Ride some waves with the excitable children of Cape Town

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Program Overview
Life on the Program
Project Details
Volunteer Testimonials

Program Overview

Get out of the classroom and into the water with our team to teach children to surf while coaching them in other popular South African sports in many of the townships that surround the vibrant city of Cape Town.

The main focus of this program will be to work with teachers and GVI staff to run sports programs at the township schools throughout the mornings. While you will be running general physical education classes you will also have the opportunity to teach specific sports such as soccer, badminton, tennis, aerobics and basketball. Starting in the afternoons you will assist in running our surf club for the kids, which involves giving lessons and showing children how to preserve their coastal environment.

Volunteer and live in an attractive coastal village close to Cape Town and Stellenbosch, with direct exposure to local culture and communities. Optional side trips are available to Robben Island, Table Mountain, Cape Point and Penguins, Cape Town wildlife safari, wine tasting in Stellenbosh. For those travelling onwards there is easy access to the Garden Route and cheap domestic flights to Kruger National park from Cape Town.

Scholarships

We are always looking for enthusiastic and dedicated people to join our team. This program offers qualifying and high-performing volunteers the chance to stay on the program for a longer duration on a GVI Scholarship free of charge and as part of the staff team in the field. If you would like to work towards a field career and make the very most of your time abroad, you might want to work towards a place on a GVI Scholarship. Successful scholars may find themselves offered full time employment with GVI, and many of our current staff have come through this route. Contact us for more information!

Please note, the awarding of scholarships is at the sole discretion of GVI and may be offered immediately after the completion of your program or at a later date.

Life on the Program

From Monday through Friday you will teach sports classes in the townships during the morning periods, and in the afternoon you will hit the beach where you will instruct children how to surf. No need to worry if you have little to no prior surfing experience, as this project is the best way to start learning!

Accommodation will be shared, with your fellow volunteers in an apartment or house with modern amenities such as electricity and hot running water.

In your downtown and on weekends you will have time to relax and explore the many amazing sights, sounds and tastes Cape Town offers. There are also a few optional side trips that you can take such as a safari day-trip or cultural tour of the city.

Project Details

Along with the support and collaboration from surrounding community leaders and teachers, volunteers will; plan and oversee general physical education classes; coach specific sports such as soccer, badminton, cricket, tennis, aerobics and rugby; show children how to surf; bring the coastal environment to the forefront of children’s minds through educational, interactive and fun workshops; and, assist with beach clean-ups.

Due to the lack of equipment, skills and supervision within the township the children would not have access to such a variety of sports activities and events. The volunteers and the programs they run make this all possible.

How this program makes a difference:

This program gives township children the opportunity to play sports and learn to surf in conjunction with creating an awareness of the environment around them. The children not only learn how to respect and protect their local beaches but the project also keeps the children physically active, healthy and safe from the drugs, alcohol, and crime which is so prevalent in the townships.

Volunteer Testimonials

Jack Hawkins, United Kingdom

I chose this program as I have a background in sports and water sports and this was a really good combination as I would get to make a difference in both fields. It has definitely met my expectations, the surfing especially, the set up is really good, the instructors are awesome and the kids really love it! I really feel I have made a difference as you see the kids’ progress and how much they enjoy it and would definitely recommend the project to others.

Austin Collins, USA

I highly suggest GVI in general to anyone who loves meeting new interesting people and seeing the world, but specifically the surfing program if you want to make a one on one impact on the children. You get to watch them grow from day one. In every single lesson they become better at surfing and open up to you. You see the smiles on their faces as soon as we pick them up from the classroom and it really makes my day every time we do it. This is really just a great experience which I can’t say enough about!