If you love kids, then look no further! Perhaps you may want to spend all your time in Cape Town as a teacher aide, assistant coach or general helper or you may want join Volunteer Africa 32, as a team teacher in one of the most beautiful places in South Africa, The Wild Coast. You may want to combine the 2 projects.
THE CAPE TOWN PROJECT: WHO SHOULD CHOOSE THIS PROGRAM? The program requires people with maturity and initiative. A minimum age of 21 is required, unless volunteers have previous experience. The program is a grass routes project which often requires flexibility.
WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING? Volunteers will be assisting teachers at Woodlands Primary School, helping in the library and reading to children. For those of you who like to play sport, you may offer to assist with the rope skipping and soccer in the afternoon.
PROJECT TIMES: The project runs from 10am – 5pm Monday to Thursday, during South African School Terms. The 2010 School Terms are as follows: TERM ONE: Wednesday 13th January to Friday 26th March TERM TWO: Monday 12th April to Wednesday 9th June TERM THREE: Monday 13th July to Thursday 23rd September TERM FOUR: Monday 4th October to Friday 10th December The GCU Academy will be running a winter program during the World Cup. Volunteers may join the winter program.
THE PLACEMENT FEE & PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR: Please note your placement fee of R3000.00 is for each cycle of 6 weeks. The placement fee is spent as follows: R500 goes to The Backpack for administration and marketing costs. R2500 goes to the non-profit organization, Great Commission United which is administered by the founder member Mario Van Niekerk. Mario founded the Academy in 2001. If you decide to extend your stay, an additional R400 per week must be given to Mario. Mario is the project co-ordinator for the volunteers at Woodlands Primary School and the GCU Academy.
TRANSPORTATION: You are responsible for your own transportation costs. These vary depending on the number of volunteers and interns on the program. These costs vary from R200 to R800 per week per person. You may wish to hire a vehicle from The Backpack & Africa Travel Centre for the duration of your placement.
ACCOMMODATION: We will assist you with accommodation. depending on your requirements. Accommodation can vary from shared dormitories to private rooms with families in Cape Town. Accommodation prices vary from R900 to R1500 per week. Private rooms can be arranged on request and are subject to availability. All meals are not included.
WHO IS WHO IN THE PROJECT: Mario van Niekerk is the project manager and co-ordinator. His contact details will be given to you on arrival. Mr Koert is the headmaster of Woodlands Primary School. Toni Shina and Lee Harris are the owners of The Backpack & Africa Travel Centre, who are responsible for overseeing all the volunteers and interns.
WHAT TO DO DURING YOUR DAYS OFF: The Backpack & Africa Travel Centre is an award winning hostel and travel shop. We have many weekend getaways, daytrips and short safaris.
THE VOLUNTEER AFRICA 32 PROJECT Volunteer Africa 32 Degrees South (VA32) is volunteer organisation based in Chintsa, on the beautiful Wild Coast of South Africa. Since 2004 VA32 has been working to help support and develop rural communities through education and conservation initiatives with an onus on strengthening the social and environmental awareness of the communities we work with.
On the Wild Coast Schools Teaching Project we place volunteers in the centre of rural and peri-urban/low economic communities where we currently support six rural schools. At four of these we have developed networked computer labs and provide computer classes to learners from grade R to grade 7, with intermittent support to two high schools based on the schools’ needs.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS PROJECT: It is vital for the young learners of these schools to gain a basic computer skill set which can lead them to a broader range of educational and employment opportunities after school. VA32 reach out to 600 learners EVERY week, consistantly providing them with the oppotunity to develop their knowledge and practical skills in IT.
WHAT WILL VOLUNTEERS DO? Volunteers will team teach in their assigned school, where their own individual skills are utilized and they are given all the support that they need to provide the children with a consistently high level of education as well as the opportunity to learn about and work within rural South African culture. Volunteers also drive community initiatives such as sports, adult computer literacy classes, "Project Clean-up" and "Conscious Cinema". These additional projects extend the work that VA32 does within the community, to help to "instil a pride of place and space through positive change" along with the residents of the community. WHO CAN VOLUNTEER? A minimum age of 18 applies for all VA32 placements. A basic knowledge of computer skills in required together with an energy and enthusiasm towards teaching in Africa. New volunteers are asked to commit to a minimum placement of 4 weeks on the schools project to allow a sense of security for the learners and facilitate the building of productive relationships. There is no maximum time: the longer you stay, the stronger you become.
Highlightsof the Wild Coast Schools Project include: Working alongside a highly motivated, committed and knowledgeable team of staff & co-ordinators to deliver quality lessons and initiatives to local learners. 2 day orientation: meet the team, visit the schools and take time to acclimatise yourself to your new surroundings. Private volunteer house 5 minutes walk from the stunning Chintsa beach.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? 4 weeks: R10 500 Additional weeks: R2 250 What’s included? All accommodation & meals On site co-ordinators and project facilitators Transport to & from project daily Airport transfers Free VA32 t-shirt
