Join the Greenpeace Boat Team

The Boat Team operates our fleet of small powerboats, enabling Greenpeace to take action on water.

Apply now

Boat Team missions

The Boat Team plays an essential role in all kinds of Greenpeace campaign work. Typical missions include:

A giant pink inflatable octopus sits on the bank of the Thames directly below the Houses of Parliament, with a police boat alongside

Installing a giant octopus on the steps of Parliament

Boarding a cargo ship carrying polluting cars to the UK

Escorting and resupplying Greenpeace ships on the Thames

Commitment

The Boat Team is a close-knit and welcoming group of activists from all over the UK. Joining us is a serious commitment. Members are expected to:

Attend regular trainings

We hold eight trainings a year, and members must attend at least 80% of these.

Be available for actions

These often happen midweek, but you’ll get plenty of notice.

Support Greenpeace's values and methods

That includes non-violent direct action, which carries a risk of arrest.

Life in the Boat Team

Start your application

Ready to join the team? Apply here.

If you have any questions or concerns about applying, email actuk@greenpeace.org to get a quick answer or organise a chat.

Comments

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1. Basic info

First name(Required)

Last name(Required)

Email address(Required)

We’ll use your email address to contact you about your application.

Postcode

We use this to understand the geographical spread of our activists.

Phone number

We’ll only use this to contact you about your application, and participation in the Boat Team.

How should we refer to you?

She / her

He / him

They / them

Other

Please confirm you're 18 or over(Required)

You need to be at least 18 to join the boat team.

I am over 18 years old

2. Your motivations and experience

We use your answers to these questions to score your application, so it’s worth taking some time with them. Please give as much detail as you can, provide examples, and write from a personal viewpoint.

Tell us about yourself, your interest in joining the boat team, and your motivation for taking Non Violent Direct Action (NVDA) with Greenpeace.(Required)

What experience of volunteering do you have?

This could mean at Greenpeace or any other organisation. Please give some details about current and past roles, campaigns and activities you’ve been part of.

Have you attended Greenpeace NVDA training?(Required)

Applicants must have completed Greenpeace’s NVDA training or commit to attending the next available training in 2026.

Yes

No, but I am willing to attend the next available NVDA training this year

No, and I don’t want to attend NVDA training

Please describe your NVDA (Non-Violent Direct Action) experience

Include details like how long you have been active as an activist; how many actions you have been involved in; whether you have completed any other Greenpeace actions trainings or other actions trainings; taken low risk actions with local groups; if you have been team leader on actions and if so which ones; whether you have any experience of being arrested and any other relevant experience.

Please describe any previous boat experience, including relevant qualifications

What do you think makes a community truly welcoming and inclusive?(Required)

Tell us what would you do to help make the Greenpeace boat team more welcoming for others, even when it might feel uncomfortable or take extra effort?

How would you rate your confidence with swimming in open water?(Required)

Very high

High

Medium

Low

Very low

Do you have any experience or qualifications driving a trailer, launching and recovering boats, and road hauling boats?

Do you have any other skills, experience or qualifications you'd like to mention?

3. Your availability

Are you available to attend a mandatory taster day in Newhaven on the weekend of 14 March 2026?(Required)

We will contact you with more information about this, but please reserve this weekend for now.

Yes

Which upcoming trainings would you likely be able to attend?(Required)

The majority of trainings will take place on the south coast or in London, and will involve being away overnight. Please select all trainings you would likely be able to attend in 2026 if you are invited to join the team. (We expect a minimum of 80% attendance for boat trainings)

24-26 April

5-7 June

2-6 July

4-7 September

3-4 October

7-8 November

With notice, are you able to take action during the week?(Required)

This could potentially involve being away for a few days.

Yes

Do you have any questions or concerns about the expectations around availability?

Please let us know if there is anything relating to your availability you would like to be taken into consideration.

4. Your relationship to risk

The Boat Team take part in non violent direct actions which involve physical, emotional and legal risks. This section helps us understand how you think about these risks.There are no wrong answers here – please answer honestly as it will help us to provide additional information for you.

I feel like I am able to risk arrest on a Greenpeace action(Required)

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly disagree

What is your understanding of the risks (physical, emotional and legal) involved in NVDA and boat actions, and how do you feel about it?

Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns regarding risk.

5. Your background and identity

We encourage and prioritise applications from people who identify as people of colour, working class, and/or disabled. These communities are currently underrepresented in our volunteer network, so this information helps us understand who’s getting involved, where the barriers are, and what more we need to do to make our movement accessible to all.

Are you happy to answer some questions on your background and identity?

The questions will appear if you select ‘Yes’.

Yes

Do you consider yourself to be from a working class or low-income background?

Yes

What is your ethnic background?

Asian or Asian British

Black, African, Caribbean or Black British

Mixed or multiple ethnic groups

Other ethnic group

White

Which option best describes your Asian or Asian British background?

Which option best describes your Black, African, Caribbean or Black British background?

Which option best describes your mixed or multiple ethnic groups background?

Which option best describes your background?

Which option best describes your White background?

Do identify as disabled or having a long-term health condition?

This could include mental health conditions or neurodivergence.

Yes

Please provide some information on your disability or health condition if you feel comfortable doing so.

If you have any specific access needs, please share them here.

By submitting this form you consent to Greenpeace processing and storing your personal data to process your application and to run the activist network. Your information is safe and secure with us – read our privacy policy for more details.