Justin Lennon has worked for conservation projects all over the world: Costa Rica, Tanzania, and Madagascar, to name a few. He saw firsthand how difficult it is for people wanting to do good in the world to find worthwhile projects. So he created Conservation Guide, a website that lets volunteers scope out great opportunities abroad. If they’re interested in working in Africa, for example, there are currently more than a dozen listings.
Lennon says his platform will also be useful to conservation organizations, especially those that don’t yet have an international presence.
“If you’re a small turtle conservation project in the Maldives, you’ll probably have trouble finding volunteers,” Lennon says. “They really need a new marketplace where they can promote themselves. We provide that for them.”
Lennon’s vision is for it to be more than a job board. He and cofounder Will Morley are also interested in the social aspect, allowing volunteers to rate their experience with different organizations, Airbnb-style. Newcomers will be able to tell what last year’s volunteers thought before they sign up. And, with an $18,000 Incubate Prize from the London Creator Awards, the co-founders will be able to expand the guide.
