Asoc. Whale Fund

The aim of Asociation Whalefund is to provide opportunity for young Europeans to give of themselves for the ‘Common Good’; to work together on environmental and conservation issues to create a better world. Asociation Whalefund organises the volunteer programme on the whale watching boats in Tenerife, the third largest in the world. Volunteers on the boats act as ‘research- guides’, supporting the official guides by talking to the tourists (an estimated one million tourists from all over Europe go whale watching in Tenerife) about the marine life visited and raise awareness of conservation threats and issues. The research involves building a photo I/D catalogue of the resident short finned pilot whales and bottlenose dolphins, and of species migrating through the area (some 24 ). This work is used in developing resources on the whale watching boats, in local schools and the media; also, many students use their experience for project or dissertation work at their own school. Whale watching is the fastest growing part of eco-tourism, the fastest growing part of tourism, the largest employer in the world!! The project therefor embraces eco-tourism with contributions to www.whalesanddolphinsoftenerife.org and www.fair-earth-tenerife.org These contributions are facilitated through volunteer efforts and this includes a great deal of social media work. All part of the volunteering work. On the eco-tourism side the organization also works with volunteers to stage events such as the International Dolphin Spring Festival and Earthday. Volunteers develop ethical whale watching programmes to market through its website(s) and stages events; it develops didactic materials on the boats with the aim of enhancing the customer experience. Volunteers also work in different information centres and give talks in tourist hotels, including running children’s workshops on whales and dolphins and conservation issues. Asociation Whalefund works with local schools delivering workshops on ‘their’ whales and dolphins and conservation issues and on ways in which children can help- from raising funds to support local initiatives to such as beach clean-up activities. Local children can ‘name’ newly identified whales and dolphins and the whale watching boats take them, free of charge, on to their boats to visit ‘their’ whales. All this activity is facilitated through the volunteers The above activities are organised in collaboration with international organisations, schools, colleges and universities. The main themes being conservation, marine biology, the environment and youth development. Young people will step out of their comfort zone to ‘help’ the dolphins and this provided opportunity for them to develop. Asociation Whalefund is currently working through its volunteers on Citizen Science initiatives both on the whale watching boats getting tourists involved in the research work and in local schools getting children involved particularly as regards plastic pollution. In the context the Asociation collaborates with the Fair Earth Foundation CIO in delivering its Art & Nature programme in local schools, part of an international effort to facilitate young people from around the world in making a difference, building a better future for themselves and for the environment. The work involves painting terracotta (supplied free of charge) with a view to selling it and raising funds for local projects- encouraging creativity, entrepreneurship and altruistic behaviour. Target groups are young Europeans (and from further afield) 17-25 yrs is the core age range of its volunteers. Cost of participation is very low to facilitate access of young people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and, often, free. Great effort is made in providing opportunity to mentally or physically challenged youth. Special Education Needs in particular dyslexic and autistic children work extremely well with the programme.