The moving experience of Frederique at the Rescue Centre
Frederique, a 23-year-old from Luxembourg, wanted to try something new and immerse himself in a different culture but wasn't sure how, until he heard about volunteering abroad from a friend. Driven by his desire to work with animals, he stumbled on ARCHELON's webpage, and found it appealing. ‘I have two dogs myself, and even if sea turtles are something completely different, I always felt very close to animals.’ Frederique explained. Given his preference for capital cities, he decided to volunteer at the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre of ARCHELON in Glyfada, Attica. Before coming to Athens, he worked as an electrical apprentice and then as a janitor.
At the Rescue Centre volunteers are expected to help on all fronts, so he knew he would have hands-on involvement with all sorts of things, including the rescue network, public awareness, sea turtle rehabilitation, maintenance, and data collection. Still, the first couple of days proved challenging, as he tried to grasp his new reality. After a few days, he started to anticipate the tasks of cleaning the tanks and turtles and preparing food. ‘When I got there, I knew nothing about turtles and had to learn everything from scratch. I was surprised by the treatments that sea turtles go under and the tasks volunteers have. My biggest surprise was that even sea turtles have different personalities!’, said Frederique with excitement.
At ARCHELON, you'll have the opportunity to meet and work together with new people and form lasting friendships - a major benefit of volunteering. You also get to speak to a lot of visitors who are interested in our work. "Giving tours of the Rescue Centre and raising awareness to the visitors about the marine environment was one of the first things I was trained to do. I think the best way to get the message across to the public is to bring people at the Rescue Centre, so they can see for themselves the work we do and understand why we protect and care for this beautiful species", he said.
‘One particularly memorable moment for me was witnessing ‘Rebecca's’ release back into her natural habitat after rehabilitation. It was a very emotional moment because I had picked up that sea turtle with a flipper injury from a bus station, brought her to the Rescue Centre, and helped her with her daily treatments and rehabilitation. You can't describe such a feeling if you don’t experience it yourself, Frederique says
‘Volunteering is an experience which you only understand when you give your sweat and blood to support this project! That's why I always advise everyone, of all ages, to give it a try and gain new experiences. ARCHELON is the best choice for me because you live the volunteering experience to the fullest!’ he adds.
Frederique has returned to the Rescue Centre once more after his initial visit and he is already anticipating his next return!
Learn more about ARCHELON’s volunteering projects here and apply now!
The Over & Above Awards for 2023
Presentation of ARCHELON 2023 Results: Here is some good news!
RECENT NEWS
- OUR NEWS30/09/2024
Reunite with Your Passion: Become an ARCHELON Ambassador!
Are you passionate about sea turtle conservation and want to make a positive impact on their survival? Becoming an ARCHELON ambassador is a fantastic way to contribute to this important cause.
- OUR NEWS27/09/2024
Transforming Rethymno: Sustainable tourism opportunities with the sea turtle as ambassador
With sea turtles as its ambassadors, Rethymno has the opportunity to become a global leader in sustainable tourism. By offering responsible ecotourism experiences, the tourism industry can create a legion of passionate advocates for ocean conservation.
- OUR NEWS18/09/2024
Counting the Loggerhead nests in Zakynthos - the work of an army of ants
For the past 41+ years, ARCHELON has been counting annually nests laid by loggerhead turtles on the island of Zakynthos, one of most important nesting areas in the Mediterranean.
- OUR NEWS17/09/2024
Successful wrap up of Amvrakikos project for 2024 marking two decades of dedicated work
ARCHELON is a beacon of hope for sea turtles in Greece's Amvrakikos Gulf. From rescuing injured turtles to monitoring their population characteristics and their migration patterns, ARCHELON's work has been contributing to the survival of these protected animals for the last 20 years.
- OUR NEWS09/09/2024
Educational Programs 2024-2025: Inspire the Next Generation of Conservationists with ARCHELON!
Last year, 15,000 students arrived at the Rescue Centre and were fascinated by the wonders of sea turtle conservation.
- OUR NEWS02/09/2024
LIFE MareNatura Marine Conservation School: ARCHELON and NECCA train staff to protect sea turtles
This pioneer Training Seminar titled "Management and protection of the Caretta caretta and Chelonia mydas species" was designed with the aim of transferring special and necessary knowledge for the protection of the sea turtles from the competent bodies.
- OUR NEWS30/08/2024
Local Resort leads the way in protecting Zakynthos' sea turtles
In the summer of 2023, Domes Aulus Zante, Autograph Collection Resort stepped forward to support ARCHELON's mission adopting 70 turtle nests!
- OUR NEWS27/08/2024
ARCHELON Launches Comprehensive Study to Protect Sea Turtle Nesting Sites
- OUR NEWS05/08/2024
A Major Leap for Sea Turtle Conservation: Tracking Loggerheads Across the Mediterranean
Last month our team successfully completed the attachment of satellite transmitters to 20 individuals found near the beaches of west and south Peloponnese as well as those of Crete.
- OUR NEWS31/07/2024
Urgent Call for Volunteers: Are you looking for a meaningful adventure? Join in to save sea turtle hatchlings!
We’re urgently seeking volunteers to help protect sea turtles in Greece during August and September. Come and help the hatchlings reach the sea! ARCHELON will offer discounts to the first 50 volunteers who sign up now for the projects.
- OUR NEWS29/07/2024
Help Hatchlings Reach the Sea: Keep Nesting Beaches Dark for Sea Turtles!
Vacationing on a beautiful Greek beach with a sea view? You can be a hero for baby sea turtles!
- OUR NEWS15/07/2024
Ecotourism in Peloponnese and Crete: Explore a Loggerhead sea turtle nesting beach
ARCHELON offers a unique ecological experience for the lucky and aware travelers who will find themselves this summer on important Loggerhead sea turtle nesting beaches that the Association protects.
- OUR NEWS26/06/2024
Sea Turtles Surprise us: if you see tracks on the beach, help ARCHELON's research!
Not all beaches on Greece's extensive coastline are suitable for sea turtle nesting, but sometimes these marine reptiles surprise us! This summer, ARCHELON is asking for your help to investigate a phenomenon called "sporadic nesting".
- OUR NEWS17/06/2024
ATTENTION! Sea turtles are not pets: Do not touch them or feed them!
In areas where a sea turtle associates human presence with food, it’s behavior changes. The turtle treats humans as well as other turtles as competitors in its feeding grounds and tries to drive them away with bites.
- OUR NEWS16/06/2024
30 Years of Hope: The Sea Turtle Rescue Centre of ARCHELON Celebrates World Sea Turtle Day
Every year on June 16th, we celebrate World Sea Turtle Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about these magnificent creatures and the threats they face. This year is particularly important for ARCHELON, as the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre marks 30 years of operation.