Research in the Community

Transcription

1 0 Research in the Community ALERT Internship Program 2018

2 1 What s it all about? Carrying out research in local communities brings with it some challenges. Resources are scarce and there can be language and cultural barriers to hurdle. We work in schools, healthcare clinics, orphanages, drop-in centres, and in local villages. Be prepared to be dusty and hot (depending on the time of year). Here in Africa we have a saying: Make a plan. When the resources you think you need are simply not available out here, you ll be helping us to make a plan to make a project work for the community. Thinking on your feet is important here. In return, you ll receive a real sense of pride from knowing you ve made a positive contribution to the local community and conservation as a whole. ALERT is involved in a wide range of activities which aim to benefit local communities directly and indirectly affected by our lion conservation efforts. Research is undertaken on these projects to ensure they have the desired positive impact for communities, for conservation, and for their future growth. Research in the Community interns work closely alongside our community and research staff to implement and assess these projects, and develop new initiatives. Be warned, life as a researcher is anything but glamorous! However, the sense of satisfaction from helping to make a difference to someone s life is VERY high.

3 2 Projects will vary from site to site. You might be developing an assessment of English literacy in schoolchildren, helping implement and monitor a successful conservation education programme to children and/or adults who live in human-wildlife conflict hotspots, teaching English and maths in a local school with minimal resources, helping us to change community attitudes and behaviours towards deforestation, engaged in a strategy to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, or offering healthcare education and assistance. Here are examples of research projects you might be involved in: Designing and implementing a conservation education syllabus for school-children and adults that is empirically shown to foster pro-conservation attitudes and behaviours Delivering English reading age assessments to school-children and trialling culturally-appropriate literacy learning aids to see if reading age and comprehension improves Designing and implementing a survey of local attitudes towards deforestation Planning practical interventions to stimulate sustainable use of natural resources and reduce poaching Testing deterrent systems intended to mitigate conflict between people and wildlife Designing and delivering programmes that improve numeracy skills Assessment of the conditions under which human contact with wildlife may foster positive attitudes and behaviours towards wildlife conservation, and increase knowledge Developing and expanding outreach capacity and impact of existing community programmes For anyone considering an internship with ALERT, my advice would be DO IT! Emma Townson, ALERT intern PLEASE NOTE: If you are looking to use data collected for a university course or thesis, please refer to our Facilitated Research Program.

4 3 What are we looking for? When choosing a Research in the Community intern, we are ideally looking for a post-graduate, although we are able to accept sufficiently motivated current students in selected project locations. You must clearly have an interest in local communities, animals/wildlife and their conservation. Prior research experience is preferable. On a personal level, you need to be extremely focussed and dedicated as the research work is often done in challenging environments. Compassion coupled with a clear understanding of scientific principles is also needed. We offer three locations for your internship: Livingstone in Zambia Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe Antelope Park in Gweru, Zimbabwe In Victoria Falls, we operate in partnership with our commercial partner Lion Encounter and with Antelope Park in Gweru. Being an intern with ALERT has left marks on my memory, on my consciousness and on my heart. Like they say A bad day in Africa is still better than a good day at home! It sounds corny, but I have found my passion. Holly Pennington, ALERT intern At 39 years old I decided to challenge myself and apply for an internship with ALERT. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Vicky Lalumiere, ALERT intern

5 4 How to Apply Contact us at to discuss your internship placement. Your application should be accompanied by: A covering letter detailing your motivation for applying and the skills and experience you have to offer A copy of your curriculum vitae A letter of reference from an appropriate academic or business source that confirms your experience Details of your preferred location, length of stay, and arrival month and year Only applicants with skills appropriate to the project and its aims and objectives will be accepted. The minimum age is 21. Please note that you may be onsite at the same time as other Research in the Community interns. All interns are subject to a Police Check prior to their arrival PROGRAM FEES: GB 1,795 / US$ 3,310 per four weeks with a minimum stay of eight weeks. Maximum stays depend upon prevailing visa conditions. As a guide, this will be seven months, using a combination of a 30-day Business Visa on arrival and a Temporary Employment Permit (TEP) to cover you for up to an additional six months. Your fee includes collection from the nearest airport to the project, shared accommodation, and three meals a day - plus memories to last a lifetime. Please note that the invoice amount is charged on a per day basis.

