Join us in beautiful Cape Town to create sustainable community projects to empower the local low-income communities. Provide local children with an educational advantage and the tools they need to succeed.
Program Highlights:
Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum two-week commitment, plus two-day orientation):
Arrival Day, Saturday: Arrive into Cape Town International Airport (CPT). You will be picked up by the local team and taken to your accommodation in Cape Town. After everyone has arrived, there will be a welcome barbecue dinner for all the volunteers (a South African Braai), and free time for sightseeing.
Day 1, Sunday: Continuation of your orientation, which includes tours of the major sights around Cape Town.
Day 2: Monday: Weekly volunteer meeting day - consists of training for new volunteers, administrative tasks, preparation for the program for the rest of the week.
Days 2-5, Tuesday-Friday: Rewarding volunteer work at your choice of placement. Teach in the settlements, local community schools, a farm school or other location!
Day 7, Saturday: Enjoy a group tour of Cape Point! Pickup from your accommodation is between 8 and 9:00 AM. En-route to Hout Bay you'll stop for a tourist must-have - a picture of the "12 Apostles." Your next stop will be Cape Point Nature Reserve - home to an abundance of flaura and fauna as well as baboons and ostriches to name a few animals found roaming the streets. There are two lighthouses and the most southwestern point of the African continent to be seen here and you will spend some time in the reserve. Simons Town is your lunch stop and also home to the South African Navy and a colony of penguins. Boulders Beach was set up for the penguins to roam free and is your last stop for the day before returning to the accommodation.
Day 8, Sunday: Free day for volunteers to rest or explore Cape Town and its surrounds. En-route to Hout Bay you'll stop for a tourist must-have - a picture of the "12 Apostles." Your next stop will be Cape Point Nature Reserve - home to an abundance of flaura and fauna as well as baboons and ostriches to name a few animals found roaming the streets. There are two lighthouses and the most southwestern point of the African continent to be seen here and you will spend some time in the reserve. Simons Town is your lunch stop and also home to the South African Navy and a colony of penguins. Boulders Beach was set up for the penguins to roam free and is your last stop for the day before returning to the accommodation.
Remaining Weeks: The remaining weeks will follow the schedule of volunteering Monday-Friday, and having weekends free. Departures are on a Saturday.
Check out what our past volunteers had to say!
Click to see additional volunteering projects in South Africa
Program Highlights:
- Empower the local families of the Cape Town settlements
- Volunteers have a choice of placement
- Provide educational resources to local children or assist in a preschool
- Provide assistance at a unique farm school
- Explore the beauty of Cape Town and its surrounds during free weekends
- Enjoy a group tour of Cape Point, including visits to the 12 Apostles, Hout Bay and Boulder's Beach to see African penguins
Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum two-week commitment, plus two-day orientation):
Arrival Day, Saturday: Arrive into Cape Town International Airport (CPT). You will be picked up by the local team and taken to your accommodation in Cape Town. After everyone has arrived, there will be a welcome barbecue dinner for all the volunteers (a South African Braai), and free time for sightseeing.
Day 1, Sunday: Continuation of your orientation, which includes tours of the major sights around Cape Town.
Day 2: Monday: Weekly volunteer meeting day - consists of training for new volunteers, administrative tasks, preparation for the program for the rest of the week.
Days 2-5, Tuesday-Friday: Rewarding volunteer work at your choice of placement. Teach in the settlements, local community schools, a farm school or other location!
Day 7, Saturday: Enjoy a group tour of Cape Point! Pickup from your accommodation is between 8 and 9:00 AM. En-route to Hout Bay you'll stop for a tourist must-have - a picture of the "12 Apostles." Your next stop will be Cape Point Nature Reserve - home to an abundance of flaura and fauna as well as baboons and ostriches to name a few animals found roaming the streets. There are two lighthouses and the most southwestern point of the African continent to be seen here and you will spend some time in the reserve. Simons Town is your lunch stop and also home to the South African Navy and a colony of penguins. Boulders Beach was set up for the penguins to roam free and is your last stop for the day before returning to the accommodation.
Day 8, Sunday: Free day for volunteers to rest or explore Cape Town and its surrounds. En-route to Hout Bay you'll stop for a tourist must-have - a picture of the "12 Apostles." Your next stop will be Cape Point Nature Reserve - home to an abundance of flaura and fauna as well as baboons and ostriches to name a few animals found roaming the streets. There are two lighthouses and the most southwestern point of the African continent to be seen here and you will spend some time in the reserve. Simons Town is your lunch stop and also home to the South African Navy and a colony of penguins. Boulders Beach was set up for the penguins to roam free and is your last stop for the day before returning to the accommodation.
Remaining Weeks: The remaining weeks will follow the schedule of volunteering Monday-Friday, and having weekends free. Departures are on a Saturday.
Check out what our past volunteers had to say!
Click to see additional volunteering projects in South Africa
Location of the Project:
Cape Town, South Africa
Project length:
Min 2 weeks - Max 12 weeks
Arrival Airport:
Cape Town International Airport (CPT)
Volunteer Work:
Education, community development
Age:
18 - 80. Volunteers aged 17 may apply with parental consent.
Important Note:
Daily transfers between accommodation and project site and a donation made to the local organization are all included in the placement fee.
What's Included
Accommodations:
Shared room in a volunteer house or shared dormitory
Food:
Three meals per day are included
Airport Transfers:
Airport transfers are included on both arrival and departure days
Orientation:
Two-day orientation (Sat-Sun) in Cape Town included upon arrival that includes tours of the area, an African barbecue, and free time for sightseeing. Volunteer work begins on Monday.
Support:
Comprehensive and professional pre-departure travel guidance, 24/7 GoEco emergency hotline, experienced local field team.
