Giacche Verdi Bronte and the Manfred-Hermsen-Stiftung invite students to participate in a practical semester, write a Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis, or join a voluntary service programme on the western slope of Mount Etna. The placement offers hands-on experience in nature conservation, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity monitoring, and environmental education.

The rural valleys between Etna and the Nebrodi Mountains form an important wildlife migration corridor, especially for the European wildcat. The hosting organizations are working on establishing a future biosphere reserve while implementing environmental education projects, biodiversity surveys, and conservation activities. Students also gain experience with sustainable, biodiversity-friendly farming practices on the organizations’ own land.

Current project 2025-2028:

“Cutting Carbon – Promoting Biochar for Climate Change Mitigation”. This EUKI co-financed project takes place in Sicily, Croatia and North-Macedonia and focusses on carbon sequestration through the introduction of biochar into the soil, which was previously produced from tree cuttings. Fruit growers shall become climate protectors! A greening campaign promotes tree plantings and green roofs in town. Within a large-scale environmental education work for school children, we conduct a comparative Citizen Science study for trees in different substrates.

Funding

• The Erasmus+ programme enablesstudents to finance a stay abroad within the European Union.

Requirements

• flexibility, openness, and willingness to engage in diverse tasks (e.g. fieldwork, school visits)
• ability to work independently and as part of a team
• English required; Italian is an advantage
• respect for local culture and adherence to organizational guidelines

Application Deadline:

• ongoing (depending on available places)
• to apply, send your CV, photo, and motivation letter specifying your intended internship period

For more information about the internship, please refer to the attached document or visit the Giacche Verdi Bronte and the Manfred-Hermsen-Stiftung websites.