Volunteer - School & Educare Assistance Project

This project is about making a difference in the community - volunteers are placed in schools in disadvantaged communities and assist children ranging from 2 – 14yrs. No experience is necessary and volunteers can have the joy of watching a child learn and helping them through the process. You will be assigned to a class and will help the teacher in their daily tasks, be it teaching, marking and sports training. After school hours volunteers will be involved in after care or after school programs in the settlements.

The project currently is involved with a few creche's where the focus of the preschool is early childhood development and preparing the children for school. Another one of the main programs is Educare - play groups for children too young to be in school, activities include fine motor skills development, mathematics development, literacy development as well as all programs offered at any other preschool in South Africa. The project also involves assisting in a secondary teaching computers and supporting individual children.

Volunteer Tasks

Volunteers will help in the daily running of the project, for example:

• One on One classroom assistance
• Teaching classes and teachers
• Running fun days and sports programs
• Teaching computers
• Educating children in life lessons such as HIV, drugs etc
• Helping in schools

 The "Project Contribution" included in your overall fee will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the project during your actual volunteer stay on the ground.

All of our Projects require you to be in good health, be reasonably fit, and on this particular Project, a minimum of 18 years old.

THIS PROJECT IS ALSO AVAILABLE VOLUNTEERING IN A DISABLED SCHOOL - PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.

PLEASE NOTE THIS PROJECT RUNS EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER YOUR OASIS OVERLAND TRIP.

Prices

A £300 deposit is required to book this project. Please note the average weekly price reduces for every extra week booked. All prices are in Pounds Sterling (£GBP) and are per person. Once requested your volunteer project cannot be refunded or exchanged.

Advertised price based on 17 day project, single room supplement available, please request.

2 weeks plus 3 days orientation (17 days) - £855

Extra week added - £345

Dates

Please contact Oasis Overland in regards to Start dates for this project - Arriving on a Friday is ideal, then your 3 nights orientation around Capetown, starting your project on a Monday

Included

• Shared Accommodation
• Project donation
• Orientation programme
• All transfers to and from Cape Town airport
• 3 nights Orientation in Cape Town
• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Support and guidance of experienced field-workers and coordinators

NOT Included

• Flights
• Visa costs
• Travel & Medical Insurance (must cover volunteer work)
• Costs and items of a personal nature
• Email, Wi-Fi and telephone calls made during your placement (charged out at cost)
• Any activities and excursions outside of your planned itinerary

During your stay you will have the opportunity to enjoy excursions in and around Cape Town, mother city to the locals as well as everyone else around the world! You will have the opportunity to join for one or many different types of activities offered in and around Cape Town arranged by your project.

Project Highlights

• Volunteering at South Africa’s top volunteer projects
• Working with children in urban and rural environments
• Learning about South African cultures and way of life
• Working in a school or settlement educare center under the supervision of a teacher or volunteer co-­ordinator
• Giving lessons and managing the class
• Building great relationships with the children in your class and watching them grow

Accommodation and Hours

You will be staying in shared accommodation with other volunteers or at Saltycrax backpackers in the dormitory. Each house has 2 to 3 bedrooms and sleeps 2 to 3 volunteers in a room. The house has a self-catering kitchen, lounge and bathroom.

Volunteers work 3 to 5 days a week, between Monday and Friday. Working hours at the school or educare center are between 08:00 and 14:00 or 09:00 and 12:00. After school, you can run your own after school activity with the children or visit one of our other projects

Saturday and Sundays 'off' to explore the area.

Transfers

You will be met on your arrival at Cape Town international airport and transferred to your project accommodation Blaauwberg/TableView. Arriving into Cape Town on a Friday, followed by 3 nights orientation and Project start on Monday.

Insurance

It is a compulsory requirement that you have adequate travel insurance before you join any Oasis Trip & at the very least are insured for all necessary medical & repatriation costs incurred overseas with a recommended sum insured of £500,000.  It is also wise to leave a copy of your insurance policy with a friend or relative for safe keeping.

Please ensure that your policy covers you for Volunteering work and activities.
We believe that your safety and holiday enjoyment are very important. It is a mistake to think that "it will never happen to me". It is also very important that you are covered for all the activities that you may wish to undertake while on our trip.

For further information on the insurance we offer, the activities covered, costs and how to book - please check out the Insurance section of our website.

Visas and Vaccinations

Most nationalities do not require a Visa for South Africa, but it is advisable to contact the relevant Embassy in plenty of time before the trip departs to check the current visa requirements.

As we are not medically trained - we are unable to give detailed or professional advice on vaccination requirements, therefore please consult a reputable travel clinic or GP for advice on any medical issues. We suggest allowing 8 weeks to get all your vaccinations. For more information visit: www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk or  www.nomadtravel.co.uk  Oasis travellers receive a 10% discount on vaccinations, medical kits, clothing and camping equipment from the Nomad Travel Clinic - you will receive your discount code on your booking receipt. Medical advice should also be taken regarding Malaria risks.

Clothing and Equipment

Please see our full list of Clothing and Equipment, in the Essential Trip Information on each trip page, for the Overland trip that you are undertaking before or after this project. This should more than cover the items you will need for your Project. You will also receive a full Welcome Pack from our Project Provider, after booking, that will list any other items.

Responsible Travel

Before you go

• Remove unnecessary packaging before you go - waste disposal facilities are often stretched in the places we visit.
• To avoid unnecessary pollution of local water supplies take environmentally friendly toiletries with you.
• Why not invest in a wind-up or solar-powered torch or media player before you travel or at least rechargeable batteries.
• Learn some of the local language and read up on the local history / culture before you go. You'll get so much more out of your trip. Why not pack some pens / pencils exercise books in your rucksack and they can be donated to a local school or project while you're away.
• Take a sturdy water bottle with you from home that you can re-use throughout your trip.

While You're Travelling

From experience gained in running trips, we have developed our own practical and a manageable environmental policy. We welcome your input on this, plus any new ideas you may have, to improve our existing procedures. As a guide here's a few tips to bear in mind.

• Don't waste water. It is a scarce resource in many of the places our trips visit.
• Never buy endangered species or endangered habitat products. Apart from the fact of it being illegal it also encourages the trade to continue.
• Look after and preserve the areas we visit. Be careful about stepping on coral reefs or trekking on undesignated tracks.
• Buy locally made crafts and products helping to support the local economy.
• Don't feel when bargaining that you have to get the cheapest price possible just for the sake of it. Pay what the item is worth to you.
• Try the local food and drinks - this will help to support local farmers and food sellers. Sitting in a local cafe is also a great way to meet local people.
• Dispose of litter appropriately on your trip. This includes cigarette butts. Not only does litter look unsightly it can be lethal to wildlife.
• Where any toilet facilities exist, however unsavoury they might seem to you, they should be used. Where they do not, always bury your waste and make sure it is never near, (at least 30m) from a water source.
• When game viewing do not encourage your guides to get too close to the wildlife so that their natural behaviour is impeded.
• Respect local customs, traditions and beliefs of the people in the different regions that you travel through.
• Do not take photos of people, ritual events or special places unless you have asked first. Dress appropriately according to local codes and show respect around religious festivals.
• Recycling is almost non-existent in many of the areas and countries we visit - we do the best we can with limited resources & space on our vehicles.

For books dedicated to travelling more responsibly & ethically see: www.tourismconcern.org.uk

Please note that you will be required to fill out an application form prior to being accepted on the Project. You may also be asked for references.

This Project can be combined with any other African Project.