hand experiences, learn about your particularly chosen species, their Biology, Ecology and Conservation. By visiting another country you’ll also learn about other cultures and languages. You will meet new friends and work with engaging teams, be along like-minded people and in parallel have a lot of fun. Isn’t that just calling that you should GO for it?
VET will stay educational, and support you also if you are just a future volunteer and checking on the idea to help in one of our volunteer opportunities later in your life. We invite you stay tuned, subscribe to our newsletter, read the VET news and blog and follow up our latest offers for your best volunteer adventures. Besides, you might also find marine related jobs (at the bottom of the page), courses, research expeditions and obtain advice on how to make your first steps into the field of research.
THE TEAM
mag. Darja Ribarič, Master of Philosophy in Biological Sciences
Founder and Director of VOLUTNEER & ECOTRAVEL (VET)
Darja is a Master of Philosophy in Biological Sciences specialized in neurophysiology, bioacoustics and Cetacean Ecology. Passionate after dolphin conservation and being a diver, she is also a certified nutritionist, has marketing, sales and business development experiences and is a certified tourist guide. She obtained also a customer service certificate from IATA, to be able to handle and please even so specific and demanding customers.
Through the years, she developed a successful volunteer program for the bottlenose dolphin conservation off Istria in the North-Eastern Adriatic. Only due to the precious participation of the volunteers and their voluntary conservation contribution it was possible to publish the first peer reviewed article, about the local dolphin population, published through the Cambridge University Press: First report on abundance and distribution of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the NATURA 2000 area, Istria, North-eastern Adriatic Sea.
By this, the essential steps were set and it was officially possible to demonstrate to the stakeholders (Ministries, Agencies for the Environment) about the population size and continue to evaluate the threats posing upon the dolphins. Frankly – only, through the participation of the volunteers it was possible to do the great story towards the protection of the last resident dolphins off Istria!
“It was an excellent achievement with the help of volunteers and it was a great challenge for me to see whether such volunteering projects really mirror in the results. Besides organizing the whole logistics for the dolphin volunteer project, teaching and inspiring the volunteers, keeping them safe, being educative and having a lot of fun it was an incredible experience. On the other hand, I observed, these people had a great volunteer adventure at the same time! It was a mixture – they were coming from the whole world – be it students doing first steps in their professional life or just passionate volunteers that wanted to help in the mission.” says Darja. Having years of experiences being “at home” together with the volunteers from all the continents and having previous working experiences in the pharmaceutical business, all has given her an excellent knowledge of how to create a good spirit in the ‘volunteering world’ for the good.
Recommendations for Darja from:
- University of Kentucky, USA,
- University of Bologna and University of Pavia, Italy, EU,
- National Institute of Biology, Slovenia, EU,
- Slovenian Museum of Natural History, EU,
- Teva Pharmaceuticals, Ratiopharm and Pliva pharmaceutical Company, Business Development, EU.
Julie Carpetner, USA
Anja Sturzeis, Austria
For a potential volunteer as you are, the journey with VET is the right thing to do in your life. Completely reliable, based upon first-hand experiences in handling volunteers, knowing in what they (might) need on their volunteer adventure and helping them out with all the needed information. Go along with the VET, if you want to have a fully experienced team behind to support you! Take part in the verified volunteer projects that contribute to the better world and so also your volunteer travel will turn into the life changing experience!
Catch your dreams – don’t wait. Grow with your passion, try out your best volunteer experience and make an important move! VET is here to help to recover the Blue Planet. Together we can win, we have proven it already with the dolphin project.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]