Teach township children from Cape Town surfing and sports

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Program Overview
Life on the Program
Project Details
Volunteer Testimonials

Program Overview

This program offers you the opportunity to join our volunteer team and help teach disadvantaged children to surf, in addition to coaching other mainstream South African sports in townships that surround the beautiful, vibrant city of Cape Town.

You will assist local teachers and GVI staff in planning and running sports lessons at the township schools in the mornings. You will be running general physical education classes, but you may also be teaching specific sports skills and games like football, netball, cricket, tennis, athletics and rugby.

Each afternoon you will help run our surf club. This involves giving the children surf lessons and teaching them about water safety and how to take care of their beautiful coastal environment.

Scholarships

We are always looking for enthusiastic and dedicated people to join our team. This project offers qualifying and high-performing volunteers the chance to stay on the project 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

Every weekday morning you will be teaching sports classes at local township schools. In the afternoons you will head out to the beach where you will be working with an instructor to teach children to surf. Even if you have no previous surfing experience, this project is a great way to start out. Lessons are fun and hands-on and the students are excited and keen to learn.

You will be sharing accommodation facilities with your fellow volunteers in a modern apartment or house with access to electricity and hot running water.

Weekends are free for you to discover the local area, or simply relax. Optional side trips allow you to explore this breathtakingly beautiful part of the world on the safari day trip and experience the best that Cape Town has to offer on the Cape Town Cultural Weekend.

Project Details

This program runs with the collaboration and support of local teachers and community leaders.

As a volunteer, you will: prepare and run general physical education classes; coach specific sports such as football, netball, cricket, tennis, athletics and rugby; teach children how to surf; educate the children about their coastal environment and its importance through fun and interactive workshops; and, assist with beach clean ups.

Due to lack of equipment, skills and supervision within the township, without this program and volunteers such as you, children in this community would not have the opportunity to take part in such a variety of sports activities and events.

How this project makes a difference:

This project 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

I did sports and surfing in Cape Town for 6 weeks. My highlights were seeing the kids stand up on the boards for the first time which was great and also when they started turning as they were...

Samantha Plunkett, USA

I did sports and surfing in Cape Town for 6 weeks. My highlights were seeing the kids stand up on the boards for the first time which was great and also when they started turning as they were so excited! Off project I would definitely recommend going to Cape Town as it’s a great bonding experience and there is so much to do and it’s really fun. I would definitely recommend this program to everyone because I had such a great experience I just wish I could stay longer.

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.