Environmental programs
Splash Awareness program: Photography field trips for kids.
This program is specifically designed for kids, with flexible adaptations for ages from 5 to 12 years old. Kids are taught how to safely use snorkeling gear and to operate simple underwater digital cameras. They are guided with a professional team to a safe shallow bay where they can snorkel and take pictures of themselves and of the creatures they find. After the water activity, kids are usually hungry and we provide a meal. Then we start to look at their pictures they took and discussion on ecology and environmental issues start from there. Whenever we can, we give them copies of the pictures of themselves snorkeling so they have something to remember, to be proud of and to show family and friends. The program usually finishes having the kids color some illustrations to take home with some important local environmental basic info. Whenever the water conditions doesn’t allow snorkeling, it is always possible to find optional water field trips to a lake, a river, organize a beach cleanup, a local aquarium, or even a sewage treatment plan.
Discover local SCUBA diving program: Intro to SCUBA diving for older kids and teens
For kids and teens from 10 to 16 years old, this basic introduction to SCUBA is typically offered by Submerge to potential candidates to the Ocean Ambassador program. It’s a 1-2 days program where students learn basic SCUBA skills, equipment basics and safety. The goal is to have fun and to make them discover the underwater world. The instructor will assess the water abilities and upon further interests on the right candidates, Submerge will consider to sponsor them to take them to the next level and offer a SCUBA certification course.
Ocean Ambassador program: SCUBA diving Divemaster training for local teen leaders.
This is a one year program in which adolescents will learn physiology, physics, dive gear technology and dive computers use, First Aid, CPR and rescue skills, coral reef ecology, diving compressor operation, dive equipment basic maintenance, apnea training, environmental education, interpersonal skills, English language skills, and leadership skills. The internship is based in a local dive center, from where students also learn how a professional dive operation works. After successfully complete the program, the student earns the first professional certification level of diving: Divemaster. In many areas of the world, the business of SCUBA diving only gives good paying jobs to foreign instructors and divemasters. Expensive training, language and cultural barriers, are the hindrances. We aim to train highly skilled local divemasters that can educate others on environmental local issues while also have a relatively good paying job opportunities.
M.P.A. Ranger SCUBA program: For aspirants to Marine Protected Areas’ rangers
This program aims to provide local ranger with training in SCUBA diving and help them identified common M.P.A’s problems and solutions. Program includes developing Educational Projects, coral reef surveys, permanent buoys installation and maintenance, and habitat restoration basics, M.P.A’s management comparison, and divemaster internships M.P.A.’s or Marine Protected Areas are suffering from a lack of management and funding. Education usually has little or no assigned budget. Many locals all over the world expressed to us their frustration and a feeling of helplessness. While the problem is huge, we are doing our part helping with professional training.
