Program Description     
Volunteer Role     
Placement Sites, Housing, Food
Length of Program
Cost of Program
Requirements

Program Description

Beginning in 2008, WorldTeach will be partnering with the Department of Education to place volunteers at schools throughout the Western Cape. This will allow volunteers to experience firsthand the striking beauty and diversity of South Africa.  The Western Cape is truly a microcosm of South Africa.  There are established 'white' middle class suburbs like Fish Hoek, old apartheid 'coloured' (mixed race) areas like Ocean View, and Masiphumelele, which is a classic South African black township that is very poor.

Based on their school's needs, volunteers will primarily teach math, science, and accounting to high school students.  You will be able to have a great impact on the future of young South Africans by educating in the classroom and beyond with extracurricular activities such as an after-school HIV/AIDS club or coaching sports teams.  Volunteers will most likely be paired with another volunteer, although there may be opportunities for volunteers to be placed independently.  Volunteers will most likely be living in furnished apartments or shared teaching houses provided by their school.

As a WorldTeach volunteer, you will experience life in a changing South Africa.  You will have a respected role in the community and form friendships that bridge cultures.  By immersing yourself in the culture, you will gain unique insights into the South African society as well as the challenges and opportunities of educational development.  Through teaching and becoming part of the community, volunteers will participate in the great challenge of translating the inequities created by apartheid into an integrated, progressive society. 

Volunteer Role

Your service in South Africa will begin in late June with a month of orientation. Orientation will include introduction to life and culture in South Africa, visits to the schools and communities where you will work, information on health and safety issues, as well as an opportunity to practice teaching. During orientation volunteers will stay at a variety of living accommodations that may include a hostel, a school dorm or a backpacker's hostel.

After the orientation, volunteers will go to their permanent housing arrangements, where you will most likely be paired with another volunteer, to begin your year of teaching.  The most common living arrangement is school-provided housing in a hostel or dorm.  This is typically a furnished apartment or a shared house with other teachers on school property.  Volunteers will have their own room, although they may share common rooms with other teachers or staff.  Buildings typically have cement walls, running water and electricity.

Volunteers will primarily be teaching math, science, and accounting in high schools, grades 8 through 12.  There is also the possibility to teach English and Life Skills, as well as grade 7.  Volunteers are also expected to join and lead extracurricular activities such as an HIV/AIDS club, sports teams, library committees, etc. 

During the year, there will be a Mid-Service Conference where all the teachers will come together to discuss their teaching experiences.  There will also be an End-of-Service Conference for the volunteers to conclude their year of teaching.

"It was so powerful to interact with all my students because they had so little and yet they still counted themselves among the fortunate.  They valued their friendships and relationships with each other far higher than their material wealth."  Charles Cannizzaro, South Africa volunteer

Back to top

 Volunteers will be placed at schools located throughout the Western Cape.  They will be approximately one to two hours outside of the central Cape Town area, which can be easily reached by train.  Most volunteers will be placed with another volunteer, although there may be some placements where a volunteer is placed independently.

Housing accommodations may vary depending on the placement site.  The most common arrangement is school-provided housing in a school hostel or dorm.  This is typically a furnished apartment or a shared house with other teachers on school property.  Volunteers will have their own room, although they might share common rooms with other teachers or staff.  They will also have access to a stove and a refrigerator.  Buildings typically have basic amenities including running water and electricity.

Volunteers will receive a US$300 a month living stipend which they will use to pay for their own food and meals.  This should be enough to buy groceries and food from the local markets.  If you like to eat out a lot, you will need to budget more for this added expense.

Length of Program

The program lasts for one year, starting in late June and running until June of the following year.  Although the South African school calendar is from January through December, this program was specifically designed to accommodate the North African school calendar with is more friendly to a northern hemisphere summer departure date.

An option to extend for a second year is available (limited fees appy including airfare and health insurance).

Cost of Program

The $4,990 program fee includes pre-departure information and preparation, roundtrip international airfare from a US gateway city (eg. New York City; you will be responsible for your own transportation to the airport in the designated gateway city), one month in-country orientation (including meals, transportation, and housing), health insurance, transportation to your site, meals (from your living stipend) and housing throughout your teaching service, Mid-Service and End-of-Service Conferences, and 24-hour field support.

Please read more about costs and services.

Requirements

Volunteers must be native English speakers with a Bachelor's degree (in any subject).  Prior teaching experience is helpful but not required.  An interest in Africa, teaching and international development are recommended as well as a desire to live and teach in South Africa.  Successful volunteers should be mature, resourceful and have experience in public service.  It is also important that volunteers be flexible, open-minded, and capable of adapting to new situations.

Back to top

"I had not expected to form such strong bonds with the other volunteers and I know I have made some life-long friends here, and that is just amongst the volunteers." Robin LeRosen, South Africa volunteer