Specialist/Expert Volunteer

Shorebird communications (social media) officer (Caribbean) Description We are looking for a volunteer to help us engage communities in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) around the conservation needs for Piping Plover and other migratory shorebirds. Through social media channels we want to raise awareness of the importance of TCI to shorebirds and in particular the sites that are most important to their survival.

Turks and Caicos is a British Overseas Territory of over 250 islands (called Cays). Only a handful of these are inhabited but most are used by an expanding tourist industry. Over the past six years RSPB and our partners have collected data on shorebirds in TCI particularly Piping Plovers. Piping Plovers are a Globally Threatened species, breeding in North America and are so cute that Disney even made a film (Piper) based on them. Around 350 migrate to TCI to winter each year. Whilst surveying for these birds we have identified several important areas for migratory waders that were not previously known. We now want to inspire local people and visitors to care about protecting these amazing birds and the sites that support them.

We are looking for a volunteer to create a local social media content to raise the profile of Piping Plovers, migratory shorebirds and their stories. We have a wealth of information that would make great stories including many observations of birds with colour bands on their legs allowing us to identify their individual stories.

You will turn scientific data into stories relevant to social media channels, link to local and international networks and create further opportunities via social media to engage islanders in conservation. This is a great opportunity to take a lead role on a "communicating for conservation" project using scientific data to engage and inspire communities to take care of natural resources.

This job can be based anywhere in the world and timing is totally flexible. Our story-telling campaign will run until March 2023.