South Africa Volunteer Experiences

Adventure Surf Club Project - Cape Town

The Adventure Surf Club offers extramural activities to children from disadvantaged areas. The club teaches 12 to 14 year olds how to swim and surf, and the kids also participate in other sports like hiking or soccer.

Volunteers are involved in two tasks. They provide assistance to kids and give lessons at a school or a crèche. After school and some weekends the volunteers teach the kids how to swim or surf, either in a pool or on the beach.

No surfing experience is necessary. Volunteers get free surfing lessons so that they can teach the kids to surf.

Project highlights

Learn to surf while you teach the children
Spend most of your day outdoors and on the beach in stunning Cape Town
Learn to assist in classrooms
Helping children develop skills
Gaining experience in working with children and groups
Allowing the children to have new experience
Learning about South African cultures and way of life
Making new lifetime friends

Project details

Project starts: every Monday
Location: Blaauwberg/Table View, Cape Town
Minimum duration: 2 weeks

About the children & schools

Most of the children can speak English yet their home language may be Afrikaans or Xhosa
The children live in townships such as Dunoon or site 5
Children in the program range from 12 – 14yrs.
Children are split into 4 groups of 5‐ 20 children that will be part of the project every week.
School starts at 08:00 and closes and 13:30/14:30
There are normally 30 – 40 children in a class with 1 teacher.
Most of the Children do not pay school fees so the schools funds are stretched and any assistance is welcomed.

Volunteer tasks

Volunteers will help in the daily running of the program and will be involved in:

Teaching kids to swim
Teaching kids to surf
Helping on hikes
Organizing fun days and sport programs
Teaching computer skills
Educating children in life lessons such as HIV awareness, drugs, etc.
Helping in schools

Working days

Volunteers will work 3 to 5 days a week with the children.
Mornings can be spent learning to surf, helping in a school or relaxing on the beach.
Afternoons will be spent with the kids, either teaching them to surf or on another activity.
On days off, volunteers will get a chance to learn how to surf with an instructor and will also have use of SAVE’s surfboards.

Volunteer requirements

CV/Resumé
Police clearance
Basic level of competency in English
Copy of return flight itinerary
Acceptance subject to availability of position
Volunteer's ability to swim

Accommodation

Volunteer house

Shared rooms sleeping 2 - 4
Communal lounge and kitchen

Backpackers accommodation

Dormitories sleeping 4 - 10
This can be upgraded to private rooms

Meals

Volunteers will receive 3 meals a day. These include:

Breakfast: self help breakfast of cereals, fruit, yogurt, toast & spreads
Lunch: self help lunch of breads, fruit, cold meats & spreads
Dinner: a hot meal will be served every night. These range from a traditional BBQ, stews, casseroles, fresh vegetable etc.
Tea and coffee will be available all day

Also note:

All dinners will include a meat, starch and vegetable
A generous amount of food will always be given so no one will go hungry
All other drinks will be at own expense
A refrigerator is available for volunteer’s personal food

Important reminder: Participants must advise SAVE of their dietary needs

Transport

Volunteers will be met at Cape Town International airport and taken to their program
On project days the volunteers will be transported by private car or mini bus. The vehicles are roadworthy and have all relevant licenses and liability insurance