Talassemtane National Park

"Talassemtane" is a 58,000 hectares (145,000 acres) National Park covering large parts of the outstanding landscapes of the Rif Mountains. Website of the National Park.

The "Association Talassemtane pour l'environnement el le développement" (ATED), with its 600 members out of which 40 are full-time employees is one of the largest NGOs dealing with development and environmental protection in the north Moroccan region of Tangier-Tetouan. The NGO's head office is in Chefchaouen in the Rif Mountains.

The objectives of the organisation include carrying out research, awareness-raising about environmental topics, the development and promotion of ecotourism, and sustainable development of the rural regions under consideration of environmental aspects.
Volunteers and interns can participate in:

* Planning and carrying out training sessions about the National Park in the subject areas of biology and environmental conservation for staff of the NGO, local school teachers, youth club leaders and other stakeholders; preparation of educational materials that can be used at local schools; and instructing teachers and youth club leaders about how to carry out ecological study projects.

* Evaluation of possibilities, product development and product improvement, and marketing for local agricultural products that the rural population can produce. These might include: Figs - drying figs (The NGO is already operating a plant to dry figs), improvement of packaging and distribution; quinces and plums are not being processed in a larger scale, but there is potential which needs to be evaluated and the farmers need to be instructed about cultivation, processing (e.g. preservation) and distribution; Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) - this tree which is widely unknown in other parts of the world is very popular with the local population. Its tasty berries are being collected from wild trees in the forest only, and are currently not being cultivated. There is also unexploited potential in this, for instance for the production of jams. Honey - improvement of packaging and marketing; Aromatic plants and medical plants - there is also potential for commercial use for instance distilling oils, or making ointments and candies.

* Development of rural tourism inside and outside the National Park. Strategies need to be decided how the rural houses/farm houses that offer tourist accommodation, which are particularly popular for Spanish and French tourists, can be marketed in a better way. Further, paths/circuits need to be defined. They can be themed, for instance around watercourses, pines, monkeys etc.
In its headquarters in Chefchaouen, besides offices and classrooms, ATED is also running a kindergarten, music classes, IT classes, sports, a library and a cafeteria.

Please see an internship report below written by volunteer Isabell.

Info box:

Location: Chefchaouen, Morocco

Duration: Minimum 4 weeks

Special qualifications needed: yes

Costs: none, the trouble-free package is optional

Accommodation: Not included

Meals: Not included

Included: Placement in the project; if you opt for the trouble-free package the whole range of services which is part of the trouble-free package is included

Not included: Travel to Morocco, health insurance

Book this placement now!

Internship report Isabell Fischer

Facts:

Duration: 13.02.2012 – 30.03.2012 (7 weeks)
Volunteering in the project of tourism development
The contact with ATED and the organization of the volunteering was arranged by WORLD UNITE!

Personal aims of the volunteering:

Activities:

During the first week, I was introduced to the staff and the work of ATED. I was given diverse documents about the subject of tourism in the region of Chefchaouen to get an idea about the current situation. In addition, I researched on internet websites related to Chefchaouen and the tourism in the region.

During the second week, it was discussed about which work I could do for ATED. Suggestions for possible tasks included the creation of a scenario for a trade fair, the brainstorming of touristic packages and the assistance with aspects of tourism marketing. Together with the coordinator of World Unite, it was established that it would make most sense for me to assist with tourism marketing aspects by elaborating on a marketing report. In this way, I could bring in the knowledge of my studies of tourism management and marketing.

The following weeks, I was working on this report that included reflections on marketing problems and propositions on how to improve tourism marketing aspects in Chefchaouen. In the last week of the volunteering, the results of the report were presented to a number of people who are involved into marketing aspects and the formulation of the tourism strategy in Chefchaouen.

The report aims to give some ideas on how tourism marketing aspects in Chefchaouen can be handled/ improved. At best, some of the ideas can be included into the currently elaborated overall tourism strategy. Even if some aspects are not feasible right away, they still can give some thought-provoking impulses for the future.

Since my French language skills are limited, the marketing report was originally written in English. However, thanks to the help of another volunteer at ATED; the report could also be translated into French to make the information accessible for everyone.

In addition, I was able to attend several meetings and workshops that were organized by ATED and thus, get an insight into the work of the NGO in the field of tourism.

Evaluation of the volunteering:

Thanks to the possibility to volunteer at ATED, I could get a very valuable intercultural experience and insights in the working manner of an NGO in Morocco. Moreover, it was very interesting for me to learn about how tourism is organized in a town like Chefchaouen. The volunteering contributed to becoming more open minded towards another working and living culture.

The difficulty when doing a volunteering during a limited amount of time lies in

•    finding a task which can be done during this limited time period
•    the organization can actually profit from this work
•    the volunteer can bring in his expertise/ his knowledge and feels capable of doing.

Finding a task that fulfills all these criteria was at first a bit difficult; however, in the end it turned out that with the elaboration on a marketing report, it could be achieved to work on something valuable for both the organization and myself.

Concluding, I would like to thank the staff of ATED, especially the team of tourism, for giving me a very friendly welcome and for making my time at ATED a very valuable experience. 

Download the marketing report of Isabell (PDF, 422 kb)