African Insight Academy

ABOUT US

African Insight Academy is the leading provider of inspirational, educational and empowering conservation programs for the next generation. Using hand-picked destinations and mentors which facilitate a holistic and authentic conservation journey, capitalizing on the diversity of ecosystems found in South Africa.

Our ability to design a bespoke program, tailored to the client’s needs from the get-go. Experiential outdoor education, driven by curriculum objectives delivered by dedicated facilitators in an environment that encourages growth and development.

Our services are split into experiential learning solutions for individuals or groups looking for growth, adventure, and a dynamic South African bush experience. We have been working with some of our University, College, and school clients for over a decade, providing bespoke educational experiences for students from all over the world.

For the individual, African Insight Academy offers world-class internships and volunteer project solutions in KZN. Wildlife, conservation and community development are a core focus at each of the projects based in three different locations: Somkhanda Game Reserve, Tillietudlem Game Reserve or FreeMe KZN.

AIA’s own internship is based at Somkhanda Game Reserve, a community-owned game reserve in Northern KZN. This newly designed Intern project entitled Ecology and Conservation Internship, focuses on ecological research alongside conservation management, covering anything from animal monitoring to predator scat analysis to invasive plant control. The program is led by experts in this field and the opportunity to learn is immense. You will get out what you put in!

Tillietudlem’s focus is more on small mammals and low profile game but has the endangered oribi for those enthusiasts. It has a more structured program for participation enabling learning, experience, and integration into game reserve management. With excellent tutelage at the forefront, this project goes into the minutiae of a lesser known biome.

FreeMe offers animal enthusiasts the opportunity to go behind the scenes of a rehabilitation center, as well as get involved with key animal studies like raptor rehabilitation and samango monkey research. This is a hands-on project for animal enthusiasts filled with opportunities to learn and experience the trials and tribulations of ethical rehabilitation.

For the group, African Insight Academy tailors solutions to the client’s needs. Nothing we do is off the shelf, it centers on our client’s objectives and driven by their curriculum requirements. We work with colleges, universities, and schools all over the world, creating an African adventure that exceeds their expectations.

SERVICES

INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERS

Aim Our internship has been specifically designed to provide a means for young international students, looking to pursue a career in conservation, a unique opportunity to be exposed to current concepts and principles of conservation and ecology within a South African context. Led by experts in both conservation and ecology, this program will provide useful insight to the many different fields of conservation and ecology that will enable students to make a more informed decision with regard to the next step of their career. They will leave with knowledge and skills gained from practical and theoretical study, across a wide range of conservation management and ecological research modules.

The internship is designed to inspire, educate and empower international students who seek exposure to conservation and ecology specifically within a Southern African context.

Objectives

• Provide an academically stimulating program that incorporates both theoretical and practical components
• Cover an array of current and relevant concepts and principles in conservation and ecology
• Efficiently managed syllabus to maximise time and work load management, keeping the students constructively occupied without allowing them to be over or underworked
• A unique opportunity to experience a relevant and applicable insight into conservation and ecology, in a dynamic, fun and exciting way.

Modules: All modules consist of both practical and theoretical components, which involve lectures presented by the module facilitators and students, discussion and debate sessions, and practical application of concepts.

ACADEMIC FIELD TRIPS

We are the leading provider of educational, inspirational and empowering conservation programs for the next generation. Using hand-picked destinations and mentors which facilitate a holistic and authentic conservation journey, capitalizing on the diversity of ecosystems found in South Africa.

African Insight has been providing academic field trips to South Africa since 1999, and many of our partner academic institutions report that these field trips have played a significant role in increasing recruitment onto courses as well as substantially improving student retention on courses.

South Africa’s third world status yet modern and well-maintained communication and travel infrastructure as well as first world medical facilities provide unique opportunities for wildlife, conservation and environmental and socio-political and rural community development field trips.

Academic field trips are designed at any level to include experiences that meet specific learning outcomes of each group thereby reinforcing (or preparing for) lessons learned in the formal lecture situation. Depending on the aims and objectives of the institution field trips can form part of a formal academic module or a supplementary experiential learning nature.

African Insight provides a complete service with every step of planning your academic field trip. We offer both tailor-made trips for groups exceeding 10 travelers as well as predetermined modules which are all determined by different learning outcomes. Our experienced academic program coordinator works closely with trip organizers to ensure that the desired outcomes are planned for and achieved.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

South Africa is a meeting point of the first and third world, it has a stable first world economy with educational institutions, communication networks, medical facilities and a road infrastructure to rival the best in the west! Yet with access to extensive wilderness and wildlife resources on its doorstep that can rival any other “big game” destination in Africa.

The difference between first and third world difference is most apparent on the social level, where at one end of the spectrum many live the jet-set lifestyle of the top 10% in the world; yet on the opposite end of the spectrum there are many tribal communities who live as they have for the last 100 years - without electricity or running water.

We are the leading provider of educational, inspirational and empowering conservation programs for the next generation. Using hand-picked destinations and mentors which facilitate a holistic and authentic conservation journey, capitalizing on the diversity of ecosystems found in South Africa.

A selection of potentially life-changing experiences can be pieced together in a “seamless” South African adventure. The modules that follow offer group leaders flexibility of tailor making a uniquely South African life experience that matches the group's aims and objectives.