South Africa Sports Coaching and Physical Education Volunteer Project Cape Town Gap Year Career Break Volunteer Placements

SPORTS COACHING AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

This is a wonderful opportunity for sports enthusiasts to help with sports coaching at the only primary school in the township of Masiphumelele - a school with more than 1300 pupils and 33 teachers. With one teacher per class of 45-49 children the contribution made by the volunteers is hugely appreciated. This is a fantastic experience in one of the most beautiful cities in the world - one never to be forgotten!

Location:

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

Dates:

Any date throughout the year

Fees:

£865 - 2 weeks

£1,295 - 4 weeks

£1,695 - 6 weeks

Payment:

£180 deposit at time of booking – balance payment of project fee due 12 weeks before departure

Reference:

AV038

General Information

The Masiphumelele Primary School is the only primary school in the township of Masiphumelele, which has a population of more than 35,000. It is a Xhosa speaking school with approximately 1300 pupils and 33 teachers, giving an average class size of 45-49 pupils. PE lessons, each lasting 30 minutes, run from 8.30 - 12.30 each day and each grade sends two classes at a time - there will be between 90 - 100 children in each class and needless to say the help given by the volunteers is very much appreciated. Volunteers will spend their mornings in the school and in the afternoons will rotate between one of the following community projects.

Primary School Extra-Mural Involvement

The School Principal is very keen to develop the sports programme and has dedicated Wednesday afternoons for this purpose. Volunteers will help coach with sports such as volleyball, netball and football and it is hoped to progress to rugby coaching soon. Volunteers with experience of these sports - including the rules - are very welcome. During the early part of the year the focus is on athletics and volunteers will help with practices and sports days.

Building and Painting Schools

Schools in Redhill have limited resources and therefore can only accommodate a certain number of children. Volunteers will help by mending fences and windows and rebuilding and refurbishing classrooms.

Educare Centre

"This Centre is about the community taking responsiblity for their own upliftment and participating in the governing of their own lives ... It is about empowering ourselves by creating good working relations between government structures, sponsors and communities for the benefit of everybody". (Nelson Mandela)

Volunteers at this Centre will help with after school activities such as playing games, reading - both on a one-to-one basis and story telling, art, music and dancing. Volunteers with skills in computing, administration, finance or training can add great value to the lives of the teachers.

Masiphumelele Library

The town has a well-resourced library with great facilities and offers many services to the community. Volunteers slot into some of the programmes offered by the library including arts and crafts, puzzles, games, literacy, one-to-one reading, homework club and maths club.

"A Day in the Life of a Volunteer"

Please note that this is just an example and itineraries may differ according to the numbers of volunteers and their experience at any one time

07:00	Get up and have breakfast and get ready for your project
07:45	Head off on the short drive to the Primary School
08:30 - 12:30	Help with PE lessons with Ncebe
12:30 - 12:45	Volunteers will be collected and returned to the volunteer house where lunch will be waiting
14:30	Leave for a community project and spend the afternoon playing with the children at the schools, assisting with the Educare Project, local library, sports coaching or building and painting classrooms
16:30	End of the working day when volunteers will be picked up from the project and returned to the volunteer house to evaluate the day and prepare for the next day. It is also possible to be dropped off in town to check emails.
18:30	Dinner at the volunteer house and then perhaps a trip to a local nightspot for a few drinks with other volunteers, or to the beach or the gym.

During the school holidays volunteers will assist the teachers in the community projects and holiday clubs and much much more! There is no shortage of things to do although the programme may be slightly less structured than in school term time.

School holidays for 2010 are as follows:

Easter: 27 March - 11 April 2010
Summer: 10 June - 12 July 2010 (one month holiday during Football World Cup)
Autumn: 2 October - 10 October 2010

The project will close for the following periods:

11 December 2010 - 11 January 2011

Travel Highlights Included In Your Placement

A visit to Cape Point, situated in the southern section of Table Mountain National Park - a rich and diverse area with unique fauna and flora - with rugged cliffs and sandy flats. You may see the baboons and perhaps some ostrich or buck on this trip.
A trip to Boulders Beach - home to the growing colony of the vulnerable African Penguin. There ar wooden walkays to allow visitors to view the penguins in the natural habitat - it is delightful to watch their antics! This is also a great swimming and snorkelling spot.
A visit to the summit of Table Mountain - for the best view of Cape Town. The cableway takes visitors to the summit in less than 10 minutes and the rotating floor ensures that you get an all round aerial view of the City.

Optional Excursions (not included in the Project Fee)

Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world - where volunteers will find lots of see and do. Maybe visit Robben Island, heritage site of Nelson Mandela's prison home; or some of the magnificent beaches, or the Western Cape to visit the wine lands. Why not try the City hop-on-hop-off double decker bus - ZAR 130 per person
Aquila Private Game Reserve - a "Big 5" reserve about 2 hours' drive from Cape Town. Price includes a buffet breakfast, lunch and a 3 hour game drive. ZAR 1200 per person (based on a minimum of 5 passengers)
Shark Cage Diving - ZAR 1500 per person (based on a minimum of 4 passengers) - includes transport
Abseiling down Table Mountain - ZAR 495 per person
Surfing Lessons - ZAR 250 per person

Garden Route Weekends are also popular and members of the project team can help with all arrangements for optional excursions.

Support

Support and advice is available from the Project Managers whilst on the placement and from the UK Amanzi Travel Team.
Find out more about Amanzi Travel support

Orientation

A comprehensive information pack will be sent to volunteers upon booking their placement and further advice and information will be provided via telephone and email before departure. A comprehensive orientation programme will be provided on arrival at the project base on the outskirts of Cape Town by the project management team including information on the current status of the project and familiarisation with the local surroundings.

Accommodation and Meals

Volunteers will be accommodated in a fully furnished house in the rustic town of Noordhoek, at the foot of Chapman's Peak. The house, which is spacious and comfortable, is set on a private and secure one acre property with a large garden, a swimming pool and barbecue. It is within easy walking distance of a shopping mall and cinema and has satellite tv and a games room with a pool table, darts and table tennis. All rooms sleep up to four people and are en-suite with a fridge and a lock up safe for valuables. All bedding is provided but not towels. The house is staffed with a cook to prepare meals and a cleaner to service the rooms.

Getting There

Volunteers should fly into Cape Town International Airport where they will be met by a member of the project staff and transferred to the volunteer house at Fish Hoek.

Fees

What is included

Finance that goes directly into the project to fund building materials, equipment etc for the project
Transfers to and from Cape Town International Airport on arrival and departure
A full orientation programme
Daily transfers between the volunteer accommodation and the project
All accommodation including three meals a day at the volunteer house
Weekly laundry service
Help and assistance from the local project staff