Family Volunteer Holiday in South Africa

The Western Cape, where our family volunteering program is based, is a very culturally diverse area of South Africa. There is a large integration of the underprivileged with the wealthy. The main cultures that you will be working with are Xhosa or Afrikaans South Africans. Most of these children can speak English, yet their home language may be Afrikaans or Xhosa. The homes they live in are often built from scrap metal and second-hand wood, usually they do not have running water in their homes. Forty percent of the families in these areas lack a male head of household and the children often have no one to monitor their educational progress or after-school activities. The children we work with live in the nearby township or settlement in Cape Town, known as Du Noon and Wolwerivier.

The main objective of our family volunteering program in South Africa is the facilitation of poverty prevention programmes and upliftment in the settlements. We try to assist the community assisting in or educating communities in agriculture projects such as subsistence farming. With this, we help start new vegetable gardens, work in existing vegetable gardens or educate about growing food for own use. This assists with food aid and poverty alleviation. We engage these communities in regular education, motivation and social upliftment programmes and exciting events such as fun at the beach, various sporting activities and education programs. This program is perfect for parents who want to get involved with a host of different activities with their children involving community development.

Family Volunteering in South Africa Gallery

What is involved

Volunteers assist with the facilitation of poverty prevention programmes and upliftment in underprivileged settlements. You will have the opportunity to assist in or educate communities in projects such as subsistence farming. This may include starting new vegetable gardens, working in existing vegetable gardens or educating about growing their own food. We engage communities in regular education, motivation and social upliftment programmes and exciting events such as fun at
the beach, various sporting activities and outings which are hosted throughout the year.
Previous projects include:

Clearing ground, erecting preschool classrooms, fencing and laying down grass for a preschool
Building a brick school for disabled children
Planting and maintaining several vegetable gardens for families
Planting and maintaining a vegetable garden for the preschool
Building a camp for goats who were kept in overcrowded, inhumane conditions
Donation drives
Education or assisting in local kindergartens

The project highlights include

Flexibility to run your own programs and lessons
Working in settlements with disadvantaged families
Using your initiative to create activities
Helping children develop skills
Experience in working with children and groups
Facilitating new experiences for children
Learning about South African cultures and way of life

Your week could look like this:

Monday
AM: Volunteer Meeting
PM: Office Day
Tuesday
AM: Edu-Care
PM: Veggie Garden
Wednesday

AM: Edu-Care
PM: Cleaning resources (Chairs, Tables, Toys)
Thursday
AM: Edu-Care
PM: Fundraising
Friday
AM: Edu-Care
PM: General Duties
Saturday
AM: Off OR Activities with kids
PM: Off
Sunday
Off

Some details

You can land any time on Saturday.

This project runs all year round except over the season break when we are closed from the 23rd December to the 2nd
January. During this time volunteers may still use the accommodation and will be provided food.
Holiday club
During the school holidays, our projects run differently and according to our holiday club schedule. The activities are
dependant upon the weather, length of holiday and number of attendees.
The aim of the holiday club program is for the kids to have fun and to keep them off the streets. The activities during this
time are less structured and more focused on the enjoyment of the children.
Please note: If a holiday club activity requires the payment of an entrance fee, volunteers will have to pay for themselves.
The programme fee is used to cover the entrance for the children only, however, we do try to plan as many free events as
possible.
First Term: 25 March - 5 April
Second Term: 24 June - 19 July
Third Term: 30 September - 11 October
Fourth Term: 14 December - 23 December
2024 Terms
First Term: 20 March - 3 April
Second Term: 14 June - 09 July
Third Term: 20 September - 01 October
Fourth Term: 11 December - 23 December

2024	2025
Jan 20,27	Jan 4,11, 18, 25
Feb 3,10,17,24	Feb 1, 8, 15, 22
Mar 2,9, 16, 23, 30	Mar 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Apr 6,13, 20, 27	Apr 5, 12, 19, 26
May 4,11,18, 25	May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
Jun 1, 8, 15, 22, 29	Jun 7, 14, 21, 28
Jul 6,13, 20, 27	Jul 5, 12, 19, 26
Aug 3,10, 17, 24	Aug 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Sep 21, 28	Sep 6, 13, 20, 27
Oct 5,12,19,26	Oct 4, 11, 18, 25
Nov 2, 9, 16, 23, 30	Nov 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
Dec 7, 14	Dec 6, 13, 20

PROGRAM LOCATION

This program is based in Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town has endless beauty to explore and activities to suit every personality from lying on perfect white sandy beaches, sto action filled days hiking, paragliding, zip lining, visiting the cutest penguins in the world, world heritage sites and lots more.

As a destination, this South African city provides the perfect backdrop for a global volunteer experience. On days off, you’ll wander the cobblestone streets of the city’s brightly styled Bo-Kaap neighborhood or hike rewarding trails in Table Mountain National Park. Nearby, the coastal landscape of Cape Peninsula offers the perfect day trip.

