Club Mer

Discover the ocean. Build confidence. Protect our marine environment.

Club Mer is a marine environmental education programme for young people aged 14 to 17, with a particular focus on adolescents from coastal communities and those facing socio-economic vulnerabilities.

Originally developed by Shoals Rodrigues and adapted by Reef Conservation since 2010, the programme combines marine science, practical learning and personal development. It gives young people the opportunity to discover Mauritius' coastal and marine environments, develop practical skills and build a stronger connection with the ocean.

Club Mer has reached more than 80 young people since its launch and has been supported by Veranda Resorts since 2024.

Learning by doing

Club Mer is built around 20 weekly sessions combining interactive talks, practical activities, laboratory work and field experiences.

Participants explore coral reefs, lagoons, seagrass beds and rocky shores while learning about the species that inhabit them and the ways in which people use and impact marine ecosystems.

The programme also includes:

• Swimming, snorkelling and basic lifesaving to develop confidence and safety in the water.

• Marine ecology and oceanography sessions introducing key concepts and principles.

• Laboratory activities to observe and identify marine organisms.

• Field studies using basic ecological monitoring techniques.

• Practical experiences that connect participants with marine environments and local communities.

What Club Mer aims to achieve ?

The programme aims to:

• Introduce young people to marine ecology and oceanography.

• Develop knowledge of coral reefs, lagoons and coastal habitats.

• Help participants identify marine species and understand their role in ecosystems.

• Build practical skills in observation, data collection and ecological monitoring.

• Promote confidence and safety in the water.

• Explore how people use marine resources and the impacts of these activities.

• Raise awareness of pollution and other threats to marine ecosystems.

• Encourage young people to contribute to the sustainable management of marine resources.

• Support personal development through hands-on learning and practical experiences.

From knowledge to action

Club Mer takes learning beyond the classroom. Through fieldwork, practical activities and time spent in the water, participants learn to observe, investigate and understand the marine environment around them.

The programme aims to give young people the knowledge, confidence and practical skills to develop a lasting connection with the ocean and become future stewards of Mauritius' coastal and marine resources.