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Volunteer in South Africa with International Volunteer HQ today. IVHQ’s local staff in South Africa require volunteers NOW! IVHQ has a wide range of volunteering projects in South Africa, including Teaching, Orphanage/Childcare, Surf Outreach, Sports Development and Computer Training.
LOCATION OF SOUTH AFRICA VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
IVHQ has volunteer placements located near central Cape Town. These programs are based in Capricorn/Vrygrond community in Muizenberg, which is approximately 30 - 40 minutes from Cape Town city centre. Where you are placed depends on the need for volunteers at the time you apply and also the project you have chosen.
START AND DURATION OF SOUTH AFRICA VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
Programs begin on the 1st and 3rd Monday of each month. Volunteers can choose to volunteer for durations ranging from 1 week to 6 months.
SOUTH AFRICA VOLUNTEER REQUIREMENTS
Volunteers must be 18 years or older at the beginning of the program and have at least a high school education. Volunteers wishing to participate on the Surf Outreach project must be competent swimmers. Volunteers wishing to participate on the Computer Teaching project must be computer literate. All volunteers on the South Africa program must take out adequate travel insurance for their trip. All volunteers must provide a criminal background check to IVHQ partner staff on arrival in South Africa.
HOW MANY OTHER VOLUNTEERS WILL THERE BE?
SOUTH AFRICA VOLUNTEER TESTIMONIALS
SOUTH AFRICA VOLUNTEER PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
TEACHING
Volunteers on the teaching project are placed in one of 2 local public schools where they will be working alongside teachers and other volunteers. Typical subjects taught at the schools include English, Mathematics, Life Skills, Social Studies, Art and Physical studies; volunteers may also be asked to help with other activities at the school, including the sports project. The schools run throughout the year and a typical school year has holidays during January, April, June, September and December. Towards the end of each term exams will be written; teaching work is therefore limited during these periods. Volunteers should note that if they apply for the teaching program during the school holidays, they will automatically be placed in another program in South Africa which runs over the holidays such as Childcare or Sports Development. Volunteers also do not need to be a qualified or experienced teacher to participate on this project.
Please refer to the school holiday calendar down below:
CHILDCARE
The childcare program consists of caring for children, providing education and designing activities for the children and helping with general duties of the centre, such as teaching, feeding, cooking, and caring for children and babies. There are a variety of day care centres for volunteers to work at. All the children at the centres are from very poor backgrounds and broken homes. Some of them have lost their parents to crime, alcohol, drug abuse and HIV/Aids, which means the children have to live with relatives or neighbors who sometimes do not take proper care of the children.
COMPUTER TRAINING PROJECT
The IVHQ Computer Training program allows our volunteers to help local children develop their computer skills. A number of small towns and townships have computer facilities available for public use, but very few locals have computer skills and therefore are unable to utilise these. The volunteers can therefore make a valuable contribution by teaching basic computer skills which not only allow the children in townships and rural communities access to the internet, but also upskills them and help with their employment prospects. This project is run through a local school which means volunteers will be required to participate in another placement during school holidays. Volunteers in this program can also assist with the teaching program to ensure they have enough work per day. Towards the end of each term exams will be written and teaching work is limited during the exam periods. NB. Volunteers on this program must be computer literate and ideally have some computer relevant qualifications. Please refer to the school holiday calendar down below:
SPORTS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
Like most African countries, South Africa has a great number of children living in poverty. Although most will attend school during the day, children often have no one or no activity to occupy their time after school which can lead them into trouble. You will see some of these children begging for money on the streets, stealing, drinking and engaging in substance abuse. Our Sport Development project operates in schools around the Western Cape region, and focuses on developing both physical skills and general life skills. Volunteers will generally work with children from Grade 1 to Grade 7 and be responsible for the planning and delivery of creative and innovative Physical Education lessons which link directly to the Learning Outcomes set out by the Western Cape Education Department. During the school holidays an activity project is run by volunteers and the local Sports Development coordinator which involves a variety of activities aimed at promoting a child’s physical, social and personal development.
SURF OUTREACH PROJECT
Surfing is one of the most thrilling and exciting water sports anyone can get involved in. We have incorporated this timeless activity into a project which provides local children, from the schools we work with, the opportunity to learn how to surf in addition to teaching them valuable life skills. Our surf pupils are aged between 9-15 years and are able to speak English but their home language may be Afrikaans or Xhosa. Grades 4 and 5 rotate fortnightly with Grades 6 and 7; such regular contact with pupils enables volunteers to see the progression of all involved. Duties include, but are not limited to; cleaning wetsuits, cleaning the Surf Development Centre, preparing sandwiches for the children, planning activities and teaching the pupils how to surf or play beach games (3 days a week are spent surfing and 2 days a week are spent playing beach games). Surf Volunteers will also spend a day a week in one of our schools to see how pupils are responding in an academic setting, as surfing out of school hours is treated as a privilege. You will also be given the chance to learn how to surf with an instructor and have full use of surf boards in the mornings. The surf project is a lot of fun and your efforts and hard work will be met with great appreciation by the children. It is important to note that the program incorporates surfing as well as school duties, teaching the children life skills and delivering other fun activities.
