Volunteer Role
The project is based in two rooms within a junior school. You will mainly be working one-on-one with the children suring your time at the project. Every morning you will collect your "learning partner" from the school and take them with you to the project centre. Once at the centre you will provide invaluable support by reading books using a method called paired reading, writing stories and playing games, all of which will provide precious help in developing the children"s language and phonological awareness.
The project aims to help improve the education that these children receive through developing their love of books and strengthening their self-esteem. The children at the centre are encouraged to borrow books from the project, whilst the project also works to provide children with their own set of books. The centre also provides funding for vital eye and ear tests, as over the years many volunteers have recognised children with severe ear and eye problems, which may not have been acknowledged without the help from volunteers.
For the majority of your time on the project you will be giving vital one-on-one help to the children at the centre, however as you gain more confidence you can help out with small groups plus also still helping on a one-on-one basis with some of the others. Improving literacy is not the only thing that you will do, you could also help with the following:
- Reading one-on-one with children in the classroom
- Teaching art classes
- Running a garden project
- Helping in the school library
- Working closely with the team at the centre
- Helping with admin and downloading resources
- Helping the centres' book swap at lunchtimes
- Testing under supervision
- Helping out in literacy hour
- Assisting in the classrooms at times
What's Included in the Programme
- Project Fee: this entails financing that goes directly back into the project that you are involved with. This project fee facilitates funding for items such as building materials, equipment, supplies, foodstuffs, etc
- Airport transfers to and from Cape Town International Airport
- Orientation on arrival
- Accommodation on your project
- All meals on your project
- 24 hour support number and contact in the UK for emergencies
What's Not Included in the Programme
- All flights and taxes
- Personal travel insurance
- All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, clothing etc
- E-mail/Internet and telephone calls
- Soft drinks, beer, wines and spirits
- Any excursions over and above your planned itinerary in Cape Town
