Charities and Partners

The Born Free Foundation is a dynamic international wildlife charity, devoted to compassionate conservation and animal welfare. Born Free takes action worldwide to protect threatened species and stop individual animal suffering. Born Free believes wildlife belongs in the wild and works to phase out zoos. We rescue animals from lives of misery in tiny cages and give them lifetime care.

Born Free protects lions, elephants, tigers, gorillas, wolves, polar bears, dolphins, marine turtles and many more species in their natural habitat, working with local communities to help people and wildlife live together without conflict. Our high-profile campaigns change public attitudes, persuade decision-makers and get results. Every year, Born Free helps hundreds of thousands of animals worldwide.

The Born Free Foundation Big Cat Sanctuary is based at the world-renowned Shamwari Game Reserve. Here in the southern part of the reserve, rescued lion and leopard are housed in one hectare (100m2) enclosures, giving them plenty of room to move around freely. These animals have been rescued from all over the world and relocated to their natural environment at Shwamri.

Working together with the Born Free Foundation and Shamwari, Worldwide Experience volunteers have the opportunity to contribute to conservation by providing first-hand assistance to maintain the sanctuary. Every little helps and you can expect to get involved with anything from eradication of alien plant forms, to assisting the veterinary surgeon.

As well as the day to day work conducted by our volunteers Worldwide Experience also organise a number of fundraising trips throughout the year:

Born Free Big Cat Challenge - Are you up to the challenge? This rewarding challenge gives you the chance to experience the wild nature of South Africa, whilst also raising money and increasing awareness for the Born Free Foundation. You will embark on a six night trail through Shamwari Game Reserve sleeping out under the stars. The trail will incorporate a visit to both Born Free sanctuaries on the reserve. A minimum sponsorship is required for this trip.Click here for more information on this trip

The Colobus Trust is a conservation organization which works to promote conservation, preservation and protection of primates like the highly-endangered Angolan black-and-white Colobus monkey, and other primates in the area. The Trust also seeks to preserve and protect the Colobus monkeys habitat on the South Coast of Kenya, pursuing biological and ecological research, forest protection and enrichment, public awareness, community education and various aspect of primate welfare.

Save the Rhino International is a committed to ensuring the survival of the rhinoceros species in the wild. The charity works in close consultation with managers and communities in wildlife areas and provides direct support for rhino and community projects in Africa and Asia.

Please visit www.savetherhino.org for more information.

The Wilderness Foundation forms part of a global network whose main aim is to protect wilderness areas wherever they are by:

- Educating people about the benefits of wilderness
- Providing opportunities for direct experience of wild places
- Campaigning for their preservation when threatened with development

Shamwari and its sister reserve Sanbona, are home to the only privately-owned wilderness areas in the world.

Please visit www.wilderness-trust.org for more information.

*For every placement which we receive thanks to a recommendation from one of our charity partnerships we will make a donation to the relevant charity, so please make sure you state that you heard about Worldwide Experience through the relevant charity when making your booking.

cloudog

cloudog is a charity which leads and initiative into local communities, to inspire our youth – the adults of tomorrow. They aim to encourage them to explore careers in environmental and conservation related fields and to enrich existing environmental interests. Working together with Worldwide Experience, cloudog will choose six disadvantaged students from the UK and a further six from Johannesburg to travel together to Shamwari Game Reserve for three weeks, to participate in a specially-prepared programme of activities.

The charitable donations made on your behalf when you book a placement will enable you to seek fundraising and sponsorships to help your trip. Please contact a member of the Worldwide Experience team for help and information on fundraising.

Tusk promotes the conservation of all African wildlife and particularly the protection of endangered species. Tusks holistic approach to conservation also recognises that the long-term future for wildlife is dependant on sustainable human development. At the end of 2005 Prince William announced his Royal Patronage to the charity.

Worldwide Experience are proud to be members of the Year Out Group, which provides a complete reference and resource that has been designed to help you make the most of your year out. This includes access to more than 35 provider organizations, which between them offer a superb choice of locations and activities, all of which meet the following criteria:

- Adhere to the YOG code of practice, and terms and conditions
- Sign up to the YOG charter each years
- Provide annual accounts
- Have a crisis and risk policy in place, together with trained staff
- Have public liability insurance of £2million

All of which gives you the reassurance that they provide essential support and assistance if required.