PEEP Community Liaison Internship

As Community Liaison Leader for the Perhentian Eco-Education Project you will work closely with villagers, NGO’s and tour operators. Through encouraging active participation from the villages, it’s your job to introduce villagers to potential new forms of tourism revenue. Be that residents hosting Malay dinners, offering village tours and snorkel guides, or traditional cake making classes.

Key duties and responsibilities

• Act as liaison between all stakeholders and assist in organizing environmental activities@programs such as beach cleans, awareness booth or awareness talk. Host safety and awareness briefings with resorts around the island. 
• Meet with other stakeholders (NGO’s, government agencies, schools and universities etc) and discuss collaborations to work towards a sustainable island, maintaining a database of all stakeholders. Identify and implement opportunities for sharing data. 
• Work with the vendors around the island to improve and develop their environmental awareness e.g. using less plastic to sell their products. Developing eco-activities for the villagers so they could lead to making an income e.g. composting, recycling or a plant nursery. 
• Communicate regularly with the villagers; invite them to Ecoteer house or visit them at their homes. Discuss the importance of a healthy, clean environment to tourism. Build support.
• Participate in beach and village cleanups, encouraging villagers to get involved.
• Conduct Coral Watch Surveys working with villagers at selected snorkel sites and ensure safe practice.
• Collect photos and videos of activities for social media where appropriate and produce blogs about your experience when requested.
• When required, assist the project manager and other interns with volunteer and research activities including water confidence and eco snorkelling practices.
• Report to your supervisor and collaborate with other interns when necessary, maintaining open communication at all times.
• Follow agreed timetables to deliver work in a timely fashion.
• Display a professional example to local community members, volunteers and colleagues.
• Follow instructions as delivered by project managers when on site.
• Ensure the project house is kept clean and tidy, assisting with daily chores on a rota basis.
• Adherence to all safety measures, protocols, procedures and budgets as directed by Fuze Ecoteer.
• Any other duties that may be required including; group events, cover for colleague’s leave and illness, providing adequate notice of travel arrangements (work related or personal)

Requirements

• Keen interest in sustainable tourism, conservation and community development.
• Excellent communication skills and a confident public speaker.
• Fluent in Bahasa Malay and an excellent level of English, verbal and written.
• Highly organised and ability to work to a schedule.
• Team player but also comfortable working independently.
• Comfortable working with children.
• Efficient time management skills and ability to work to deadlines.
• Flexible and adaptable. 
• Knowledge of the work of the Perhentian Eco-Education Project in Malaysia.
• IT competency.
• International interns are required to pay a deposit UKP100 to Fuze Ecoteer. Interns will receive the deposit money back when his/her internship contract intern term ends and work performance is satisfactory. 

Benefits

• Free accommodation – you will live in the project house, sharing a room with at most 2 other people and have access to communal food shared with team members and volunteers.
• Free food – You’ll get access to communal staff food at the PEEP House where you’ll be expected to muck in and help cook. Plus treat yourself to some delicious local cuisine from around the village or when attending Malay dinners with our volunteers.
• For international interns, visa cost will be borne by the intern. FE can help with the visa application process for a fee. 
• Free Wifi at our project sites.
• 1 day off per week, plus a block of 7 days off every 90 days during project season (March to Oct). Hop on a water taxi and snorkel amongst some impressive marine life, or head further afield. You might as well see some of the fantastic sights Malaysia has while you’re here.
• Allowance of RM250 per month from the 7 months onwards if you are able to commit to a longer-term internship.
• All work-related expenses (Unfortunately this doesn’t include your travel to or from Malaysia)
• Written reference letter upon completion of the internship.