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Gap year in South Africa: Johannesburg
The north of South Africa is full of contrasts. From expansive savannahs full of roaming wild animals, to the largest canyon in the country, to lively modern cities, you can find just about anything here. Another contrast: both the richest and the poorest inhabitants of South Africa live in this part of the country.
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 city/region where I would like to volunteer?
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 Johannesburg?
What will my accommodation be like?
Will I live and work with other volunteers?
Can I contact other volunteers before I depart?
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?
Are food and accommodation included in the programme price?
How much money should I expect to spend on extra costs such as extra 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 South Africa in Johannesburg, as are citizens of other countries. If you are from another country, it will be necessary 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 South Africa (Johannesburg) programme. You will need to fill out the application documents in English, prior to your departure for South Africa. We will send these application documents to you via e-mail.
Do I need special references or experience to participate?
No special experience is required for the gap year in South Africa. However, any special skills which you could use as a volunteer would be both helpful and welcomed. Since the programmes in Johannesburg are either in children’s homes and orphanages, experience working with children is very helpful.
Is there an age limit? How old are typical participants?
You must be at least 18 years of age in order to participate in the gap year in South Africa, Johannesburg volunteer project. Most participants in this project are 18 to 25 years old, but older volunteers are also very welcome to participate.
Can I participate with a friend?
Yes, if you and your friend sign up early enough for the gap year in South Africa programme, there should be no problem placing you in the same accommodation and volunteer project as your travel partner.
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 city/region where I would like to volunteer?
Yes. Before your departure for Johannesburg, you will be asked to choose between the volunteering locations of Soweto and Malelane.
What projects can I work on?
If you choose Malelane as your project site, you will be volunteering in a children’s home during your gap year in South Africa. There are several different projects in Soweto, most of which are in children’s homes and orphanages. You will find out which project you have been placed in about 2 to 3 weeks before your departure for South Africa,
How much time will I actually spend volunteering? Will I have free time?
You will most likely be working 6 to 8 hours each day, depending on the project. You will have 1 to 2 free days each week, and are free to use this time to explore South Africa and get to know South African culture.
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 South Africa (Johannesburg), you can bring project-appropriate materials. For example, you could bring along toys, art supplies, or school materials.
May I extend my stay in Johannesburg?
No. The programme in Johannesburg lasts either 4 ½ or 8 ½ weeks, and it is not possible to extend your stay.
What will my accommodation be like?
In Malelane, you will either stay with a host family or at the volunteer project site with other volunteers. If you are staying at the project site during your gap year in South Africa, you will have the chance to visit the host family for meals or to wash your clothes. Accommodation at the project site is very basic, and the host family has a few more amenities. Electricity and warm water are usually only available for three hours each day at the project site.
In Soweto, you will live at the volunteer project site with other volunteers, and your accommodation will have electricity and running water.
During the orientation in Johannesburg, you will stay with other volunteers in a hostel.
Will I live and work with other volunteers?
You will most likely be living and working with other participants during your gap year in South Africa. Johannesburg volunteers only very rarely live alone or work alone at projects.
Is there a volunteer “base”?
Our partner organisation, based in Johannesburg, is there to help you if you have any questions, problems, or concerns during your gap year in South Africa. If you are volunteering in Malelane, the host family will also be available to help you with questions or problems which you may encounter.
Can I contact 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 South Africa Johannesburg programme at the same time as yourself.
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 South Africa. 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 during your gap year in South Africa. 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 South Africa Johannesburg 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.
Are food and accommodation included in the programme price?
Yes. All accommodation is provided, and you will receive full board as part of the programme price. You may have to cook your own meals, but the food for these meals will be provided. Meals will not be provided during the orientation.
How much money should I expect to spend on extra costs such as extra travel and food?
Our partner organisation in South Africa estimates that you will spend about £225-300 (US$ 450-600 / 300-400 €) per month in extra costs during your gap year in South Africa, for 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
- Travel insurance
- Vaccinations
- Meals during the orientation
- Miscellaneous personal expenses
When does the programme start? How long does it last?
Participants arrive every first Tuesday of the month. The following Wednesday and Thursday are the orientation days in Johannesburg. During the orientation, you will be staying in a hostel. On Friday, you will be taken to your volunteer project, where you will stay for the next 4 or 8 weeks.
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 South Africa 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 South Africa programme. These documents need to be completed and returned to TravelWorks.
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