All volunteers on this program MUST know how to swim but you do not need to know how to surf. Due to the nature of the activities this program has different fees from the other South African programs.
SOUTH AFRICA PROGRAM COSTS
One of the strengths of IVHQ is our extremely affordable fees. Click here to see the program cost to volunteer in South Africa and what you receive in exchange for your fees.
ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS
Volunteers will be housed in either a volunteer house or a home stay with a local family where you will live with other volunteers. The accommodation is always safe and secure with the houses located in a safe suburb near the community where volunteers will be working. Volunteers can expect to share a room with other volunteers, so it is kindly requested that each volunteer keeps the rooms tidy and to be considerate of the roommates. There will be an in-country house keeper to make sure that the house is clean and a cook to make sure all the meals will be prepared and ready for volunteers. While bedding is provided it is recommended that volunteers bring their own sleeping bag and towels for any trips away. Bottled water is readily available in South Africa and volunteers should budget approximately US$5 per week for this (2 litres per day), however, tap water is fine to drink in most parts. Breakfasts generally consist of tea, toast and cereal. A typical lunch will consists of sandwiches and possibly fruit while dinner usually sees tasty meals containing meat, vegetable and a source of carbohydrates such as potatoes, bread or pasta. Breakfast is taken in the morning at the volunteer house, and then lunch is usually a packed sandwich to take with to your project. Dinner/supper is served in the evening at the volunteer house. If you have special dietary requirements, please let us know ahead of time so that we can make arrangements for you. However, we need to stress the point that you should not expect to eat as you normally do at home. We will do our best to see that you are well taken care of, but also as a volunteer, there is a need to be flexible. You are here to experience a new culture and way of life, and should understand that it will be different than your own home.
ORIENTATION
Orientation will begin on the first and third Monday of each month and last for approximately half a day. Orientation will be conducted by the South African team of staff that will meet you at the volunteer house. Orientation will cover all that volunteers need to know to make their stay as comfortable as possible at their volunteering placements in South Africa - Introduction to South Africa, South African Customs, Rules and Expectations, Safety, Travel Opportunities in South Africa and Introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socialising.
VOLUNTEER WEEK
- Breakfast will be available in the morning at the volunteer house.
- Volunteers will leave their accommodation to walk, or will take public transport to the project after breakfast. Once they arrive at the project they will meet with the staff.
- Work at the projects ends between 12.30pm-5pm depending on your project and where you are placed. In their free time, volunteers are free to do their shopping, visit tourist attractions or just relax.
- Lunch break is usually from 1-2pm (packed lunch).
- Dinner with other volunteer/s will be every evening at the volunteer house.
South Africa Volunteer Fees
| Volunteer Period | Program Fee US$ | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Week | 250 | ||
| 2 Weeks | 400 | ||
| 3 Weeks | 550 | ||
| 1 Month (4 weeks) | 675 | ||
| 6 weeks | 825 | ||
| 2 months (8 weeks) | 1100 | ||
| 10 Weeks | 1350 | ||
| 3 Months (12 weeks) | 1550 | ||
| 4 Months (16 weeks) | 2000 | ||
| 5 Months (20 weeks) | 2450 | ||
| 6 Months (24 weeks) | 2900 | ||
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To convert these prices to your local currency click here. |
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What do my fees pay for?
Registration Fee (Refundable if you choose not to go*) – 24/7 support from IVHQ staff, program marketing costs, information pack, administration costs, travel costs to inspect programs and communication costs with volunteers.
Program Fee – Airport pick up, orientation, program supervision, accommodation and meals during volunteer placement period, In-country 24/7 support and In-country administration costs.
What additional costs will I have?
Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), transfer back to the airport at conclusion of program, vaccinations, souvenirs, spending money (volunteers in South Africa generally find US$30 to be sufficient for basic weekly expenses).
South Africa Surf Program Fees
| Volunteer Period | Program Fee US$ | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Week | 320 | ||
| 2 Weeks | 540 | ||
| 3 Weeks | 760 | ||
| 1 Month (4 weeks) | 955 | ||
| 6 weeks | 1245 | ||
| 2 months (8 weeks) | 1660 | ||
| 10 Weeks | 2050 | ||
| 3 Months (12 weeks) | 2390 | ||
| 4 Months (16 weeks) | 3120 | ||
| 5 Months (20 weeks) | 3850 | ||
| 6 Months (24 weeks) | 4580 | ||
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To convert these prices to your local currency click here. |
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What do my fees pay for?
Registration Fee (Refundable if you choose not to go*) – 24/7 support from IVHQ staff, program marketing costs, information pack, administration costs, travel costs to inspect programs and communication costs with volunteers.
Program Fee – Airport pick up, orientation, program supervision, accommodation and meals during volunteer placement period, surf supervisor and instructor, In-country 24/7 support and In-country administration costs.
What additional costs will I have?
Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), transfer back to the airport at conclusion of program, vaccinations, souvenirs, spending money (volunteers in South Africa generally find US$30 to be sufficient for basic weekly expenses).
