Volunteer Cape Town

Flexibility to run your own programs and lessons
Working in settlements with disadvantaged families
Using your initiative to create activities
Helping children develop skills
Experience in working with children and groups
Facilitating new experiences for children
Learning about South African cultures and way of life
Making new lifetime friends

Day 1: Welcome to South Africa (Saturday)
You are collected from the airport and taken to your accommodation. You will be shown around and given an understanding of the area. You have the day at your own leisure so you can explore the beach, shops, bars and restaurants. In the evening you are served a welcoming meal at the hostel.

Day 2: Cape Town City Walking Tour (Sunday)
Start the day with a self served breakfast. Your friendly project leader will teach you about the bus system before you head out to Cape Town City Center.

Cape Town City Walking Tour:
Do a walking tour visiting historical sites like the Castle of Good Hope and the Grand Parade. Learn about life under apartheid in South Africa at the Parliament Buildings and the District Six Museum. Shop for African arts and crafts in Greenmarket Square and St George’s Mall.

After the listed activity, you can take a bus or walk to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Sit back and sip a delicious coffee, enjoy some fresh fish and watch the ships in the busy working harbor or walk around and visit the shops, markets and listen to the musicians on the sidewalks.

Alternatively, you can take the cable car up Table Mountain and enjoy breath-taking views of the city, or visit the famous Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was held in prison during the apartheid era. (Own Expense)

In the evening head back on the local bus to Table View where you can join the staff, guests and the locals at one of the restaurants or bars along the beachfront in Table View - all within rolling distance from the hostel where you will be staying the night.

The Cape Town Volunteer Project is flexible and volunteers need to use their initiative and run parts of the project on their own.
The main objective is empowering the local community and supporting them with their basic needs. We regularly distribute food hampers to the underprivileged and clothes in the winter. We engage these communities in regular education, motivation, and social upliftment programs and exciting events such as fun at the beach, various sporting activities, creative and musical days and movie outings which are hosted throughout the year.

Volunteers will help with the daily running of the programs for example:
Teaching lessons to children in the older groups (colors, letters, shapes, art, etc.) as well as teaching English through play and vocabulary stimulation.
Stimulating smaller children in the younger groups with developmental toys, touch and by speaking English to them.
Assisting with the tasks at the preschool such as cooking, cleaning, feeding and hygiene
Supervising children at all times during outdoor or free play

Monday
AM: School assistance
PM: Volunteer Meeting

Tuesday
AM: Edu-Care
PM: Planning/Workshops/Activities designed by the volunteer

Wednesday
AM: Edu-Care
PM: Planning/Workshops/Activities designed by the volunteer

Thursday
AM: Edu-Care
PM: Planning/Workshops/Activities designed by the volunteer

Friday
AM: Edu-Care
PM: General Duties

Saturday
AM: Off OR Activities with kids
PM: Off

Sunday
Off

Please Note: Mondays afternoons involve a weekly meeting for new and current volunteers. New volunteers will receive their teacher introduction and additional information on our projects and the areas where they will be working. The Monday afternoon meeting serves as a time to gather all the information for the week ahead. Volunteers who have been with us for more than one week will assist with planning for the week, equipment maintenance, re-organising storage spaces, donation sorting, helping the new volunteers settle in etc.

This project runs all year round, however, during school holidays we run the project according to our holiday program. During the holidays it's a time for the kids to have fun so the programs are less structured and may change depending on the number of children that arrive on the day. Working hours are generally from 08:00 to 14:00.

In addition there are a lot of public holidays spread throughout the year. Please note that during the holidays, it's a time for the kids to have fun, so the programs are less structured and may change depending on the number of children that arrive on the day.

Due to Christmas and New Year’s celebrations between 23 December and 03 January every year, all projects in Cape Town are closed, however, volunteers may still use the accommodation and food and join us for Christmas lunch on the 25th.

The first week in January starting on January 4th 2027, all volunteers at the social/community programs in Cape Town will join the holiday club. The regular volunteer projects start running again on 11 January 2027.

The last day of volunteering at one of the social/community projects in Cape Town is 22 December every year. Volunteers can stay at the volunteer accommodation during Christmas and celebrate, but there will be no volunteering until 03 January every year.

Public Holidays 2026
09-10 August
24 September

Public Holidays 2027
21-22, 26 & 29 March
26-27 April
01 May
16 June
09 August
24 September

School Holidays 2026
27 June - 20 July
24 September - 05 October
12 December - 14 January 2027

School Holidays 2027
20 March - 05 April
26 June - 19 July
23 September - 05 October
09 December 2027 - 12 January 2028

Airport pick-up
2-day orientation in Cape Town
Accommodation
Three meals a day (Monday to Friday) - Dinners not included on weekends
Transport to and from your project
24-hour support and supervision
Weekly social events
Donation to the project
Certificate of appreciation

Minimum age of 18
CV/Resume
Police Clearance Certificate
Basic level of competency in English
Medium level of fitness required
Acceptance subject to availability

Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.

Volunteering and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. Alterations in activities are mainly due to changes in local conditions, which we believe is part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that they are.

Volunteers will be staying in one of our volunteer houses with bedrooms sleeping 2 - 5 people. All houses are facilitated with electricity, WIFI, hot water, a kitchen, one or two toilets, a bathroom with a shower, beds with linen and a pillow (no towels). Male and female volunteers will share rooms unless otherwise requested. Upgrades to private single or double rooms are available at extra cost.

Volunteers are responsible for keeping their own room and volunteer house tidy. The volunteer houses are walking distance from shops, restaurants, entertainment, bus stops, and the beach.

Volunteers will receive 3 meals a day (Monday - Friday) and breakfast and lunch (Saturday - Sunday) which include:
Breakfast: self-catering breakfast of cereals, fruit, yogurt, toast & spreads
Lunch: self-catering lunch of breads, fruit, cold meats, cheese, salad & spreads
Dinner: consists of a hot meal such as a traditional South African BBQ (braai) and stews (potjies).
Tea and coffee will be available all day.

Exception: During your Cape Town introduction weekend, you will only receive a welcome dinner on the day of arrival, other meals are at your own expense.

If you have any dietary requirements, please inform SAVE about this before your arrival. We will try our best to accommodate this, however, you may need to supplement your own food. If snacks are desired there are several grocery stores nearby. There are refrigerators available for volunteers personal food and soft drinks. Tea and coffee will be available free of charge, all other drinks will be at own expense.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
Police Clearance Certificate
Visas, Insurances & Flight Tickets
Visas and insurances are the responsibility of the intern. Travel insurance is compulsory. You are also required to present a copy of your return flight itinerary when entering South Africa.

Winter in South Africa
Please note that May through to September are our winter months and it can get quite chilly with an average temperature ranging from 5 degrees Celsius at night to 15 degrees Celsius during the day. So please make sure to pack enough warm clothes if you plan your trip in that period.