Since its inception in 2017, AWARE Week has been a driving force for encouraging and inspiring the global dive community to lead and participate in conservation activities. As managers and professionals at PADI Dive Centers, you have a unique opportunity during AWARE Week to raise awareness of conservation initiatives, contribute to global efforts at your local sites, and unite your Torchbearer community. In this article, we’ll discuss tips for hosting AWARE Week Activities, starting with some activity ideas and finishing with how to ensure maximum impact and engagement.
AWARE Week Activity Ideas
Before we dive into our tips for hosting and advertizing your AWARE Week activities, let’s first explore some creative ideas for bringing your community together and creating awareness around conservation issues in your area.
1. Teach PADI AWARE Specialty Courses
Celebrate AWARE Week by offering PADI AWARE specialty courses, educating divers, freedivers, mermaids, and ocean enthusiasts about the importance of ocean conservation. This is a fantastic opportunity to promote and teach the new digital PADI AWARE Specialty course. Regardless of age, diving experience (including those who have none), or location, anyone can take this course! Additionally, consider promoting the AWARE Shark Conservation, Coral Reef Conservation, and Dive Against Debris specialty courses to divers in your area. By doing so, you not only promote ocean conservation but also create new business opportunities for your dive center.
2. Recruit PADI Torchbearers
PADI’s mission is to create a generation of ocean advocates who are committed to preserving and protecting the ocean. You can contribute to the Ocean Torchbearer mission in the following ways:
- Recruit PADI Torchbearers: Encourage every diver who visits your dive center or resort to join the global network of ocean advocates. Incorporate this message into your briefings, schedule, and conversations. The more PADI Torchbearers we have, the stronger our collective ability to drive meaningful and lasting change for the ocean.
- Display a PADI Torchbearer Sign-Up Sheet at Your Dive Center: Place the PADI Torchbearer Sign-Up Sheet at your front desk and offer it to divers while they fill out forms. At the end of the day, a staff member can manually add the details here.
3. Arrange a Fundraiser
Organizing and hosting a fundraiser is an excellent way to bring people together and contribute to conservation efforts. Here are some exciting ideas for fundraising events:
- Competitions: Plan a sports or gaming tournament, a costume competition, an underwater photo scavenger hunt, an underwater sports day, or a quiz night. Request a PADI AWARE donation as the price of entry.
- Collection Jars: Place collection jars in high-traffic areas, such as the entrance, front desk, or cafe at your facility, and encourage people to donate.
- Raffle Tickets/Silent Auctions: Create prize packages and sell raffle tickets or hold silent auctions. Be sure to advertise the event widely in advance to attract more participants.
- Sponsored Activities/Local Business Partnerships: Consider partnering with local businesses to host a sponsored activity day or event. They can contribute a portion of their proceeds to the AWARE Foundation.
Before hosting a fundraiser, be sure to check on local laws on raising funds and donations in order to ensure your event doesn’t violate any regulations in your area.
4. Hold a Dive Against Debris Survey
Join forces with your local community to organize a Dive Against Debris survey. Logging the debris you find underwater can have a massive impact on future scientific research and policy-making decisions. The revised “Dive Against Debris Resource Toolkit” offers a comprehensive range of survey and marketing tools, teaching materials, and valuable assets to support you and your divers. To amplify the impact of this event, consider integrating the Dive Against Debris Specialty course into your event. This will enhance divers’ understanding and enrich their survey experience, emphasizing the significance of marine conservation.
5. Offer a Conservation-Themed Dive Trip
Consider making your daily dive trips for the week conservation-themed. Ensure every dive and surface interval revolves around conservation. Do you have unique or interesting marine life in your area? Consider creating a conservation dive experience by combining an educational talk (more on that later) with a dive trip. Include a donation to PADI AWARE in the cost of the experience and grow your offering by allowing divers to advance the conservation strategy and come face-to-face with the marine life they are saving. Make sure you add these trips to your Dive Shop Locator listing and the Conservation Activities Locator.
