Volunteer Arctic Explorer Speaker

What will you be doing?

Renowned explorer, Sir David Hempleman-Adams, founded Wicked Weather Watch (WWW) as a result of the dramatic changes he has witnessed in the Arctic due to climate change over the last 30 years. The young people of today face some of the biggest climatic challenges our world has ever seen, and we believe all young people deserve access to information about climate change, its impact, and how they can mitigate the effects on our wonderful world. Uniquely, we bring climate change to life through direct interaction with explorers, such as Sir David, and others who have visited the Arctic and seen first-hand how climate change is affecting the people and wildlife of the region.  Since the launch of our schools programme in June 2016 we have seen rapid growth and demand – expanding from working with just 15 schools to working with over 258 schools and more than 20,000 children. We offer 3 different sessions as part of our education programme, including a polar explorer talk, a climate change expert talk, and a climate change workshop. Our polar explorer talks are the pinnacle of our work and are highly popular with primary schools. At this exciting stage in our development, we are seeking to expand our family of volunteers and explorers to ensure we can keep up with demand. Volunteering as a WWW Polar Explorer Speaker is a unique and rewarding opportunity to contribute your knowledge and experience to inspire young people to take care of the planet and understand the link between the polar areas and the UK. You will ideally need to be based in the South West of England and able to do in-person visits to schools. The talks you will give to primary students will mostly cover your experience of being in the Arctic/Antarctic (what you saw and how you lived), why the Arctic is important, and how this area impacts the rest of the world.

What are we looking for?

The Arctic explorer speaker should have previous experience conducting expeditions in the Arctic or Antarctic areas. We are happy to speak to volunteers who have Arctic/Antarctic experience that was not an expedition however, explorers are most ideal for this role. You must be confident to speak about the causes and effects of climate change to young people anywhere from ages 5-11. If you are concerned about your knowledge of this topic, we can provide training to supplement your understanding. You must be reliable, able to keep your own time, and proficient at public speaking. 

What difference will you make?

Since the launch of our schools programme in June 2016 we have seen rapid growth and demand – expanding from working with just 15 schools to working with over 258 schools and more than 20,000 children. As a polar explorer speaker, you will inspire young people to understand and care for the Arctic and the environment across the world. You will often be a young person's first experience of the Arctic and what life is really like there, so you play a vital role in shaping children's perspective on how they view the different landscapes of the world. With your help, we will be able to inspire more children (and ultimately parents) to take climate action and reduce eco-anxiety.