Sports Development Volunteer Project in South Africa - Cape Town

During the program I realised and appreciated the lifestyle of children and adults in the community we worked in. Also away from school I learned about the local culture. In the house I also met volunteers from many parts of the world and learned about their traditions and cultures. It is a great way to meet friends, of all ages and all cultures, some friendships will last a lifetime. It is also great to see how many volunteers I have met previously returning to the programme.

I would recommend the programme to anyone who is thinking about doing volunteer work. If you are going alone it is not a problem as you will soon be made welcome by the other volunteers and make new friendships almost as soon as you arrive. There is a supermarket, many shops and cafes nearby.

Having been involved with the programme previously I was aware of what to expect but every day was still a new learning day, different volunteers from different parts of the world. Anyone thinking of going for a first time should not hesitate. The people you meet at the programme and the volunteers you meet become friends and you will have memories for a lifetime.

I really enjoyed my time spent on the IVHQ sports programme. I learnt a lot about the different culture out in South Africa, and its amazing to see how different it is compared to the rest of the world, particularly where I'm from. I gained a lot more confidence completing this program; making new friends, trying new foods, going to new places etc. It is also a great way to gain experience with children of different backgrounds, learning how to react if and when they do things, how to communicate with them, but also how to gain that bond with them, and how they can gain your trust, particularly if they have learning difficulties or come from a difficult background.

A piece of advice for someone wanting to do something like this is just do it. It doesn't matter how long you go for, it is so worth it. There is never a dull moment, and everyone in the team at the accommodation I was staying at made me feel at home, and you will make friends very quickly and you will most likely find someone or a group of individuals that you will bond with the best!

I feel I gained cultural knowledge from being in such a different place than I'm used to. I learned a lot about these children lives and what it's like for them to live. I learned how to be there for them even for a short time.

Some advice I would give to other volunteers is that it's normal to be nervous at first but don't let that stop you from joining a program. It will leave you with the best feelings being with those children and being in such a beautiful place.