After nearly three years of volunteering with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, Jonas is setting sail for new adventures and beginning a Master’s degree at Exeter University’s Penryn campus next year. From the early days, when the Marine Park was just finding its feet, to today’s grand sea-inspired projects and buzzing community events, Jonas has been right at the heart of it all—getting involved in hands-on projects around the city, inspiring the community at iconic Plymouth events, and sharing the magic of our marine world with people of all ages.
Take a look to below to get a taste of what it was like working with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park for these fin-tastic 3 years.
What first inspired you to get involved as a volunteer with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park?
‘Helping people feel connected to the sea is something I’ve always been very passionate about, particularly if it encourages the public to get involved in helping protect our blue spaces. Plus, it sounded like an opportunity to try new things most students wouldn’t do during their degrees (and it definitely was).’
Looking back, what has been your proudest moment during your time volunteering?
‘My first time doing a large community engagement event at the first National Marine Aquarium open weekend. I was brought on to chat with people about the marine park and how they engaged with the sea as well as collect feedback on the event. You wouldn’t believe it if you knew me but the task felt so out of my comfort zone. Approaching strangers and starting up a conversation with few prompts about where to even begin?! For someone who had lived in a new city away from home for less than a year, this sounded impossible!
However, once I got started, I found myself getting in such a rhythm that you wouldn’t think I’d had any worries at all! It really surprised me at the time and I felt proud of myself for proving myself wrong and taking what would be my first step to community engagement being my main role within the volunteer group. Sometimes, we doubt our abilities and shy away from opportunities because we think we’ll fall flat on our face and then, if you let yourself give it a go, you learn you’re a lot more capable than you give yourself credit for!’
What new skills or experiences have you gained since joining the volunteer team?
‘One really important public speaking skill I learnt which people often don’t think about is how to make science and conservation not just easy to understand by anyone regardless of knowledge on the topic but also exciting to hear about. Sometimes, these things speak for themselves but sometimes you have to explain why seagrass or seaweed (sorry Millie!) are worth hearing about and that’s where it’s good to know how to make such a topic sound like the most amazing thing they’ll ever hear! I’ve had many new experiences while volunteering with National Marine Park too.
I’ve got to connect with organisations such as Ocean Conservation Trust, Shark Trust, The Rock Pool Project, The Box, the list goes on! I’ve got to visit coastlines all across Plymouth and be a part of managing events (also a skill you don’t get experience in from getting a degree!), ensuring they all run smoothly. And I can identify animals in a rockpool much better now which is always a bonus!’
How have you seen the Park — or the community — change during your time here?
‘I’ve been a passenger on the Park’s development from a small team with a Marine Park designation engaging the community who had never heard of a Marine Park to the large organisation organising grand development projects planting seagrass, releasing rays, renovating Tinside Lido and seeing the brand and name known by practically everyone in the city.’
Can you share a funny or touching story from your time volunteering?
‘How can I not mention the inflatable shark costume? We only ever took it out for summer events so it got so hot in there BUT it was the highlight of everyone’s day when that shark appeared at an event and both kids and adults alike got so excited to see you and take photos. Something I found touching about volunteering was meeting people who knew nothing about marine life but who brought such wonder and curiosity to conversations about plankton or crabs or even seaweed!’
What’s one thing you wish more people knew about the National Marine Park?
‘There are ways to connect with the Marine Park beyond water sports or rockpooling on the beach, including things I’d never considered before such as marine heritage and mindfulness/’blue therapy’. I met so many people while volunteering who brought different perspectives to their relationship with the sea and I think everyone has a connection to the sea, even if they live nowhere near it. I think it’s worth taking the time to explore how you personally feel connected to the sea because you’ll find the list is longer than you think.’
What would you say to someone who’s thinking about volunteering but isn’t sure where to start?
‘Start with what you love doing (for example, that was all things marine biology for me) because you’ll realise stepping out of your comfort zone as volunteering often encourages is so much easier if you love what you doing. I don’t think I’d be nearly as confident of a speaker if I’d started off trying to talk to people about history rather than telling people about my favourite wildlife in rockpools. And don’t forget no-one expects you to be perfect all the time so don’t beat yourself up over making mistakes or not knowing things. We’re all figuring out these skills as we go, even the rangers!’
In what ways do you feel that volunteering has made a difference in your own life?
‘I’ve become a far better public speaker than when I first arrived at Plymouth and I think that confidence to talk in front of small and large groups has also improved my self-confidence and social skills in other settings! I also feel more connected to Plymouth as a community which helped me feel more at home in the city, not just someone stopping by to study for a few years before moving on.’
A huge thank you to Jonas for all the passion, energy, and dedication he’s brought to Plymouth Sound National Marine Park over the past few years—his friendly spirit and commitment have truly made a splash within our team and the wider community. We’re so grateful for everything he’s done to connect people with the sea, and we wish him the very best of luck as he dives into his Master’s and all the exciting adventures ahead.