Greece Action Project

Stepping Stones Animal Foster Home

Stepping Stones is a not-for-profit animal foster home, with a focus on dogs and particularly re-homing puppies. There are always approximately 50 dogs and all the animals are abandoned or stray. The project is run from the home of a British expatriate on the island and comprises a number of dog pounds and kennels.

The ARK Animal Shelter

The Ark is the main animal shelter and rescue centre on the island, with a focus on dogs. There are always 250-300 dogs at the centre. This is a not-for-profit organisation that relies solely on donations and voluntary assistance.

Volunteer Role Summary:

Volunteers are needed all year round. Minimum stay is two weeks but longer stays are preferable. The roles comprise of:

• Daily cleaning of the dog pounds, collection and disposal of dog waste
• Socialising and walking the dogs/puppies in order to make them familiar with human contact
• Caring for sick animals
• Photographing animals and adding content to relevant social media to assist with re-homing and awareness raising
• Accompanying dogs to the vets for treatment and inoculations
• Assisting with fundraising activities

Costs:

Lattitude Application Fee – £50

The application fee covers the cost of processing applications and conducting interviews.
All applicants are guaranteed an interview. This fee is non-refundable.

 

Booking Fee: £300

(If you are an existing Lattitude volunteer already on placement and are interested in this as a summer holiday project then this booking fee will be waived.)

What the Booking Fee covers:

• Dedicated support from our Kefalonia-based Lattitude Program Coordinator pre-departure
• Comprehensive information, advice and guidance packs and tutorials
• Matching service to ensure your placement is the right fit for you and expectations are clear
• Volunteer personal development plan

Action Project Fee:

Costs for Stepping Stones and The Ark:

Length of Project	Kefalonia Action Project Fee
2 weeks (minimum)	£340
Additional weeks	£150 per week

 

What the Action Project fee covers:

• 24/7 Helpline
• Meet and greet from airport and transfer to accommodation
• Action Project briefing and advice on local facilities, shopping, site seeing, events and student discounts, including where to buy the cheapest frappe (chilled coffee) and ‘gyro’ (filled pita)!
• Lattitude Kefalonia Action Project T shirt
• Volunteer placement with named Action Project staff mentor
• Support from our Kefalonia-based Lattitude Program Coordinator
• Hostel-style accommodation shared with other volunteers for instant social connections
• Equiped kitchen. We encourage volunteers to pool an agreed amount per week and share cooking/food preparation.
• Public bus transport to placement (if applicable)
• End of Action Project review
• Lattitude Global Action Project e-certificate/testimonial

What extra costs will I have?

Pre-departure: Tourist visa (if applicable), flights, travel insurance (mandatory), appropriate clothing/personal belongings, medical check and vaccinations (if appropriate).
On placement: You should expect to supplement the basic ingredients provided to fit your own preferences or dietary needs.

You can add a 2 week Marine Conservation Project during June to September, on to your 2-10 week Animal Welfare role (see below)

Wildlife Sense

Wildlife Sense Kefalonia is a research and conservation project to study and protect Kefalonia’s endangered loggerhead sea turtles. Wildlife Sense recruit volunteers directly for just two week programmes from June to September.

Lattitude works in conjunction with Wildlife Sense to help recruit suitable volunteers for this important conservation work and give volunteers the opportunity to take part in this two week programme as part of a longer Lattitude stay on the island, volunteering with one of our other placements (see Animal Welfare roles above).

Note that the marine project only runs June to September and for this two week project you will stay at one of the Wildlife Sense volunteer houses where food is not provided.

Volunteer Role Summary:

• Gain valuable research experience and increase your knowledge in the field of conservation
• Survey the beaches of Kefalonia to find and protect sea turtle nests
• Carry out environmental studies to quantify light pollution and determine light source
• Measuring the continuous changes of the nesting beaches and the distance of the water from nests.

Costs:

Booking Fee: £300

What Booking Fee covers:

• Affordable Action Project fees based on actual project costs per week
• Dedicated support from a Lattitude Volunteer Coordinator pre-departure
• Comprehensive information, advice and guidance packs and tutorials
• Matching service to ensure your placement is the right fit for you and expectations are clear
• Volunteer personal development plan

Action Project Fee:

Length of Project	Wildlife Sense Action Project Fee
2 weeks	£450

 

What Action Fee covers:

• 24/7 Helpline
• Meet and greet from airport by Wildlife Sense and transfer to Wildlife Sense shared accommodation for the two week project
• Action Project briefing
• Wildlife Sense T shirt
• Wildlife Sense staff mentor
• Support from our Kefalonia-based Lattitude Program Coordinator
• Hostel-style accommodation shared with other volunteers for instant social connections
• Cooking facilities. Wildlife Sense encourage volunteers to pool an agreed amount per week and share cooking/food preparation.
• End of Action Project review
• Lattitude Global Action Project e-certificate/testimonial

What extra costs will I have?

• Pre-departure: Tourist visa (if applicable), flights, travel insurance (mandatory), appropriate clothing/personal belongings, medical check any vaccinations (if applicable).
• On placement: Food is not provided at the Wildlife Sense project. The project encourages volunteers to pool an agreed amount of money and shop and prepare food collectively. You should expect to supplement food to fit your own preferences or dietary needs.

These 2 week marine conservation projects are intended to be combined with 2 or more weeks Animal Welfare (see above)