6 5 The Fine Print 1. Your program fee: Your fee includes shared accommodation with communal shower and bathroom facilities, three meals a day, and collection from the nearest airport to your project location. The cost of flights, travel insurance, optional trips/activities and items of a personal nature are not included. 2. Payment schedule: An administration fee of GB 300/US$ 540 must be paid on acceptance into the Internship Program, and is strictly non-refundable. The administration fee will be deducted from your final program fee payment. The balance of your program fee is payable no later than 90 days prior to arrival. ALERT reserves the right to cancel the internship if there is non-payment without prior arrangement. If booking less than 90 days before arrival, payment should be made within ten days of receipt of invoice. 3. Cancellation: Refunds exclude all travel and/or extraneous expenses of your trip plan. Cancellation up to 90 days prior to commencement will be 100% refunded for cost of program. Cancellation between days of commencement will be 75% refunded. Cancellation between days of commencement will be 50% refunded. Cancellation within 30 days of scheduled arrival cannot be refunded. Any refunds due will be less the administration fees. In most cases ALERT will permit the deferment of your arrival date to an alternative agreed upon arrival date. However, should any costs be incurred by ALERT as a result of deferment these will be passed onto you for payment. In the unlikely event of ALERT cancelling your internship (due to circumstances beyond our control) we will, if possible, offer an alternative location. If this is not acceptable to you, all program fees will be refunded. If your internship is terminated by ALERT during your placement due to circumstances beyond our control, and alternative arrangements are not acceptable to you, all fees from the date your internship is terminated will be refunded. If your internship is terminated by ALERT as a result of infringement of the code of conduct, you will not be entitled to claim any refund. If you terminate your internship at any time during your placement, you will not be entitled to claim any refund. You will not be entitled to claim any other costs applicable to your internship, and/or any charges relating to change in travel plans. All travel expenses are for your account. 4. Police Check: You will need to obtain a police check prior to arrival. As a visitor to our project, you may be working closely with children or vulnerable adults to some extent during your stay; therefore, it is our responsibility to ensure these people are adequately safeguarded. For interns from the UK, we will arrange the check for you at a cost of 20 (added to your invoice and payable with your deposit). Applicants from all other countries will be responsible for obtaining their own check. All participants on all of our programs are required to undertake a police check before their placement commences. 5. General Terms: a. ALERT will not be held liable for any incidental expenses incurred as a result of your internship, such as vaccinations, visas, non-refundable flights. b. Travel insurance is a pre-requisite and should include adequate cover for baggage, medical expenses, the cost of repatriation and a cancellation clause. c. Should you not have adequate cover prior to the commencement of your internship, you may not be allowed to continue on the program and will have no right to a refund. d. Any claims concerning insurance matters must be directed to your insurers. e. Any information provided by ALERT on matters such as visas, vaccinations, climate, clothing, baggage, for example, is given in good faith. We CANNOT take responsibility for obtaining any necessary visas and travel documentation required for your placement, unless otherwise agreed and confirmed in writing as part of our service agreement to you. f. Your booking is accepted on the understanding that you realise potential hazards may arise in this kind of travel, including injury, disease, loss of or damage to property, inconvenience or discomfort. Please allow for flexibility in this kind of travel. Changes in itinerary may be caused by circumstances beyond our control. No refunds will be issued on services not utilised. g. When booking your flights, you might consider booking a changeable return ticket. If circumstances arise which lead to extra expenses because you have purchased a non-changeable ticket, you will be solely responsible for the expense.

7 6 African Lion & Environmental Research Trust (UK) c/o LJ Capital Limited 1st Floor 10 Old Burlington Street London W1S 3AG UK Charity Commission Number: African Lion & Environmental Research Trust (USA) c/o Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP P.O. Box 1707 Los Altos CA United States of America 501 (c)3 status with EIN: Public charity status: 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) African Lion & Environmental Research Trust (Zambia) Melrose Farm 1134 Nakatindi Road P.O. Box Livingstone Zambia Zambia Charity Registration Number: ORS/102/35/3583 African Lion & Environmental Research Trust (Zimbabwe) Shop 8, Bata Building Livingstone Way Victoria Falls Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Protocol No 68: MA82/2008