Philippines-Environmentalist Intern

The coastal communities in the Philippines are facing a bleak future. Destructive fishing practices and other environmental factors have degraded the source of the people’s livelihood – the coral reef. As the populations increase in these communities, the rate of destruction of the environment also accelerates. Poverty will continue to increase unless the people learn to change the way they harvest the ocean. 

Although the degradation of the reefs continues, there are ways to reverse this trend. By engaging the communities through education and alternative options for livelihood that are not dependent upon the coral reefs, we can reduce the destruction of the reefs and encourage re-growth. 

• Check out our Facebook @reefsforlife (to get a picture of the work we are doing on land)
• Check out our Instagram @reefsforlife (to get a picture of the work we are doing underwater)
• Check out our website to learn about the technology we are using to restore coral reefs: www.reefsforlife.org

The Environmentalist Intern will be part of a church-planting team using Creation Care as a platform to share the gospel. This position requires working with all ages, with a special emphasis on discipling college students and building close relationships with them.

We will tailor your job description to fit your skills, interests, and passions. We also need Interns with any of the following skills on the team: construction experience, welding experience for solar power, electronics, photography, videography, social media/vlogs, grant-writing, painting, small business experience, monitoring coral restoration sites, worship leader, event planning, teaching, preparing environmental curricula and more. The ideal candidate is:

• Scuba Diving Certified
• Available for a 30-day up to a 6-month assignment
• Mature Christian: Model Christ-like character with a humble spirit and a listening heart
• Passionate about the environment
• Flexible – (Day-to-day plans may change due to weather, water conditions, or meetings. Because we partner with government organizations that may not plan far in advance, sometimes our schedules change to accommodate them)
• Ability to deal with an elevated level of ambiguity – Due to language barriers, interns may not always understand what is happening. Even with fluent speakers, the language can be very non-specific, so there may be communication challenges
• Able to live in a remote location with unstable internet and utilities
• Interested in learning Filipino culture
• Independent and adventurous

• Help maintain our nine coral restoration sites and three coral nurseries. (This requires at least two days a week/multiple dives each day). The Environmentalist Intern is responsible for dive preparation (refilling scuba tanks, loading/unloading scuba gear), and may also assist with construction, cleaning pontoon boats, painting, electronics, etc. 
• Attend at least one weekly Bible Study. Help organize icebreakers/games.
• Attend and participate in all volunteer events (trash clean-ups, tree plantings, meetings, and educational events in local schools). Most of our volunteers are college students, affording great opportunities for developing friendships and relational evangelism.
• Develop friendships with some of the participants outside the volunteer events to get to know them on a deeper level. You may be able to encourage them to attend a Bible Study, and/or mentor them in making plans for their future.