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Gap year in Cape Town
With its unbelievable diversity of landscapes, languages, animals, and cultures, South Africa is one of the most fascinating and adventure-packed destinations in the world. The country is famous for the variety of animal species in its wildlife parks, expansive beaches, and superb wines.
Can I participate if I’m not from the UK?
Do I need to take a test to prove my English skill level?
Do I need special references or experience to participate?
Is there an age limit? How old are typical participants?
Can I participate with a friend?
Can I combine my volunteer work in South Africa with a programme in another country?
Can I choose the area of Cape Town where I would like to volunteer?
Can I choose which project I would like to work on?
How much time will I actually spend volunteering? Will I have free time?
Should I bring any special supplies for my volunteering project?
May I extend my stay in Cape Town, South Africa?
What will my accommodation be like?
Will I live and work with other volunteers?
Can I contact my host family before my departure?
Can I contact the other volunteers before I depart?
How will I get to my volunteering site each day?
What is the health/safety situation in South Africa? Do I need vaccinations?
Do I need to apply for a visa?
Should I buy travel insurance?
How much money should I expect to spend on extra costs such as travel and food?
When does the programme start? How long does it last?
Will I earn money during my project work?
Can I participate if I’m not from the UK?
Yes. Participants from the United Kingdom and the United States are welcome to participate in the gap year in Cape Town programme, as are citizens of other countries. If you are from another country, we will have to check your country’s visa requirements to see if you can participate.
Do I need to take a test to prove my English skill level?
No test is required to prove your English skills, but you will need to have good English skills in order to participate in the gap year in Cape Town programme. You will need to fill out the application documents in English, prior to your departure for South Africa. We will send these documents to you via e-mail.
Do I need special references or experience to participate?
No special experience is required. However, any special skills which you could use during your gap year in Cape Town would be both helpful and welcomed. For example, if you have prior working experience in the field of medicine, you could have a higher level of responsibility if you volunteer in a hospital. In order to do medical work, you will need to send us a reference letter from your employer (or any former employer in the medical field), to prove that you do actually have medical experience.
Motivation, flexibility, and personal initiative are the most important qualities you can bring to your volunteer project in South Africa.
Is there an age limit? How old are typical participants?
Participants must be between 18 and 30 years of age in order to take part in the gap year in Cape Town programme. Most participants are 18 to 22 years old.
Can I participate with a friend?
Yes. When you apply, you can list a travel partner. Although we cannot guarantee that you will be placed with the same host family or in the same project as your friend, we will do our best to try to place you together for your gap year in Cape Town.
Can I combine my volunteer work in South Africa with a programme in another country?
Yes. It is often possible to combine programmes. Feel free to contact TravelWorks for more information.
Can I choose the area of Cape Town where I would like to volunteer?
All volunteering locations are in the surroundings of Cape Town, about 30-60 minutes from the city centre by car. Before you depart for your gap year in Cape Town, South Africa, you will be asked to decide if you would like to live in a township, middle-class suburban area, or remote rural area. We are usually able to place volunteers in projects which match their general location preferences.
Can I choose which project I would like to work on?
Before you depart for your gap year in Cape Town, South Africa, you will be able to list three preferences for the type of volunteer work you would like to engage in. For example, you could state that you would like to work in a high school, orphanage, or day-care centre. We will do what we can to place you in an establishment matching your top preference, but we cannot absolutely guarantee that this will be possible. Your placement will depend on where help is needed and on any experience you may have. It may occur that a project you had not yet considered will be suggested for you.
Which projects can I work on?
There are many volunteering possibilities in Cape Town. Volunteers can help out in medical, social, educational, cultural, and environmental projects. For example, you could work with abused women and children, teach primary or secondary school students, or help remove non-native plants from a nature reserve, to allow native plant species to flourish.
You will need to be very flexible during your gap year in Cape Town. In the projects, there is often no one to tell you what to do all the time, and you may be the only volunteer working at your project site. Therefore, you will need to show a great deal of personal initiative and creativity as you pitch in and help.
How much time will I actually spend volunteering? Will I have free time?
The amount of time you spend working each week will depend on the project in which you are placed during your gap year in Cape Town. You will most likely work about 35 hours a week, and will have at least 2 free days per week, not necessarily at the weekend. This will leave you with quite a bit of free time to explore Cape Town and South Africa.
Should I bring any special supplies for my volunteering project?
You do not need to bring any supplies for your volunteer work, but after you find out which project you will be doing during your gap year in Cape Town, you can bring project-appropriate materials. For example, if you are working with children, you could bring along toys, art supplies, or school materials.
May I extend my stay in Cape Town, South Africa?
No. You will be able to book the programme for 5 or 9 weeks, and the gap year in Cape Town programme cannot be extended.
What will my accommodation be like?
During the first week, when you have your orientation, you will be staying in a volunteer house. Meals for the orientation week are not included in the total programme price.
