Scuba dive into the beautiful waters of the Spanish Mediterranean to help clean up pollutants that threaten local marine life. Experience Barcelona’s unique culture and spend your days diving and protecting nature in one of the world’s most beautiful places.
As an ocean conservation volunteer, you will learn and improve your scuba diving skills while being actively involved in restoring the natural state of the marine ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea.
Program Highlights:
First Week Schedule:
Day 1, Sun: Arrival pick-up at the airport by the local team, settle down at the volunteers accommodation, get to your group of volunteers
Day 2, Mon: Welcome orientation and city tour. You will be shown your living space, schedules, and expectations.
Day 3-6, Tue-Fri: Scuba lessons and certification. Learn from professionals how to scuba dive and clean the ocean floor of debris. Learn the basics of underwater exploration and get certified.
Day 7-8, Sat-Sun: Free weekend. Explore Barcelona, take Spanish lessons, or enroll in other activities we have programmed. Departure is on a Saturday.
Optional: Volunteers can sign up for Spanish lessons or local tours to explore the city.
As an ocean conservation volunteer, you will learn and improve your scuba diving skills while being actively involved in restoring the natural state of the marine ecosystem of the Mediterranean Sea.
Program Highlights:
- Become part of a worldwide movement of passionate people dealing with the global challenge of litter and the impact human development is having on the marine environment
- Scuba dive in the Mediterranean sea while protecting the local environment from pollution
- Meet other like-minded volunteers from all over the world
- Learn Spanish and practice your language skills
- Discover Barcelona, one of the most vibrant cities in the world.
First Week Schedule:
Day 1, Sun: Arrival pick-up at the airport by the local team, settle down at the volunteers accommodation, get to your group of volunteers
Day 2, Mon: Welcome orientation and city tour. You will be shown your living space, schedules, and expectations.
Day 3-6, Tue-Fri: Scuba lessons and certification. Learn from professionals how to scuba dive and clean the ocean floor of debris. Learn the basics of underwater exploration and get certified.
Day 7-8, Sat-Sun: Free weekend. Explore Barcelona, take Spanish lessons, or enroll in other activities we have programmed. Departure is on a Saturday.
Optional: Volunteers can sign up for Spanish lessons or local tours to explore the city.
Location of the Project:
Barcelona, Spain
Project length:
Minimum 1 week - Maximum 12 weeks
Arrival Airport:
Barcelona Airport (BCN), El Prat de Llobregat
Volunteer Work:
Volunteers will scuba dive to help clean the seabed from pollution and debris and help protect Barcelona’s rich Mediterranean ecosystem.
Age:
Minimum age of 18
Number of Volunteers:
Maximum 12
Important Note:
The MC in Barcelona includes internationally recognized CMAS (World Underwater Federation) diving certifications. There are 3 different levels according to the volunteer diving experience, from beginners to people with already some experience to advanced divers. All the diving and volunteer equipment is included.
What's Included
Accommodations:
Dormitory accommodation at a sustainable and social hostel (Private rooms are also available for an upgrade).
Food:
Three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner (Local style. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and meals for lactose-intolerant are also available upon request.)
Airport Transfers:
Pickup at the airport (On the Saturday or Sunday prior to an Introduction Day). Alternatively, a taxi is available from the airport to the program site for around €30.
Orientation:
Held the day after arrival with responsible guided city tour (2 hours.) This includes free maps, city guides, and the best tips to discover the city!
Support:
Comprehensive and professional pre-departure travel guidance, 24/7 GoEco emergency hotline, experienced local field team.
What's not Included
Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, personal expenses, daily transportation to/from the program on public transportation (budget 40 EUR for the month).
Barcelona, Spain. The diving club is in Sant Adrià de Besòs, one of the most appreciated municipalities in Barcelona for its beaches and sporting events, mainly aquatic sports. Near the diving club, you can find some of the most famous Barcelona beaches, such as Platja del Fòrum or Platja del Camp de la Bota.
