Sports Development Volunteer Project in South Africa - Table View
Ready to hit the ground running as a Sports Development volunteer in South Africa - Table View? International Volunteer HQ’s Sports Development project enables volunteers to assist with after-school programs helping students practice and play a range of sports. Volunteers gain experience as sports coaches, teachers and project leaders while giving disadvantaged students opportunities for the positive engagement and activity sport provides.
Highlights:
- Programs start every Monday
- Affordable fees from $350 for 1 week
- Includes accommodation, meals, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
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Lead, coach and teach sports for disadvantaged young people
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Discover South Africa’s incredible scenery and wildlife
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Stay near a beach with views of Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain
Key information
This program is ideal for:
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
After-school sport is hugely popular with children from low-income communities in South Africa. They enjoy it as a way to play their favorite games and spend time with their friends, but it also helps with their development and exposes them to positive role models.
As a Sports Development volunteer, you’ll help to provide these programs to keep children busy after school with socially positive and constructive activities. This can help to prevent some of the socioeconomic problems found in disadvantaged areas in South Africa and which often affect young people.
You’ll act as a volunteer sports coach, and have three options to choose from for your project:
- You can help to run the existing sports being offered, including skateboarding, netball, soccer, boxing or swimming. This involves practicing and playing these sports and running the program that is already in place.
- You can take on a leadership role, working with the local team to analyze the way sport is offered and finding ways to improve it.
- You can run a sports clinic, teaching a sport not currently offered. This is likely to involve more planning and you may need to bring your own equipment.
The project runs in the afternoons from Tuesday through Thursday. In the mornings, you’ll spend time on the Kindergarten project, helping with games, activities and general duties. This is another active volunteer experience, working with younger children and helping their development. The Sport Development project is not available during the school holidays. If you apply for the Sport Development project during the school holidays, you will be switched to the Holiday Club project.
School Holidays 2023:
- 24th June - 17th July
- 30th September - 9th October
- 16th December 2023 - 15th January 2024
School Holidays 2024:
- 21st March - 2 April
- 15th June - 8th July
- 21st - 30th September
- 11th December - end date in January to be determined
Why do Sports Development volunteering in Table View with IVHQ?
As a Sports Development volunteer in South Africa - Table View you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Improving access to sports for disadvantaged young people
- Developing your communication skills
- Helping students develop life skills in a safe place
- Gaining sports coaching experience
- Immersing yourself in South African culture
- Exploring Table View and Cape Town
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program
- All volunteers aged 13+ are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ prior to departure. Those aged 13-17, if unable to obtain a criminal background check, can provide two character reference letters instead
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
- All volunteers must speak fluent English.
Are you eligible to volunteer?
Submit a free application so we can confirm your eligibility and check availability for your preferred dates.
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Academic course credit
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!
Learn about course credit”I really enjoyed my experience, the support was amazing and I felt confident the whole trip. I would like to share that what you guys are doing is extremely beneficial for all parties, and that it is really needed around the world. I love what you guys do and I’m excited to do it again soon.”
Mostafa, Canadian, 18
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Location
The program is based in Table View in Cape Town. Table View is about 30 minutes from Cape Town CBD and is where volunteer orientation and general administration is carried out by our local team as well as where the volunteer accommodation is situated. Projects are located in the Du Noon township, Wolwerivier settlement and Blouberg beach.
Arrival and orientation
Volunteers need to arrive in Cape Town on Saturday in order to complete the program orientation which will take place on Sunday afternoon. After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at the Cape Town International Airport (CPT). Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee.
When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation in Table View. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the Saturday night before your program orientation.
If you are traveling in South Africa prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up within the Cape Town CBD area on the day before your program orientation.
Orientation is taken by our South Africa - Table View team in Table View. Orientation covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in South Africa – an introduction to South Africa, South African customs, rules and expectations, safety, travel opportunities in South Africa, introduction to your project and placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.
Volunteer schedule example
First Day
On your first day of volunteering, you will be escorted to your placement by a local coordinator and introduced to the placement staff you will be working with.