6. Give Eco-Briefings
Enhance your boat and dive briefings by incorporating environmental messaging using the PADI AWARE partner Green Fins’ Eco Briefing Guide. Additionally, motivate your divers to bring their own refillable water bottles, avoid single-use plastics, and actively participate in conservation activities.
7. Host a Documentary Film Night
Organize a documentary film night to educate people about environmental conservation and marine life. Documentaries such as A Plastic Ocean (free on Youtube), Mission Blue, (trailer here, full film on Netflix), Chasing Coral (free on Youtube), and Our Planet (“Coastal Seas” episode for free on YouTube + behind the scenes in the Great Barrier Reef here) are great films to showcase. After the screening, lead a discussion to encourage attendees to talk about ways we can protect marine life and consider donations.
8. Host an Educational Talk
Enhance AWARE Week by inviting local marine biologists, conservationists, and experts to deliver talks on marine conservation. This will not only educate your audience but will also help establish your dive center as a source of conservation information in your area. You can use PADI lesson guide presentations from the Dive Against Debris, AWARE Shark Conservation, and also the newly revised PADI AWARE Specialty courses to enhance your conservation talks. You can even issue a certificate for it to participants! Additionally, this is a great time to place collection jars around your dive center or resort for voluntary donations.
9. Organize a Social Event
Plan a BBQ, picnic, potluck, themed party, or any other social gathering at your dive center or resort. These events present excellent opportunities to raise awareness about PADI AWARE’s conservation strategy, gather donations, and foster connections with your local community.
These event ideas are just the beginning! Get involved in AWARE Week in any way that resonates with you and helps support marine conservation in your local area. But don’t limit your efforts to just one week – continue making a difference all year round. Keep reading for tips on how to maximize your involvement and make a lasting impact.
Tips for Successful AWARE Week Events
Planning an amazing AWARE Week activity or event is a great first step. Next, you need to ensure people can find and attend your event. There are likely hundreds of people inside and outside your existing diving community who want to get involved in local conservation actions. Here’s how to maximize attendance at your events.
1. Advertize Your AWARE Week Activities in Advance
Organize and list your activities in advance. Let your customers know what to expect and encourage their participation. Learn how to market your AWARE Week event through the Conservation Activities Locator. Get your hands on the AWARE Week Marketing Toolkit and watch the AWARE Week Webinars.
2. Become a PADI Eco Center
Consider becoming PADI ECO Center and joining the ranks of prestigious environmental stewards. By earning this accreditation, you can demonstrate your commitment to conservation and sustainability, establishing yourself as a leader in the dive industry. Discover more about the criteria for PADI ECO Centers here.
3. Join Forces with Local Partners
Work together with local businesses, conservation organizations, and dive centers/resorts in your area to plan conservation activities together. Empower your entire team to contribute ideas and take responsibility for conservation efforts. Believing in our abilities to save the ocean will accelerate our progress toward our conservation goals.
4. Talk About It
To ensure that divers are aware of AWARE Week, it is crucial to engage in discussions about your events. Educate your divers about the importance of conservation and encourage them to participate in the events at your dive center or resort. Utilize social media and blogging platforms to spread the word, and keep your customers informed about the initiatives you will be undertaking.
5. Get Social
Tag @paditv and @padiaware in your social media stories and posts, and use the hashtags below to share your AWARE Week activities. This will give you the chance to be featured in our social media posts and celebratory photo albums!
#AWAREWeek #SaveTheOcean #DiveAgainstDebris #LocalActionGlobalImpact #EveryDiveaSurveyDive
Join us in making a positive impact on our planet’s most precious resource during AWARE Week and beyond. As PADI Dive Centers, Resorts and Professionals, you are leading the way in promoting ocean conservation. We hope these ideas inspire you to host a successful AWARE Week and nurture your commitment to the oceans all year round. Together, we can make a local difference with global significance and create eco-friendly opportunities for your business. For any questions, please contact [email protected].