Volunteers' daily tasks can vary depending on the time of the year, but can include:
Program achievements
A typical weekday may look like this:
08:00-09:00 am | Breakfast at the volunteer's accommodation
09:00-12:30 am | Take the metro to the project and do your first dive of the week. You will start by learning the fundamentals and after a couple of days you will start the eco-diving
01:30-02:00 pm | Take the metro back to the volunteer accommodation (about 1.5 hour commute).
02:00-02:30 pm | Lunchtime
02:30-07:00 pm | Relaxing & Travel time. Usually, the afternoons are free to travel around the city, learn Spanish, or relax. Sometimes, you can also dive during the afternoons depending on the specialties or certification you are doing. Your instructor will inform you about this on the first day.
07:30-09:00 PM | Dinner at the volunteer accommodation along with the other volunteers.
Sample of Diving Plan - Depends on your diving level and the number of weeks you join.
Note: volunteers with no diving experience will learn to dive before engaging in any underwater conservation activities. The program fee covers the cost of the required online and in-person training, full scuba equipment, and volunteer supervision from an experienced dive instructor. All volunteers complete internationally recognized diving certifications (CMAS). Depending on the current diving experience and the length of the stay, the volunteer will complete a certification ranging from Open Water Diver to Advanced Open Water Diver and specialties such as Marine Ecology and Fish. The project works with a local diving school, therefore the volunteer will always be supervised by an experienced dive instructor.
- Clean-up the seabed to reduce the marine debris—equipped with diving equipment and nets; logging information on items and trash collected;
- remove the marine living organisms from the trash collected and put it back in the sea;
- document and collect information about fauna, fish and invertebrate species in a monitored biodiverse area as part of a scientific research project;
- learning more about the marine ecosystem and how to protect it and collect and register information about the biodiversity in an ecosystem created with the natural colonization of a former dismantled thermal power plant.
- If you volunteer in the Summer, you might also help in the summer camps for kids at risk of marginalization or with fewer opportunities through assisting with their dives or developing workshops about the sea and the environment.
Program achievements
- 138 kgs of trash collected last year
- 2021 goal: To collect 500 kgs
A typical weekday may look like this:
08:00-09:00 am | Breakfast at the volunteer's accommodation
09:00-12:30 am | Take the metro to the project and do your first dive of the week. You will start by learning the fundamentals and after a couple of days you will start the eco-diving
01:30-02:00 pm | Take the metro back to the volunteer accommodation (about 1.5 hour commute).
02:00-02:30 pm | Lunchtime
02:30-07:00 pm | Relaxing & Travel time. Usually, the afternoons are free to travel around the city, learn Spanish, or relax. Sometimes, you can also dive during the afternoons depending on the specialties or certification you are doing. Your instructor will inform you about this on the first day.
07:30-09:00 PM | Dinner at the volunteer accommodation along with the other volunteers.
Sample of Diving Plan - Depends on your diving level and the number of weeks you join.
Note: volunteers with no diving experience will learn to dive before engaging in any underwater conservation activities. The program fee covers the cost of the required online and in-person training, full scuba equipment, and volunteer supervision from an experienced dive instructor. All volunteers complete internationally recognized diving certifications (CMAS). Depending on the current diving experience and the length of the stay, the volunteer will complete a certification ranging from Open Water Diver to Advanced Open Water Diver and specialties such as Marine Ecology and Fish. The project works with a local diving school, therefore the volunteer will always be supervised by an experienced dive instructor.
Internet:
Wifi is included.
Laundry:
Available for €5 use.
Accommodations:
The accommodation is in dorm-style rooms, and we also provide an optional room upgrade with a cost of 140€ / week / room
Food:
Three homemade meals are provided each day. Special diet accommodations (e.g. vegetarian, vegan, etc) are available
Barcelona has some of the most incredible sites in the world. Gaudi’s world-famous architecture, unparalleled Catalonian cuisine, gorgeous beaches, and incredible local culture. The city is also a springboard for easily visiting the rest of Spain and Europe. We will provide you with excellent advice to discover Barcelona like a local! Weekday afternoons and weekends are free for exploring and relaxing.
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