During your volunteer work, you will either be staying with a host family (usually the case), or in accommodation at the project site. Full board will be provided as part of the programme price. Host families in the surroundings of Cape Town are very carefully chosen and are usually middle-class families. You should expect simpler living conditions than what you are used to during your gap year in Cape Town.
Will I live and work with other volunteers?
You are likely to live with another volunteer during your gap year in Cape Town. If you are staying with a host family, you will most likely share a room with one or more volunteers, who may come from other countries. You may or may not work with other volunteers on your project.
Is there a volunteer “base”?
The office of our partner organisation in central Cape Town is there to help you if you have any questions, problems, or concerns during your gap year in Cape Town, South Africa.
Can I contact my host family before my departure?
It is possible for you to contact your host family before you depart for South Africa, but this is not common. You will have plenty of time to get to know your host family once you are in South Africa.
Can I contact the other volunteers before I depart?
Yes. About 2 to 3 weeks prior to your departure for South Africa, we will send you the contact information of any other TravelWorks volunteers who happen to be taking part in the gap year in Cape Town programme at the same time as yourself.
How will I get to my volunteering site each day?
Depending on the location of your volunteer project, you may go by foot or public transportation to your project site, or a member of your host family may drive you.
What is the health/safety situation in South Africa? Do I need vaccinations?
As long as you eat and drink hygienically and take care to protect yourself from mosquitoes, you can reduce your risk of contracting dangerous infectious diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea during your gap year in Cape Town. It is important that you visit a doctor as early as you can before your departure for advice about necessary vaccinations and health precautions. Please wait to receive your vaccinations after you have definitely been admitted to the programme. You can find useful information regarding vaccinations at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk.
South Africa has a high and ever-growing AIDS rate. It is of the utmost importance that you take this into account in regard to your personal behaviour in South Africa. Medical treatment is generally good in South Africa. Private hospitals in the larger cities are comparable to European health facilities, but the country’s public hospitals are overflowing and suffer from budget shortages.
South Africa has suffered from a high crime rate for many years. Most notably, the rate of violent crime in the larger cities has increased considerably. There are several safety precautions you should always observe. For example, you should avoid being in the centre of the city after stores have closed and on Sundays, and you should avoid overland travel after dark. You should always lock car doors and windows, and should never visibly wear valuables or leave valuables in a car. These precautions can reduce the risk that you will be the victim of a crime.
You can find more detailed information regarding safety and health in South Africa and other countries on the website of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office: www.fco.gov.uk or on the website of the U.S. Department of State: travel.state.gov.
Do I need to apply for a visa?
No. If you are a citizen of the United Kingdom or the United States, you will be issued a tourist visa upon your arrival in South Africa. This visa will be valid for 90 days. Please make sure that your passport will be valid for the entire time that you are abroad. You should also have at least two blank pages in your passport. If you do not have enough free space in your passport, you could be denied entry into South Africa.
If you are not a resident of the United Kingdom or the United States, it will be necessary to check your country’s visa agreement with South Africa to determine if you will be able to participate in the gap year in Cape Town programme.
Should I buy travel insurance?
Yes, we strongly recommend that you get travel insurance to protect yourself abroad. WorldNomads offers flexible travel insurance for short-term and gap-year travellers like yourself. Note that this is only a recommendation. Feel free to search for the travel insurance which is right for you.
How much money should I expect to spend on extra costs such as travel and food?
Our partner organisation in South Africa estimates that you will spend about £270-360 (US$ 450-600 / 300-400 €) per month in extra costs during your gap year in Cape Town. These expenses could include excursions, souvenirs, etc. Of course, this will depend on your personal lifestyle, so you may spend more or less than this. You should also factor the following expenses into your trip’s budget:
- Flight ticket
- Meals during the orientation
- Travel insurance
- Police background check
- Vaccinations
- Miscellaneous personal expenses
When does the programme start? How long does it last?
The programme in Cape Town normally begins two Sundays a month. From June through October, the programme begins every Sunday. There are no starting dates in December, due to the Christmas holidays. You should arrive in Cape Town on a Sunday, and the orientation begins the next day.
Certain dates will not be available for education projects, and the environmental project will not be available in January 2010. Please contact TravelWorks if you have any questions regarding starting dates for the Cape Town programme.
Will I earn money during my project work?
No, this is volunteer work! This means that through your work, you are supporting people in need and assisting in projects, which usually have barely enough money to cover their own essential expenses. Please do not expect payment for your volunteer work. Instead, look at this as an amazing opportunity to help people and gain meaningful life experiences.
What are my next steps?
If you decide to participate in the gap year in Cape Town programme, just fill out the PDF or online Booking Form. Please note that if you are booking online you will need a credit card (we accept Visa or MasterCard). If you choose the PDF booking form, please print, fill out, and sign the form before faxing it to TravelWorks. As soon as we have received your application, we will process your booking. At this point your application will be legally binding. We will contact you if we need any additional information.
You will receive various application materials by e-mail after you have applied for the gap year in Cape Town programme. These documents need to be completed and returned to TravelWorks.
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