Volunteer & Donate: Conservation Opportunity

Conservation Opportunity was founded by Fabiola Torres to support the recruitment of jobs in environmental conservation. She saw a need for such a platform, as those looking for internships, jobs and volunteer opportunities had to visit numerous websites, social media sites, email subscriptions and more in order to find them. By forming the web-based platform Conservation Opportunity, she is striving to put all resources in one area.

The platform is a volunteer-run nonprofit that works year round on conservation efforts in Puerto Rico. They connect people with paid and volunteer opportunities in the field of environmental conservation. Opportunities are available both in Puerto Rico and to a lesser extent in the United States. The organization aims to provide guidance in professional development for those seeking careers in environmental conservation. 

In addition, they provide numerous volunteer, paid or internship opportunities to get involved with outdoor educational events such as beach clean ups, farm work, planting trees, reestablishment of native and endemic populations, hurricane relief when necessary, coral reef, coastal and forest restoration, as well as career development. Their events page lists upcoming volunteer opportunities. 

They’ve partnered up with the community, working with individuals both deaf and hearing, to introduce sustainable farming practices and farm work. They help train farmers in agroecology to bring their farms back after the impact of hurricanes or other natural disasters. Agroecology promotes farming practices that help reduce emissions, recycle resources and prioritize local supply chains, all of which help mitigate climate change. This also allows farmers and communities to be led by local people and adapt to techniques that are suited to the specific social, environmental and economic conditions of the region. Putting farming practices in the hands of local development is vital for Puerto Rico's food independence. 

Conservation Opportunity has been involved with habitat restoration involving plantings and beach clean ups around the island. They’ve planted up to 100 trees in a day, and at a clean up event they’ve collected approximately 1700 pounds of garbage.

The platform helps with professional development, offering workshops and talks for those wanting to further their careers. They offer job leads as well as mock interviews for those seeking jobs in environmental conservation. 

They strive to help develop the next generation of leaders, offering workshops and opportunities to develop leadership skills. They provide training in project management and community initiatives in your area of interest. If you are a student needing practical hours in your field of study, reach out to them at info@conservationopportunity.org. 

If you look at https://www.conservationopportunity.org/grupos/ you will find numerous volunteer organizations categorized by regions of the island. This is an opportunity to find an organization you would enjoy working with whether it be volunteer or paid. 

To apply for one of their volunteer positions visit their website and fill out the form. They have positions such as graphic artist, marketing, education, communications and more. If you don’t see a position that suits you, be sure to email them and let them know how you’d like to help. https://www.conservationopportunity.org/unete-a-nosotros/

Donations are accepted via ATH Móvil and Paypal. You can email for other methods. Donations are not tax deductible.

https://conservationopportunity.org

https://www.facebook.com/conservationopp/