Teaching and School Refurbishment Project in Cape Town

School Refurbishment & Teaching Volunteer Projects South Africa

Gap Year South Africa school refurbishment and teaching projects play an imperative role in contributing to the improvement of learning facilities as well as providing essential life skills through education within our under-resourced partner school. This is achieved through our enthusiastic volunteers engaging with the children, teachers and broader community.  Volunteers will be teaching numerous subjects during after school homework club to enthusiastic underprivileged primary school children in the local community of Masiphumelele in Cape Town, South Africa.

As a Gap Year South Africa volunteer you will be assisting local community school children during after school homework club providing you with an opportunity to plan, arrange and teach activities of your own. Your presence in the school will assist in providing greater individual attention and encouragement to all children as well as assisting those children who may require additional time and lessons.

Each morning volunteers contribute to the general improvement of the school grounds and classroom facilities through cleaning, decorating, maintaining and refurbishing. Each afternoon volunteers are encouraged to facilitate additional after school homework club educational activities such as painting, stringing beads, dance, drama, design, extra reading and fun games.

It is not a prerequisite for Gap Year South Africa volunteers to have any prior teaching experience or qualifications for our school refurbishment and teaching projects but a passion to broaden children’s horizons is essential.

If you are studying to be a teacher or already qualified you will have an excellent opportunity to take on a greater level of teaching responsibility within our under-resourced partner school.

Community Setting

Gap Year South Africa school refurbishment and teaching projects encourage school children to realize the importance of education as a foundation for life and are aimed primarily at previously disadvantaged groups, communities and individuals with a strong developmental approach.

Our partner primary school has over 1400 school children with an average class size of 45 to 50 children per class.  The large majority of the school children attending the school live in shacks (slum conditions with no electricity or basic services). Often the only meal the children have on a daily basis is the one they receive at school as part of the school nutrition programme.  Children of this community are often taking on responsibilities way beyond their years such as heading up their households and caring for their siblings due to one or both of their parents being deceased (often caused by HIV Aids and related illnesses).  The school is hugely under resourced with very humble surroundings and facilities.

Our community Gap Year school refurbishment and teaching projects contribute towards transformation whilst removing potential access barriers such as cost, elitism, race and gender.  The intended beneficiaries of our teaching and education projects are young people who have inherently been afforded very little exceptional opportunity.

Your Role as a Volunteer

During your Gap Year South Africa school refurbishment and teaching project you will be contributing to the refurbishment of the school grounds and classrooms.  You will also be assisting school children from various primary school grades during the after school homework club.  Through your teaching of extra lessons and energetic presence at our partner school you will be adding immense value to the education of underprivileged school children.  You will be working alongside teachers from the community with an opportunity to learn a great deal from their experiences.  Community teachers will also benefit a great deal from your educational experiences.

Project Flexibility

In addition to your Gap Year South Africa school refurbishment and teaching project you will have the choice of including additional after school activities such as HIV awareness, performing arts, art, IT, environmental awareness and/or sports coaching experience in your project.

Volunteer Profile

Gap Year South Africa seeks individuals that are passionate and energetic with an enthusiasm for an adventure of a lifetime.  If you are a post-school or post-university gap year student, a university undergraduate or postgraduate, or a career breaker, our projects are ideally suited for you.  Our excellent teaching and education projects are also tailored for qualifying and qualified teachers.  Volunteers must be 18 years of age and above.

Donation of Educational Resources

Gap Year South Africa, with the help of our Gap Year volunteers, also contributes towards educational resources, various teaching aides and the continuous decorating of classrooms enhancing the educational environment for the children.  Our under-resourced partner school certainly does welcome any additional contributions or resources.

Location

You will be based in the South African coastal city of Cape Town, also often referred to as the Mother City. Cape Town is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The impressive presence of the world renowned Table Mountain stands proudly above the city of Cape Town. Beautiful white sandy beaches along a peaceful coastline frame the Cape Peninsula, which is famed for its unique floral kingdom, bountiful rivers, vleis and dams and magnificent countryside. The surrounding area extends far into the winelands, green in summer and red-gold in autumn. Cape Town is a city of culture, built on a history that reflects in the architecture, cuisine, music and dance. Together with a warm summer and temperate winter climate and a friendly community, Cape Town is an ideal Gap Year destination throughout the year. Situated 10 hours from the majority of gap year world traveller destinations, Gap Year South Africa is an ideal stop on your global adventure travel. Please click here to visit our destination page to learn more about Cape Town, South Africa.

Accommodation, Food and Transport
 

You are hosted by the Team of Gap Year South Africa in our comfortable fully furnished house along with all our volunteers. The volunteer house is a very safe and friendly environment within Fish Hoek, a coastal village lying in a valley at the mouth of the Silvermine River, on the False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula.

Our volunteers stay in dormitory style accommodation with communal bathrooms. The house facilities include a DVD player and television, broadband internet access and a swimming pool. The house is located a short distance from the golden beaches of the magnificent Indian Ocean and conveniently situated within walking distance to a wide range of amenities for all your additional needs.

During the week, Mondays to Fridays, volunteers have all their meals prepared for them by our local team. Meals are not included on Saturdays and Sundays, as experience has taught us that most volunteers tend to explore Cape Town during weekends. Volunteers either purchase and prepare their own meals on weekends or often choose to eat out at local restaurants. Our kitchen is superbly equipped and local supermarkets and restaurants are within walking distance from the volunteer house.

Breakfast Selection of cereals, toast, tea/coffee and fruit
Lunch Packed Lunch consisting of sandwiches, juice and fruit
Dinner Full sit-down hot meal and juice

On arrival at Cape Town International Airport you will be welcomed by our Gap Year South Africa Team and be transferred from the airport to the volunteer house. All daily transport to and from the projects is provided.

Excursions
 

The volunteer group excursions are selected from a wide variety of exciting activities based in Cape Town. Volunteer group excursions are selected in advance by the Gap Year South Africa team and are subject to change. The volunteer group excursions are selected from a host of exciting activities such as:

◦Explore Cape Point where the cold Benguela and warm Agulhus currents merge
◦Hike up Cape Town's magnificent Table Mountain and return via Cable Car
◦Spend a day exploring all the attractions at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
◦Visit the magnificent two oceans aquarium
◦View the exquisite penguins at Boulders
◦Explore the World of Birds wildlife sanctuary and monkey park
◦Enjoy learning to surf or surfing the waves of Cape Town
The table below indicates the number of group excursions selected from a wide variety of exciting activities that are included as part of your project fee:

Project Duration Number of group excursions included in your project fee
3 Weeks One group excursion included as part of your project fee
5 Weeks Two group excursions included as part of your project fee
3 Months Four group excursions included as part of your project fee
5 Months Six group excursions included as part of your project fee

Volunteers will have free time on weekends to explore all Cape Town has to offer. Our team will inform you of all the amazing attractions available to you in and around Cape Town. If volunteers choose to experience any additional excursions above those stipulated as group excursions, these excursions will be at the volunteers own cost. Types of additional excursions available to volunteers include:

◦Snorkel or freedive with Cape fur seals in the exquisite oceans of Cape Town
◦Journey on a Township Tour into a vibrant world of colour
◦Shark Cage Diving with Great White Sharks
◦Scuba dive at the Two Oceans Aquarium
◦Abseiling down Table Mountain
◦Specialised guided wine region tours
◦Robben Island Museum Tour
◦Penguin Sea Kayak Trail Simon's Town
◦Visit the Cheetah Sanctuary at Spier
◦Tandem skydive
◦Visit the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
◦View the African Big Five on a one day safari tour