VACANCIES AND TENDERS

Coetir Anian is seeking a volunteer intern to support the work of the organisation, from May-July 2025.  No experience or skills essential, but a demonstrable enthusiasm and aptitude for learning more about nature restoration and nature connection activities with young people is required. A willingness to spend time outside in all weathers doing practical tasks is essential for the role. 

About us

Coetir Anian (Cambrian Wildwood) is a small charity managing Bwlch Corog, a 142ha upland site near Machynlleth, mid Wales, for the benefit of nature, biodiversity and local community. The site is owned jointly with the Woodland Trust. We have been restoring upland peat and woodland habitats on site since 2017. We create opportunities for people to connect with nature and learn about nature restoration and local heritage through our inspiring education and wellbeing programmes.  For more information see www.coetiranian.org. 

About the role

This is a volunteer role; training and support will be provided. Our intern will be a core part of our team and will have the opportunity to learn about all aspects of our work to restore habitats and connect people with nature.  While no experience or skills is necessary, you should be able to demonstrate your enthusiasm for learning about our work, and be keen to learn more about our work restoring habitats for wildlife, and connecting young people with nature. Applications from people with Welsh language skills will be particularly welcomed, but this is not an essential requirement.

Core tasks will include: 

• Supporting our educational programmes for children and young people at Bwlch Corog, many of which take place through the medium of Welsh language – helping with logistics and preparing the site, providing refreshments and lighting a campfire, supporting children to undertake the activities. You will have the opportunity to take part in and learn about a wide range of outdoor nature-based activities including bushcraft, nature art, and practical conservation tasks such as tree care, bracken and bramble clearing, and more.  

• Helping with habitat restoration and other practical outdoor tasks including tree care, clearing bramble and bracken to restore habitats, monitoring peatland vegetation, and working with groups of adult volunteers to get these tasks done as part of our regular workdays.   

Other tasks which the intern will be able to get involved in if they wish: 

• Helping with habitat and species monitoring including tree cover and vegetation monitoring, moth monitoring, setting and checking our  trail camera, taking fixed point photographs of our site, recording data on a GPS device, and helping to survey of other species (such as water vole, dormouse, birds, insects, lichen and moss – depending on the season and the work being done at the time).  Helping Coetir Anian to record and upload data for citizen science projects. 

• Checking and helping move the ponies and cattle that graze our site. 

• Helping with community events such as our spring celebration, and annual open day. 

• Research for and writing of articles and blog posts for our website and social media.   

• Helping to evaluate our community activity programmes through assisting participants to complete evaluation forms and managing the data from these forms.   

Logistics and practicalities 

• This role is voluntary.  Travel and lunch expenses will be provided.   

• Internships at Coetir Anian are for 2-6 months.  We are currently seeking an intern for 3 months from May-July 2025.  Start date as soon as possible.  There may be future opportunities for similar internships in autumn and winter 2025.   

• Minimum commitment 2 days per week, more days possible. You will have the opportunity to attend more of our education, community and volunteering days if you are able to be flexible on which days of the week you work (including occasional Saturdays) but this is not a requirement.   

• You will need to live close enough to our site at Bwlch Corog to travel there regularly.  It will be an advantage if you have your own transport to reach our site, but lifts can be provided if necessary.   

• Our site is in a remote upland location at the end of a long farm track. Terrain is uneven, wet, and in places steep, with very limited footpaths. You should be happy walking around on steep uneven ground on a regular basis, sometimes alone.  Most of the time you will be working on site alongside our members of staff; there may be occasions when you visit the site independently, in which case safe lone working practices are in place. 

• As this post is working regularly with children, we will be required to get a DBS check for you.   

• Training: Our staff will provide training and mentoring for all tasks and you will have the opportunity to take part in and learn about a wide range of activities.  You will be given informal training in safe tool use, best practise working with children in the outdoors, and in leading volunteer work day groups.  As part of our commitment to providing opportunities to gain new skills, and to say thank you for the time you are giving to our organisation, we will pay for one short training course of your choice with an external provider on a relevant topic of your choice (e.g. ecology/field skills, bushcraft or practical outdoor skills, tool or equipment use, or other professional development opportunity).   

To apply: 

Please send us a CV and covering letter to: post@coetiranian.org by Thursday 15th May.
In the covering letter you should provide an answer to the following questions: 

1. Why are you interested in this opportunity and how will you use the skills and knowledge you’ll gain during the internship?
2. What interests and experience do you have which will benefit our organisation?
3. Which of the listed tasks and topics are you most interested being involved in, and why?
4. What time commitment could you give to this role?