What's not Included
Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, personal expenses
Cape Town is the oldest city in South Africa and is referred to as the "Mother City" by locals. It has a cultural heritage spanning more than 300 years and world renowned, breathtaking scenery, from the iconic Table Mountain to the glorious Cape beaches. It is a modern city with cosmopolitan areas boasting nightclubs and trendy restaurants, as well as rustic and unique suburbs with quirky markets and cafés. With a comfortable Mediterranean climate, Cape Town is great place to volunteer all year round.
Arrival and Orientation in Cape Town (Included):
Prior to your volunteering, you will participate in an orientation in Cape Town. Orientation is on Saturday and Sunday and includes a traditional South African barbecue dinner, called a Braai and a guided tour of the area.
Volunteers will be able to choose between the following projects:
Settlement Project: Volunteers at this project will be working in settlements with disadvantaged families by primarily focusing on educare centers serving young children (typically ages 1-6).
Volunteer tasks include:
Volunteer tasks include:
Holidays: The holidays are a time for the kids to have fun, so the programs are less structured and may change depending on the amount of children that arrive on the day. During this time, the Center for the Disabled will be closed and the Settlement & School and Educare Projects will only run from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm and will be limited to sports days, game days, outings to the beach or pools, etc. Depending on the funds available, you could also be involved in building or renovations projects.
The school holidays for 2018/19 are as follows:
Prior to your volunteering, you will participate in an orientation in Cape Town. Orientation is on Saturday and Sunday and includes a traditional South African barbecue dinner, called a Braai and a guided tour of the area.
Volunteers will be able to choose between the following projects:
Settlement Project: Volunteers at this project will be working in settlements with disadvantaged families by primarily focusing on educare centers serving young children (typically ages 1-6).
Volunteer tasks include:
- Teaching children at the educare centers
- Organizing sports activities, fun days, and holiday celebrations for the community
- Assisting with the everyday operations of a nonprofit and its fundraising activities
- Educating children in various health-related topics, such as HIV/AIDS, hygiene, etc.
- Assisting in vegetable gardens for the local communities and schools
Volunteer tasks include:
- Teaching classes and/or assisting teachers
- Teaching computer skills
- Familiarizing children with English in formal lessons and through fun activities
- Organizing fun days and sports activities
- Assisting in afterschool programs and daycare after school is finished for the day
- Educating children in life lessons such as HIV and drugs
- Helping with feeding programs and/or tending to the vegetable gardens utilized by the local schools
Holidays: The holidays are a time for the kids to have fun, so the programs are less structured and may change depending on the amount of children that arrive on the day. During this time, the Center for the Disabled will be closed and the Settlement & School and Educare Projects will only run from 8:00 am - 2:00 pm and will be limited to sports days, game days, outings to the beach or pools, etc. Depending on the funds available, you could also be involved in building or renovations projects.
The school holidays for 2018/19 are as follows:
- March 29-April 9
- June 23-July 16
- September 29-October 8
- December 13-January 8, 2019 (This project is officially closed between Christmas and New Years)
Internet:
Free WiFi is available at the volunteer house. There is Internet available at the backpacker's hostel for a small fee.
Laundry:
Laundry services are available for a small fee.
Accommodations:
You will stay in a volunteer dormitory, which has shared mixed-gender rooms of 2-10 people per room, a communal lounge, and a kitchen. Upgrades to private rooms are available in both the hostel and the volunteer house.
Food:
Three meals per day are provided. Breakfast consists of cereals, fruit, yogurt, toast, and spreads and is available on a serve yourself basis. Lunch is a buffet of breads, fruit, cold meats and spreads for sandwiches. A hot meal will be served every night for dinner and includes a meat, a starch, and vegetables.
Please take note of this project's minimum requirements:
- Ability to work well with others
- Police clearance
- Desire to work with the underserved population in the settlements
- Immunizations (consult doctor)
- CV/Resume
Cape Point Tour (Included):
On your second Saturday of your voluneer program, you will take a group tour of Cape Point. En-route to Hout Bay you'll stop for a tourist must-have - a picture of the "12 Apostles." Your next stop will be Cape Point Nature Reserve - home to an abundance of flaura and fauna as well as baboons and ostriches to name a few animals found roaming the streets. There are two lighthouses and the most southwestern point of the African continent to be seen here and you will spend some time in the reserve. Simons Town is your lunch stop and also home to the South African Navy and a colony of penguins. Boulders Beach was set up for the penguins to roam free and is your last stop for the day before returning to the accommodation.
Travel Extras (Not Included):
Make the most out of your time in Cape Town by signing up for any of these activities for your weekend or days off. You may sign up following registration. Please note there is an additional fee for these activities.
On your second Saturday of your voluneer program, you will take a group tour of Cape Point. En-route to Hout Bay you'll stop for a tourist must-have - a picture of the "12 Apostles." Your next stop will be Cape Point Nature Reserve - home to an abundance of flaura and fauna as well as baboons and ostriches to name a few animals found roaming the streets. There are two lighthouses and the most southwestern point of the African continent to be seen here and you will spend some time in the reserve. Simons Town is your lunch stop and also home to the South African Navy and a colony of penguins. Boulders Beach was set up for the penguins to roam free and is your last stop for the day before returning to the accommodation.
Travel Extras (Not Included):
Make the most out of your time in Cape Town by signing up for any of these activities for your weekend or days off. You may sign up following registration. Please note there is an additional fee for these activities.
- Kitesurfing, windsurfing, sand boarding and/or paragliding lessons
- Tours of Cape Point, Cape Town, Robben Island and/or the Townships
- Wine Route Tour
- Kloofing (cliff jumping), skydiving and/or quad biking outings
- Walking tour of the ostrich ranch
- Abseil Table Mountain
- Shark cage diving
- Game drive through the Big 5 Safari
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