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The Project
Become a teaching volunteer in South Africa and provide teaching support in the community of Red Hill, on the outskirts of Cape Town. You will be based in one of three small pre-schools in this disadvantaged community. Each of these schools works with limited resources to teach children up to the age of 6 and provide them with a safe and enriching learning environment. Where possible, the schools also provide nutrition through school meals.
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Why the project needs you
Children in Red Hill Pre-schools have a severe lack of facilities and at some of the schools are taught from containers that have been brought into the community as donations. As a volunteer you will work as a teaching assistant in the classroom. You will find that most of the schools have meager and ill-equipped facilities, but a wealth of children with a desire to learn. As a volunteer, you will assist teachers and contribute to our effort of providing children with a better education, in the knowledge that your volunteering efforts are securing the ongoing support of this excellent facility.
Project Location
Cape Town is considered amongst the most beautiful cities in the world, with it’s crystal blue waters resting under the shadow of the magnificent Table Mountain, with the city wrapped around it’s base. Your accommodation sits outside the main bustle of the city in the seaside suburb of Hout Bay - a short walk from the beach and an easy rise into the city. Home of the Red Bull big wave surf contest, its white sandy beaches attract sunbathers and sports enthusiast, alike. In your spare time, visit the cape peninsular where penguins dive around bathers at the beach and the more adventurous can take at trip to meet the infamous Great White Shark. With trips to the wine regions for those preferring to stay on dry land, there is always much to do here.
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Project Facts
• Duration: 2-8 weeks (from May-July only 4 & 8 weeks placements accepted)
• Cost: £975 ($1706) for 2 weeks, £199 ($348) for each week thereafter
• Requirements: age 17+
• Location: Cape Town, South Africa
• Project activities: assistant teaching, reading and crafts with children Sports coaching, work with disadvantaged and vulnerable children, help uplift a community through education, health, building and sport.
• Working hours: 07:45 - 16:30, Monday –Friday
• Project availability: Projects start 1st and 3rd Monday every month. Project closed 9th December - 9th January. During the months of June and July this project is only available for a maximum of 4 weeks
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What is included
• Accommodation: Shared room in a volunteer House
• Food: 3 meals per day - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Airport pick up and drop off
• Weekly laundry service
• Training: Pre-departure information pack, on-site Orientation and project induction provided.
• Support: 24 hour support from on-site coordinators
• Daily transfers to and from your project.
• Activities: A cableway trip to the summit of Table Mountain where you will find the best views of Cape Town. The cable car's rotating floor ensures that all passengers get a 360 degree aerial view of the city.
• Activities: A visit to Cape Point, situated within the Southern Section of Table Mountain National Park which is globally recognized for its extraordinarily rich, diverse and unique fauna and flora - with rugged cliffs, steep slopes and sandy flats! See the baboons and perhaps some ostrich or buck if you are lucky!
• Activities: A trip to Boulders Beach, home to a growing colony of the vulnerable African Penguin. Wooden walkways allow visitors to view the penguins in their natural habitat and visitors will love the penguins and their antics. Also a safe and enjoyable swimming or snorkelling spot.
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What is not included
• Flights
• Insurance
• Visas
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Role of the volunteer
As a volunteer you will assist in the teaching, provide one on one tuition with children, organise special needs classes for those who need a little extra support, lead crafts and arts activities and help provide meals at lunch times.
In the afternoons, you will be involved with community development projects. The projects that you will work with will depend on need and availability of volunteers, but here are some examples of the community work you can engage with:
Building and painting schools
Schools in this area deal with a great shortage of classrooms and facilities, as a result of which they are limited to the amount of children they can accommodate. As a volunteer, you will assist with fixing fences and windows, and rebuilding and painting classrooms. This project will also involve community litter, glass and rubbish collection.
HIV and AIDS Orphanage
We work with an HIV/AIDS orphanage situated in the heart of one of the peninsula townships, providing a safe and healthy home to children whose parents and family members are unable to look after them. As a volunteer, you will be involved in spending invaluable time with the wonderful children there, including supervising homework and playing educational games, as well as making friendships. The children at the home make this community project a delight and an incredible amount of fun!
Mini Farming Projects
Assist in vegetable gardens which have been set up at local preschools to help them provide sustainable nutrition for the children, who are often under-nourished. You might get the opportunity to immerse yourself in a mini-farm project, with activities ranging from the basics of a vegetable garden, to building an underground drainage system to save on water.
Children's centres and library assistance
Volunteers will have the chance to help with projects at various childcare facilities, teaching and helping with homework along with playing and interacting with the children! The local library also offers several initiatives which you may become involved in.
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Skills Required
Teaching in the schools requires no formal experience but those who have worked with children before or in an educational setting are most desired. As projects like this have many needs and with childrens needs changing each day the adaptability of volunteers to help in different situations is key to the project.
