Volunteer with HWDT
Join our fun and passionate team and help protect whales, dolphins and porpoises. Volunteers are at the heart of our charity.
Outreach Assistant
This placement offers an exciting opportunity to develop and deliver memorable and inspiring activities for residents and visitors to Tobermory and the Isle of Mull. With a variety of events on offer, this role is a great way to gain experience and confidence engaging with the general public, while playing an active role in conservation. Popular activities in this placement include: leading headland watches and guided walks, delivering specialist talks, and interacting with a wide audience demographic.
TIME COMMITMENT: 30 hours a week
AGE: 18+
COST: Travel to Mull, accommodation on Mull and subsistence
RECRUITMENT FOR THE 2025 SEASON HAS CLOSED, APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2026 SEASON WILL OPEN EARLY IN 2026
Local volunteers
Do you live on the west coast of Scotland? Do you want to contribute to important research to conserve the marine environment and impower local stewardship of our seas? There are loads of ways you can volunteer with HWDT, from running community watches or assisting with school visits, to verifying sightings on Whale Track or creating digital content.
AGE: 16+
WHEN TO APPLY: Email siobhan.moran@hwdt.org with your availability, time commitment and interests.
Student projects
Each year we provide data to a small number of researchers and students working on projects that align with our research and conservation priorities.
Please note, this is very competitive process and is always oversubscribed.
Before applying, please follow the link below for more detail and prepare a research proposal, outlining the aims and objectives of your work.
CITIZEN SCIENTIST on board silurian
Around 100 people a year sail with us, helping to collect vital data on marine animals. These live-aboard experiences are a great way to explore the Hebrides, meet like-minded people and learn more about marine life in a fun and practical way. Anyone can join us on board and all training is provided.
DATES: April - October
TIME COMMITMENT: 7 to 12 day expeditions
AGE: 16+
COST: from £1,425
BE PART OF THE WHALE TRACK COMMUNITY
Join a community of people monitoring and recording whales, dolphins, porpoises and basking sharks in Scotland. Download the Whale Track app or report your sightings online and help track the movements of coastal species like bottlenose dolphins and uncover the mysteries of rarer visitors like humpback whales and orca. Anyone can get involved and contribute to deepening the understanding of species in our seas.