Communications & Social Media Coordinator

I came to the Betary Reserve in January 2018, amid a break from work before beginning a master’s degree at Oxford. I came to the Reserve with no prior experience in biology or conservation. This didn’t stop me from making a meaningful contribution, however. At the reserve I mostly focused on communications projects and helping some research projects when the need arose. My favourite projects while at the Reserve was Frog Night Search, where we searched for frogs to note ascertain the biodiversity of local ponds, and Fish Inventory, where we tried to catch fish to note down the River’s biodiversity. Staying at the Reserve was a great experience with the constant exposure to breath-taking wildlife with the comfort of private rooms (with air conditioning!). I also loved the fact that on a clear night you could see the stars with unique clarity, due to no light pollution! The best night was when you could see a thunderstorm approach while also star gazing. On weekend’s I had the opportunity to see stunning untouched caves (the Reserve is located in the ‘Cave Capital’ of Brazil) and ‘tube’ down the river while gazing at the surrounding forest. I also loved the BBQ’s we had with all the volunteers and (of course) the opportunity to experience Carnival in Cananeia (an amazing beach town, 3 hours from the reserve)!

I made my internship in the reserve Betary during 2 months and it was great, I will never forget it. Everybody in the association shares their knowledge, and they are helpful for our projects. I choose the Reserve Betary as a volunteer coordinator because I wanted to participated at volunteer projects in a management and organization field, I learned a lot with my missions. There are many awesome activities organized by the association like Boia cross, visiting caves, waterfall… You can see great scenery, and the reserve Betary is a peaceful workplace. I received all the information and advice needed before my arrival. I recommend this program.

I came volunteering at IPBio in July and had an awesome time! I study International Studies in The Netherlands and specialized on Latin America. I am also very interested in the preservation of the environment which ultimately made me choose IPBio, as it is an amazing organisation with great goals! During my work it was awesome to witness the passion for the work of IPBio! Working with Communications, my task for the month was to create the first newsletter of IPBio and give updates on all the projects that are going on at IPBio. I had a lot of fun working with everyone, writing, and having the freedom to create something that contributes to IPBio. In our free time, all the volunteers planned some amazing trips! We would go and explore the breath taking jungle, waterfalls, caves or go to parties and getting to know the Brazilian way of BBQing and talking to the locals. We spent one of the weekends roadtripping to the little island of Cananeia, watching dolphins, enjoying the island vibes and drinking fresh coco! IPBio offers a great community and all the volunteers I met during my stay were amazing as well and are now my friends! Every day is different and exciting at IPBio, especially due to its fantastic location in the middle of the rainforest. Having the opportunity to contribute to a good cause but at the same time explore the country, meet new people and getting to know Brazilian culture is the reason why I would highly recommend volunteering at IPBio! Learning some Portuguese expressions before you arrive would be helpful but you will learn fast!

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I worked for two months as a Fundraising and Communications Coordinator for IPBio, and I have only great things to say about the organization and the experience. My work consisted of researching grants, creating video content for fundraisers, helping write a business plan, and general maintenance of the impressive reserve. The work itself was engaging and interesting, and has helped me secure other positions. However, the best part by far was the organization's community and surrounding forest. The Atlantic Forest is a nature-lover's dream, with some of the greatest biodiversity on the entire planet. In addition, the local town of Iporanga offers amenities like pool halls, restaurants, supermarkets, etc. All of the staff at IPBio are heavily invested in their work, and they are excited to share this work and community with visitors- they make sure that you are well and enjoying your time with IPBio.

I had an excellent time working at IPBio. My work was varied, and I was able to help in different areas across the reserve. I helped to facilitate the reserves amphibian research program wherein I hiked across the reserve weekly doing field work. In addition, I updated the reserves volunteer package and helped to produce several informational packages. Living at the reserve was very comfortable, and on the weekends we engaged in numerous activities including: exploring caves, hiking to waterfalls, tubing down rivers, and much more. Overall, my time at IPBio could not have been better spent. I met some incredible people from all over the world and learned a lot. The landscape was stunning, and the rainforest unforgettable.