1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 Do you ever feel disconnected from ocean action? You sign the petition, you donate, you share the post, and you still don't feel like you're doing the work. Andrew knows the feeling. Fresh out of his undergrad, he emailed organization after organization offering to help for free, and mostly heard nothing back. In this episode he explains why that happens (it usually comes down to trust and how organizations take on volunteers), and how to get past it. He also retells the story of Lilly Woodbury from yesterday's episode: an environmental studies grad who kept hitting the same wall until she showed up to a Surfrider meeting in Tofino. A decade later, she's the campaigns and storytelling director at Surfrider Foundation Canada. You'll hear why following your curiosity beats waiting to find your passion, why you should look for groups that invest in people, why you don't need to be a surfer to join Surfrider, and exactly what it takes to start a chapter or student club where you live. Links mentioned in this episode Surfrider Foundation Canada: https://canada.surfrider.org Start or join a chapter or club: https://canada.surfrider.org/get-involved Surfrider Canada student clubs: https://canada.surfrider.org/student-clubs Surfrider Atlantic Canada: https://atlantic.surfrider.org Surfrider Foundation (US chapters): https://www.surfrider.org Yesterday's episode: Lilly Woodbury, Surfrider Foundation Canada: https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/podcast-243/ Takeaways Offering to help for free often goes nowhere because organizations need trust and capacity to take on volunteers Big organizations mostly ask you to donate or sign; that can leave you feeling like a spectator You don't need a degree, a scuba ticket or a surfboard to contribute in a real way Follow your curiosity: showing up to one meeting or event can open doors you didn't know existed Look for groups that invest in people and help you build skills, not ones that just need tasks done People come for the impact and stay for the community, and that shared identity is how ocean culture shifts Your action this week: find one local group and go to one event. You don't have to speak; just listen Support Independent Podcasts: https://www.speakupforblue.com/patreon Need help with your ocean non-profit, company, or project? Get the help you need with Pisces Oceans Inc.: https://www.piscesoceans.ca Connect with Speak Up For Blue Website:&amp;nbsp;https://bit.ly/3fOF3Wf Instagram:&amp;nbsp;https://bit.ly/3rIaJSG TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@speakupforblue Twitter:&amp;nbsp;https://bit.ly/3rHZxpc YouTube: www.speakupforblue.com/youtube &amp;nbsp; How To Protect The Ocean https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/ <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/43579574/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/item/43579574