Mentorship in Sustainability & Green Business Initiatives Mexico
Description
During the current crisis, we recognise the difficulty many people and communities are enduring, but also believe that this may be the right time to rethink existing personal and professional paradigms, emerging from the pandemic in a new sector, ready to establish and drive forward values-based business initiatives. We work internationally but are based in and around the city of Campeche, south-east Mexico. Along with several local key partner organisations, this year our projects include our flagship Green Business and Green Market initiatives, as well our a number of other smaller subsidiaries involving community growing and food autonomy, animal rescue and heritage conservation, always encompassing a progressive vision for the future of our city and community, with the essential values needed to grow an alliance between who we have been and who we hope to become. Placements will be individually tailored. Individuals will emerge with wide-ranging related and demonstrable experience, and will also be mentored through their own project ideas in their own local context, from project inception through to advanced development. Case studies will include - among others:
- Mercado Verde - a weekly 'green market' brought about by a community of local artisans and organic producers, aiming to promote fair-trade goods and reduce food miles
- Empresa Verde (Green Business) - a co-operative assessment and support framework for local businesses moving towards sustainable, environmentally conscious practices
- El Campanario - a vanguard socio-environmental project encompassing a food forest, compost and recycling resource, animal shelter and educational workshop on a plot of land on the outskirts of the city
- Xaman Ek cultural programme - diverse workshops, events and cultural projects in and around the city, ranging from cinema screenings and music events to zero-waste workshops and children's activity sessions. Developing sustainable infrastructure for progressive tourism in remote communities across the state.
These placements are also a great point of departure not only for those looking for new opportunities but also for anybody who's looking to start on or improve their Spanish (no initial requirement except a willingness to learn), who is looking to gain experience working on diverse environmental and community projects, and who is interested in learning about Permaculture processes and systems.
All backgrounds and experience levels are welcome to get in touch. Time frames are flexible but we suggest a minimum three month time component. There are also specific tailored possibilities possible within this broader framework. Get in touch for an initial chat and application forms at: info@ninthwaveglobal.com.
Details
Organisation:
Ninth Wave Global
Location:
Campeche
Qualifications/Skills:
No requirements but an open-mind and willingness to learn some Spanish.
Dates of program:
Year round
Duration of program:
1 month minimum
Age requirement:
Adults of both sexes 18+
Cost:
As a small non-profit, we manage to maintain our independence by not being funded by outside agencies or corporates, and as such we do ask for a contribution towards costs of placement from successful applicants, for in-situ placements this can reach a maximum of US$940/month and covers 1 meal a day, accommodation, equipment, etc. We are emphatically non-profiteers - a problem with a lot of the sector - but we do have costs we need to cover to stay afloat, not least in these tricky times. Finally, we deliberately receive small numbers of individuals to work with us and invest a lot of time, effort and support in their placements - previous individuals who have worked with us are always available to give a sense of their experience.
Other information:
None
Reviews
Incredible experience!"I spent 3 months here at the beginning of the year and it was such a special experience. Campeche is a beautiful, small city and the program had us working on various initiatives and projects related to sustainability and promoting zero waste in this community. I was so happy to also be apart of their annual Zero Waste Festival and join them on one of their expeditions. What stands out about this organization is how closely they work alongside the local community. This is a great program to do if you want to learn more about sustainability and are open minded about being involved in various projects! Highly recommend- couldn’t have asked for a better experience where I was able to learn and be apart such a valuable community. It inspired me to become more involved in the environmental efforts in my hometown!"- Victoria Mosca
Unforgettable Experience"Volunteering for an organisation so focussed on zero waste initiatives and sustainable development opened my eyes to the detrimental environmental effects our planet is currently facing. Within Campeche, the inclusion of the local businesses and community working towards a sustainable globe is admirable, with weekly events such as the green market showcasing talent and ideas within the city and allowing others to experience it. I found volunteering to be rewarding and a great sense of accomplishment is achieved, both mentally and physically. Within their expeditions, having been lucky enough to experience the Usumacinta River in Mexico and the Amazonia in Peru, allowed me to live returning to basics, realising how much waste I produce on a singular level, let alone on global level. Learning valuable knowledge from rural communities, the experience of volunteering for this organisation made me realise the importance of living within another culture. From sleeping in a hammock alongside a river, to being awoken by nature and getting to engage with the local communities will be something I cannot forget, and an experience which I will continue to practice."- Molly Ford
An Unforgettable Opportunity"Working here gave me an incomparable breadth of experiences which allowed me to explore the boundaries of what I knew, and to change my perspective on things I had taken for granted. There are few harder working, or more dedicated, people in the world than I met here, and I would truly recommend this opportunity as perfect for anyone who is interested in the environment and sustainability."- Shannon Collins
I highly recommend this project"As a non profit organisation they are always glad to receive volunteers. N.W.G. is just a small core team of 3 staff (Jon, Amy & Harriet) plus several local volunteers also supplemented by volunteers from VLA & other organisations. I genuinely do not know how they manage all the work they do on such a small budget, everyone is so motivated and dedicated to the cause. Come here if you want to; get stuck in, try new things, learn about yourself, challenge yourself, be part of a team, meet the local people, improve your Spanish. I highly recommend this project."- Catherine Ferro
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