Weekdays
Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at, but a typical volunteer day might be as follows:
| Morning | Make your own breakfast at the volunteer house |
| 8:00 - 9:00 AM | Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements. |
| 12:00 - 5:00 PM | Work at the placement usually ends between 12pm and 5pm depending on the project. After their project work ends, volunteers are free to relax at the volunteer house, go sightseeing, or do some shopping. |
| 7:00 PM | Dinner at the volunteer house. |
Please note Monday and Fridays are half days of volunteer work. On Monday afternoons there is a volunteer meeting and planning session for the week ahead, and Friday afternoons are free time.
Weekends
On the weekends, volunteers have spare time to relax or take the opportunity to explore Cape Town or other areas in South Africa. See unusual wildlife like antelope and penguins,visit the spot where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, paraglide off a rock high above the city or watch the sun sink into the Atlantic ocean with a glass of the region’s finest wine in your hand. Long weekends can be taken if volunteers wish to go on safari, or travel to places further afield, such as the Garden Route or Stellenbosch.
Looking for more ideas of things to do in South Africa? Check out our South Africa Travel & Tours page!
Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers are accommodated in volunteer houses and can expect to share a room with one to nine other volunteers. Bedrooms have single beds and bunk beds with bedding provided, but you will need to bring your own towel and toiletries.
The accommodation is safe and secure, located within a suburb near the communities where volunteers work. Living is comfortable and the volunteer houses have electricity (with occasional power outages) and running water with western toilets.
To ensure volunteer safety and commitment to volunteer placements, there is a curfew in place at the volunteer house of 11:00 PM. If you prefer a private room, couples room, or family room, accommodation upgrades can be arranged with our local team for an additional cost, but are subject to availability.
All volunteer houses have WiFi available which you are welcome to use.
Meals
Volunteers in Table View receive three meals a day. Meals served in the volunteer house are typically Western-style and can be high in carbohydrates. Breakfast consists of self-prepared tea, coffee, toast, yoghurt, fruit and cereal.
Lunch is also self-prepared with food supplies in the volunteer house. This can range from sandwiches taken along to your placement, leftovers from the previous night’s dinner and salads.
Dinner is eaten together with all volunteers at one of the houses and is prepared by a local chef. Dinners can consist of dishes containing meat, vegetables and a starch, such as potatoes, bread or pasta. There are also two braai (barbecue) nights a week.
Tap water is not safe to drink, but bottled water is readily available in South Africa and volunteers should budget approximately $10 (approximately $10) per week for this (2 liters per day). If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know and we will do our best to cater for you.
Pricing
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
|
|---|---|
| 1 week | $350 Equivalent to $50/day |
| 2 weeks | $570 Equivalent to $41/day |
| 3 weeks | $860 Equivalent to $41/day |
| 4 weeks | $1,170 Equivalent to $42/day |
| 5 weeks | $1,470 Equivalent to $42/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,760 Equivalent to $42/day |
| 8 weeks | $2,340 Equivalent to $42/day |
| 10 weeks | $2,920 Equivalent to $42/day |
| 12 weeks | $3,500 Equivalent to $42/day |
| 16 weeks | $4,660 Equivalent to $42/day |
| 20 weeks | $5,820 Equivalent to $42/day |
| 24 weeks | $6,980 Equivalent to $42/day |
- Accommodation
- Meals
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Certificate of International Volunteer Service
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of US$329 (approximately $329) in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check and airport drop-off.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in South Africa generally find US$80 per week to be sufficient for expenses, not including weekend activities/tours.
Check what's required to visit South Africa
Check out the widget below to find out what the Covid-19 restrictions and visa requirements are for South Africa, based on your country of residence.
Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Essential country information
| Capital | Pretoria (Executive), Bloemfontein (Judicial), Cape Town (Legislative) |
| Population | 58.56 million |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Swati, Tswana |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 |
Weather and climate
The subtropical location, moderated by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans on three sides of the country and the altitude of the central plateau, are responsible for the warm temperatures typical of South Africa. Across much of the country, summer (December to February) is characterized by hot, sunny weather with temperatures averaging around 25°C (77°F). Winter (May to September) is cooler and drier with evening temperatures averaging around 10 °C (50°F). In Cape Town, sporadic showers and chilly winds are common during the winter months, but with daytime temperatures can average around 15°C (59°F).
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