Though these are all highlights of any Cape Town adventure, it’s the experiences you’ll have as a volunteer that are bound to be the most impactful.

The nearest airport for this program is Cape Town International Airport (CPT)
Nationals from the European Union, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand are granted temporary permits and visas are not required.
Travel Insurance is compulsory on this program.
Double vaccination is mandatory. Please check all airline and country entry requirements carefully
We recommend you to book flexible flights and come with travel insurance.

What your first three days looks like

Day One: Arrival day

You are collected from the airport and taken to your accommodation. You will be shown around and given a map of the area. You have the day at your own leisure so you can explore the beach, shops, bars and restaurants. In the evening you are served a welcome meal.

Day Two - Area Orientation

South Africa Volunteers on table mountain

Start the day with breakfast at the accommodation. Your friendly staff member will teach you about the bus system before you head out to Cape Town City Center. Do a walking tour visiting historical sites like the Castle of Good Hope and the Grand Parade. Alternatively you can take the cable car up Table Mountain and enjoy breath-taking views of the city. In the evening head back on the local bus to Table View where you can join the staff, guests and the locals at one of the restaurants or bars along the beachfront in Table View!

Day Three- Start Project Work

After breakfast you will be transported to your project. New volunteers will receive training and additional information on our projects and the areas where you will be working.

Weekend activities

Surfing

Take surfing lessons at the sandy white beaches of Blouberg or Muizenburg (weather permitting of course!)

Cape Town Walking Tour

Take a guided walk through the city to learn the history from the days of Dutch settlement though the Apartheid years.

Wine Country

Meander through stunning landscapes and wine farms of Stellenbosch. Stop at wine estates for tastings.

Cape Point

Follow the scenic coastal roads of the Cape Peninsula to Cape Point where the two oceans meet.

Testimonial Videos

Family Volunteering

India

Michael & Darla Stoddart family from Canada on the India Family Volunteer Program, November 2019.

With children aged 10 and 7 we curated a program for the family where they participated on our kindergarten teaching program for 2 weeks with lots of staff support and also got ample time to explore India with their children.
Medical Volunteering

Nepal

Meet our medical students from the University of Newcastle, Australia, May 2019.

This group of students signed up to join the medical electives placement in Nepal for 4 weeks where we gave them a rotation in various departments of the hospital. Their medical placement allowed them to earn credits on their medical degree and learn from patient cases they would not normally see back home and
Women’s Empowerment

India

Isis Barei & Caitlin Neil from the UK join our Women’s Empowerment program in June 2019

These two friends came to India to participate on our empowerment program with women where they taught English and life skills to a group of women in Fort Kochi, Kerala. Living and working like locals gave them a chance to really learn about life in India, explore the area and give back to the community.
Engineering Internship

Nepal

Camilla Børsand and Baptiste Menaspa from Norway joined the Engineering Placement in January 2018.
Living in a remote part of Nepal and assisting with structural design work with local engineers and the community was an experience of a lifetime for these two students. Not only could they add this experience to their resume but they also got to learn from the challenges of working with limited resources.
Dog Care Program

Sri Lanka

Jack Tysowski from Canada joined us in August 2018 assisting at a dog shelter in Galle, Sri Lanka.

As a gap year student Jack would go everyday for about 4 hours to help the shelter that was devoted to the well-being of stray dogs in southern Sri Lanka. If your passionate about dogs and love to care for them this is the program for you!
Nursing Placement

Sri Lanka

Meet our group of final year French Nursing students who got to work in well known public hospitals in Southern Sri Lanka. They got to work in several departments of the hospital where they could practice basic procedures under the supervision of expert medical and nursing teams. On the side they also got to explore Sri Lanka and truly immerse themselves into island life.
Surf & Sports Volunteer

South Africa

This volunteer program in South Africa is a great way for volunteers to gain experience working with children and groups. Learning new outdoor activities such as swimming, boxing, spike ball surfing and skateboarding
Teaching & Family Volunteering

South Africa

The main objective of our family volunteering program in South Africa is the facilitation of poverty prevention programmes and upliftment in communities. This program is perfect for parents who want to get involved with a host of different activities with their children involving community development.
Teaching in Maldives

Maldives

Watch our over 50s volunteer Brenda reflecting on how life changing her experience has been as a volunteer teacher in Maldives.
Volunteer in Maldives

Maldives

Here is a little glimpse of Maldives and what your life will be during your free time as a volunteer in the Maldives!
Volunteer in India

India

If you are wondering what volunteering is about then watch this video about India and volunteering in this beautiful destination.
Medical Electives

India

Join our 4 week medical elective programs in India where you can gain insight into medical systems and network with professionals in field.

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NUMBER OF WEEKS	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
USD $	n/a	1,350	1,590	1,990	2,290	2,590	2,890	3,290