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Your life outside the project
Cape Town has many things for you to do from cosmopolitan city life, great wildlife and outdoor adventures on Table Mountain. Besides living close to one of Cape Town’s safest and most popular beaches, you will be just minutes from the famous “arty” seaside village of Kalk Bay – with its myriad of quaint little cafes, book stores, theatres and much more. Kalk Bay also boasts some of the best hangout bars and cafes including: The Brass Bell – a well known restaurant and pub on the seaside rocks of the Bay, The Polana – a lovely drinks lounge with huge glass windows overlooking the ocean and its crashing waves (generally a live band performs on Friday nights and the place is always packed!), Cape to Cuba – a great local cocktail bar and Olympia Café – you will not find a better croissant in the Cape!
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Ideas for Independent Travel
Kruger National Park
This is South Africa's largest game reserve and one of the oldest in Africa. The park is now part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, an area designated by the United Nations Education and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve. Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. The best time to go is during the dry season (May - September) when the plains are sparse and animals are easier to view.
Drakensburg Mountains
The Drakensberg mountains of South Africa, known as the barrier of spears is a 200-kilometre-long mountainous world heritage site. There are a number of adventure activities that you can do including rock or ice- climbing, abseiling, white water rafting or take a helicopter ride to view the Drakenberg mountains from above.
Surfing in South Africa
South Africa is renowned around the world for it's many surfing hotspots due to the mix of beautiful coastal scenery and high quality surf. There is a strong surfing culture and way of life that is very contagious due to the friendly people and their enthusiasm and passion for the sport. Whether you are a novice or more experienced you will love surfing in South Africa. In the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, about an hour’s drive southwest of Port Elizabeth, Jeffreys Bay is one of the most famous surfing destinations in the world. Especially great during the winter months of June, July, and August, surfers come here for a great ride and for the renowned blue flag beaches.
Project Quality
Kaya evaluates every project we offer to ensure that we only commit to programmes with genuine need for volunteer aid, not just financial assistance. We develop relationships with the projects and help shape initiatives to ensure in the long run that we do not encourage dependence on outside help, but rather establish foundations on which the people can build and develop themselves. We also ensure that the members of those communities are open and eager to learn and discover our culture, as we become a part of theirs. The quality and sustainability of our programmes are very important to us. We want you to have the most fulfilling and memorable time as possible, and be part of something that is going to last into future generations.
Accommodation & Meals
Volunteers stay in a volunteer house, where, in most cases, they share their room with other volunteers. Shared rooms are usually single-sex. For most placements two to three meals a day are provided, all included in the placement fees. In most houses there will be a cook to prepare your food for you and a cleaner to ensure the house is clean and tidy, though in some of our locations volunteers will be expected to assist with these chores. For more information about the amenities at the house see accommodation summary or please contact one of our advisors.
In-Country Coordinators
Each country coordinator is there to make sure your time in your programme runs smoothly. They will pick you up from the airport and take you on your orientation. All in-country coordinators are English speaking and are there to ensure you have all the information and resources for the best placement.
24/7 Emergency Support
As well as support from your in-country coordinators, you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line managed by Kaya staff, in case any problem should arise while you're overseas.
Kaya Help-desk
Each member of Kaya staff have worked, travelled, studied or volunteered abroad, and many staff have visited and volunteered in our projects knowing firsthand the country and nature of the programme placements. Their knowledge of international travel and volunteering is invaluable, and they can give you good advice and tips to make the most of your international placement.
Briefing Pack & Materials
Once you have booked a programme, an information pack will be sent out detailing everything you need to know - from specific project details and vaccinations required to the visa application process.
Airport Pickup
When you arrive at your destination a member of Kaya staff will meet you with a warm welcome at the airport and take you to your accommodation to get you set up for your stay.
Cultural Excursions
Kaya staff are at hand to help organise weekend excursions and activities, which can include visiting cultural places of significance and visiting various projects around the area. This way you can learn firsthand about each project and take part in local cultural and adventure activities.
Arrival Orientation
Shortly after you arrive you will be given your orientation by one of our in-country coordinators. They will show you your placement, local transport, take you into the local town, and show you things you can do in your spare time. Information regarding safety and security will be given along with some much needed lingo when moving and travelling around the area.
Funding for Individual Projects
If on your placement you wish to start up your own sub-project, a reasonable amount of funding will be provided. An example is: one volunteer arranged a basketball tournament for the street children where funding was provided for team shirts and trophies. This is a good chance to make your own lasting mark on a project and the people of your chosen country.
Local Community Benefits
Not only is your participation on your project of great help to the local communities, but so is the boost to the local economy that volunteers create while they are visiting.
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