How volunteering on Handa can help your career – Part 1

Every year, our Handa volunteers dedicate up to 6 months working with us. They give a lot to the Trust but we believe they get a lot in return.

The following stories show what happened to 3 Handa volunteers after their season ended.

Katie Baird – volunteer in 2022 and 2023

Why is a long term placement on Handa particularly valuable?

“Before volunteering on Handa I didn’t have a clear idea of my future career. I was interested in wildlife, so Handa was the perfect place to build up my knowledge and skills. Living on a seabird island made it incredibly easy to gain wildlife ID skills, and I also gained knowledge of seabird monitoring methods as well as practical skills such as boardwalk maintenance. Maybe the most valuable part was the experience of living off-grid and working in a remote location alongside a small team.”

What’s happened with your career since you left Handa?
“Volunteering on Handa was an important stepping stone for me and afterwards I went on to work as an Assistant Ranger elsewhere in the UK, and am now working as a Ranger in New Zealand.”

Why would you recommend a (long term) placement on Handa for young people looking to get work in conservation?
“I am extremely grateful for the time I got to spend on Handa not only because it helped me get into a career that I absolutely love, but also because of all the amazing people I met and the memories I have. Handa truly is a special place and a volunteer placement there is an ideal start for anyone looking to get into wildlife conservation.”

Kirsty Cox – volunteer 2023 and 2024

Why is a long term placement on Handa particularly valuable?
“I learnt a lot of practical skills while on Handa e.g. boardwalk repairs, managing the boat and visitor management, rat monitoring, bird counting/surveying and beach cleaning. Also sharing living space and being part of a team both at work and socially.

Particularly valuable was the chance to take some time out from the rest of life in a beautiful setting – spending most of my time outdoors, seeing amazing birdlife and marine life and learning from and spending time with like-minded people.”

What’s happened with your career since you left Handa?
“I have continued in my life as an actor and so haven’t been applying for conservation work, but my experience on Handa has led to me securing a volunteer placement at the Cornish Seal Sanctuary starting next year.”

Why would you recommend a (long term) placement on Handa for young people looking to get work in conservation?
“Handa is a beautiful island with amazing bird and marine life and the opportunity to learn practical conservation skills as well as general life skills. It was such a good placement that I have done it twice!”

Phoebe Owen – volunteer in 2023

Why is a long term placement on Handa particularly valuable?
“I wanted to work on Handa primarily for the seabird-specific conservation work to build my experience and broaden my skills. However, I quickly realised I’d also be gaining a whole host of practical skills—like discovering just how much I enjoy repairing boardwalks!

Handa also reminded me of the joy found in simplicity. Being on the island made me appreciate the natural world even more, and I learned so much from the eclectic mix of people around me—each person with their unique background and stories to share.”

What’s happened with your career since you left Handa?
“Having 6 solid months of varying seabird monitoring, practical conservation work, and a whole host of soft skills like decision-making, planning, report-writing, working within a close-knit team, adapting quickly to the unpredictable plus people management has been extremely beneficial for my CV.

Since Handa Island, I have worked in bird field technician roles all over the world; in Senegal, Faroe Islands, Isle of Man, and many roles in Scotland for different universities and organisations.

I can attribute application success for many of these roles to my time on Handa and everything I learnt there.”

Why would you recommend a (long term) placement on Handa for young people looking to get work in conservation?
“It was such a pivotal moment in my conservation and ecology career. Finding a career path where I could weave my love of nature and the great outdoors into my day-to-day work became absolutely crucial to me. Every role I’ve taken since Handa has been almost entirely outdoors and nature-based.”