South Africa Volunteer Experiences

Settlement Projects - Cape Town

Our partner NPOs are active in settlements, caring and fulfilling the community’s basic needs. They facilitate various programs in which volunteers can help with educare playgroups for children too young to be in school, with feeding programs in the afternoons, and with educational classes.

Volunteers work in the settlements with the day to day activities and running the educare centres as well as in the office with fundraising or administrative tasks. Volunteers can also help arrange annual events like parties and competitions.

Project details

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

Project highlights

Working with the educare centres
Working in settlements with disadvantaged families
Creating your own educational programs to teach the children
Learning about running a non‐profit organization
Gain experience in working with children and groups
Flexible projects and hours
Learning about South African cultures and way of life
Making new life time friends

About the settlements

Dunoon: With over 3000 people living in shacks (informal houses made of corrugated iron and scrap metal). Many houses share one tap and most houses do not have electricity.

Wolverrivier and Onder die Brug: These settlements are on old farms, where the people live in old farm house or shacks. They both only have one running water tap and only one has electricity. There is around 60 children in each settlement

Takkegat, Richwood, Radar Bush, Spoorlyn: These are all informal settlements where the people live in shacks in the bush. They do not have any electricity and only one running water tap. There is about 20 – 40 children in each of the settlements. The main objective is the facilitation of the preventative programs in the settlements. Educare play rooms and youth cabins have been erected to accommodate on site programs. We regularly distribute food hampers to the underprivileged and clothes in the winter. We engage these communities in regular education, motivation, and social upliftment programs and exciting events such as fun at the beach, various sporting activities and movie outings which are hosted throughout the year.

About the children

Most of the children can speak English yet their home language is Afrikaans
Children in the program range from 0 – 18yrs.

Volunteer tasks

The program is flexible and volunteers may need to use their initiative and run part of the program on their own. Volunteers will help in the daily running of the program and will be involved in:;

Organizing fun days and sports activities
Teaching computer skills
Giving lessons on life issues like HIV awareness, drugs, etc.
Assisting with the feeding programs
Running the Independent Living Plan for the children on the streets
Assisting in the educare centers
Helping with events
Fundraising

Working day

Volunteers work 3 to 5 days a week.
Mornings can be spent helping with kids in educare facilities or doing admin work.
Afternoons will be spent working in the settlements.
Some Saturdays are spent as activity days with the kids.

Volunteer requirements

CV/Resumé
Police clearance
No age limit
Basic level of competency in English
Copy of return flight itinerary
Acceptance subject to availability of position

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