Teach children literacy, numeracy and basic English in a township primary school in Cape Town

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Program Overview
Life on the Program
Program Details
Volunteer Testimonials

Program Overview

Come and join our team in the beautiful city of Cape Town and teach children a range of subjects, including basic literacy and numeracy, in townships surrounding the city.

Many of the schools are suffering from severe overcrowding and you may be assisting teachers with as many as 50 students in their classroom. By volunteering you take a lot of pressure off the local teachers and can give the children more personal attention. These long-term volunteer placements provide the children with much needed continuity and assistance which greatly aids their development.

Downtime can be scheduled during school holidays so you have the opportunity to explore the country – highlights include wine tasting tours in Stellenbosch, Table Mountain, Robben Island, the Garden Route and Kruger National Park.

Life on the Program

You will spend each day teaching enthusiastic children basic literacy and numeracy at township schools.

During your orientation you will learn about South African culture, life inside a township, and you will also receive instruction on lesson planning, how to manage young children, information on the curriculum and basic local language lessons.

The school day runs from approximately 9am to 4pm and on return to your accommodation, more time in the evening may be needed preparing for the next day’s lessons.

You will have weekends off to rest and enjoy the local area. During the school holidays you will have longer periods off to explore other parts of South Africa. Volunteers will need to liaise with the Project Manager to organise time off.

Program Details

You will work with the teachers and assist in the day to day teaching activities in their class. You will teach a range of subjects with a particular focus on literacy and numeracy, which will provide your teacher the opportunity to give some of the children in their class some individual attention. Volunteers will also be required to work with some smaller groups within the class to cover various exercises which form part of their curriculum for the year.

Each week you will discuss your student’s progress with the teacher and any extra material the teachers might need you to cover. In the afternoons you will spend time doing lesson planning, assist with our homework workshops or write progress reports.

Volunteer Testimonials

Alana Lacey, USA

Volunteering and living in South Africa far exceeded any of my expectations. I fell in love with the school, the people, and the country so quickly. It has been an experience that compares to nothing I could have ever gotten in a westernized country. I saw and experienced a simplistic way of life that has affected me and helped me grow as a person. The experience of being with the children has been unforgettable. This project left me with so many little moments and memories that I’ll forever hold dear in my heart.

Gemma Edwards, United Kingdom

The school has been very rewarding and I have learnt so much by being here. The children are amazing and so eager to learn without complaint. I don’t feel I would have gained so much if it wasn’t for the opportunity GVI gave me to work in the school and help children through their exams. I feel I have got so much working with GVI, I feel I have made a difference to children’s lives and learnt a lot about myself in the process. I have met so many amazing people here from all around the world.