Do you love the oceans? Would you like to be immersed in a fascinating underwater world of colour, beauty, tranquillity and magic? Volunteer at the Two Oceans Aquarium!

Applications for the 2018 Volunteer Training Programme are open.

Click here to apply.

Our volunteer programme is as old as the Two Oceans Aquarium. Older in fact, as there were volunteers involved in the building of our exhibits before we opened in 1995. We rely on our volunteers and value the incredible work they do on a daily basis.

The next volunteer training course is coming up - six Mondays from 16 July to 20 August 2018. Applications close 14 June 2018 - apply at this link. Think you are ready to volunteer your time for us?

What is being a volunteer all about?

V is for Visitors! Our visitors are half the reason we exist. Whether it is a tourist, a school child or a senior citizen you are interacting with, the aim is to educate everyone walking through our doors about the amazing ocean we all share, and the organisms in it.

O is for Opportunities! As an Aquarium volunteer there will be plenty of opportunities available to you, such as attending interesting talks, accompanying our collections team on a trip and getting to meet people from diverse backgrounds.

L is for Learning! You start your volunteer career with us by learning a plethora of new information. And this learning never stops. We offer added training, however you will learn so much just by racking up volunteer hours.

U is for Underwater Wonders! Our animals are the other half of the reason we exist. We have 3 000 animal ambassadors in the building that are there to educate our visitors on the importance of conserving our environment and the biodiversity of our coastline.

N is for Numb Hands! As a volunteer you will get your hands wet, regardless of whether you work at our Touch Pool or with our animals. Many of our volunteers will tell you that a sign of a successful day’s work are numb hands from the cold water. And possibly smelly hands too, from cutting up food in our kitchen.

T is for Team Work! Our staff and volunteers are the glue that keeps our organisation together. That requires dedication and great team work, something we pride ourselves in.

E is for eKhaya! eKhaya means "home" in isiXhosa. For most of our staff and volunteers, the Aquarium is a home away from home. We get heavily invested in the animals we care for and our colleagues are like family.

E is for Enthusiasm! We love people that are enthusiastic about the environment and that want to be part of the change needed to ensure a healthy future for our children and the planet.

R is for Requirements! There are a few simple requirements that need to be met in order to become a volunteer with us: be human; be 18 years or older (except if you are in grade 10); attend our six-week training programme; commit to one four-and-a-half hour shift per month. Simple as that.

S is for Start! We require all of our volunteers to volunteer front of house initially, before diversifying to other areas of the Aquarium. Front-of-house volunteers (wo)man the Touch Pool and Microscope Exhibits and play an important role in interacting with our visitors. This ensures a greater understanding of the Aquarium and what we try and achieve.

Interested? Apply here.