Work with children with autism, special needs, or physical or mental
impairment who need your help, or with deprived children
who will benefit tremendously from your loving care and attention.
Our care projects are
based in the beautiful and lively tourist destination
of Cape Town. These projects are utterly rewarding as well as highly enjoyable, and you
will fall completely in love with the children, the schools, and the country
– you have been warned!
You don't need any qualifications to do this project.
The
various Centres in need of your voluntary time are all for local children who
need extra special care and attention due to physical, mental or social
disadvantages. You
can work at one particular Centre or you can spread your time out between
different institutes - the choice is yours. Descriptions of the different
Centres are given below, plus the types of duties that will be required of you
as a volunteer.
All these projects are very worthwhile and will offer you a
wealth of experience and a lifetime of memories.
Autism is a severe, lifelong development disability and
children affected by this suffer from a number of conditions. They have severe
communication and language problems, they are unable to relate to other people
and they display unusual and problematic behaviour. The extent to which a child
is affected will vary from individual to individual.
Autistic children need predictability in their lives. They
cannot express their needs effectively and often have extreme reactions to
changes in routine and unfamiliar events.
The School we work with here is a school for autistic
children. There are 85 students here and 35 of these children are live-in
learners, staying at the school hostel overnight. The rest are bought each day
by their parents. The children are aged between 3 and 18 years and they are
educated according to their ability with some moving on to other schools later
on.
The School has three hostels with children housed in age
groups: the under 8’s, 8-12’s and 12-18’s. There is a very happy atmosphere at
the school and the teachers are extremely conscientious and kind people. There
is a lot of love here! For some, the School provides the only opportunity of
education for these children. The dedicated care received at the School gives
these children a platform from which they can enter society with a secure place,
despite the limitations of their autism.
The language of tuition is English, but Afrikaans is also
used frequently in interpersonal conversation. A minority of the children speak
Xhosa or Afrikaans at home, but all of them can understand English.
Without the help of our volunteers the school would not be
able to give the children the full attention and care that they deserve and
need.
Your Work at the School
On your arrival you will have a short Orientation during
which you will learn about autism. This will include watching a video as
well as meeting the teachers and pupils of the school. You will then be
allocated to a teacher for the day. After this initial induction you may
spend time in any of the classes for your first week, getting to understand
the centre. One of the teaching coordinators will then chat to you about how
you are getting on and ask you to decide which of the classes you would like
to assist in. You will be working along side the teacher, not alone.
The majority of your work will be as a classroom and
hostel assistant where you will be helping out in a variety of ways.
Volunteers might be asked to help where children need special attention or
to work with a small group while the teacher works with another group.
Schoolwork varies with different age groups but is based on the normal
school activities – a great deal of one-to-one attention is needed and
children learn basic skills.
Help is also very much appreciated at supervised
activities like swimming which is part of the daily summer curriculum.
After school hours, you'll will be allocated a “play
time” duty at the different hostels while the children play outdoors under
supervision. You will also be involved in indoor hostel duties after this,
which involve the supervision of children. Autistic children have to be
watched closely at all times, as they may react suddenly and unexpectedly.
The help and support given by volunteers is especially
needed during preparations for the school concert – and on the actual night.
This usually takes place in October and is the highlight of the children’s
school year.
If there are any outings while you're there, you'll
accompany the teacher and pupils. These can be many things, possibly even
including a camping trip for a few days. The school loves arranging special
events that the students will enjoy. The parents are also included in events
like barbecues or concerts for what the school calls – “The Family”.
There will also be a certain amount of Admin work
involved in your volunteering, such as photocopying for the teacher and also
duties at the switchboard if the receptionist is absent - answering the
phone, etc.
Letter to Travellers from the School
Principal:
"Here are some reasons why we value the
volunteers who work at Vera School:
In many instances our
learners pose challenging behaviour (cognitively, socially, emotionally,
physically, etc.) and it is invaluable to have extra help in a classroom
when dealing with this.
Our learners often need
one-on-one facilitation in certain aspects of their educational programme
(computer, reading, etc.)
When going on outings and
or camps, staff always need extra hands to cope with the learners.
Hostel staff welcome extra
hands to assist with the running of the afternoon programme in the hostels
(playing simple games, going to the shop and going for walks).
Volunteers are also a
great help when they assist learners with home work in the hostel. Some of
this will entail helping with academic work, or practising making beds,
learning how to wash and dry dishes, learning how to follow a programme in
the school's gym, etc.).
A Friday is the Eurythmy
day. This is exercises with movement and music. Most children take part and
it is very therapeutic for them. However, it is "hands intensive". We cannot
do this without volunteers.
Our learners sometimes
struggle to follow instructions from different people. Volunteers bring
variation and give our learners to the opportunity to practise their ability
to generalise.
Volunteers often do very
necessary chores which the staff struggle to find time for (photocopying,
book binding, laminating, fetching keys, etc.)
These are just some of the reasons why we
value our volunteers so much and why we are grateful for the ones who have been
sent to us in the past and for those who will still come.
Once again thank you!" Keriston Floris
Special treat for the children - a few days at the beach
Volunteer introducing a young autistic boy to the sea for
the first time
WORKING WITH CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL
NEEDS
One of the schools we work with is for children with a
variety of disabilities or special needs. Volunteers will be placed within the
Primary School only. This is set in a beautiful location, overlooking the
Rondebosch Common and facing the impressive side of Table Mountain.
The Primary School has 250 pupils ranging from 3 years old to
about 13, from pre-primary to year 7. The school buildings are spacious and
brightly decorated with art works done by the children and the grounds are
immaculate and well-kept. There is a heated indoor swimming pool used largely
for therapy.
Part of the school day is allocated to sport and pupils take
part in school leagues as well as sport for the disabled. On Mondays a group
goes to a farm for Riding for the Disabled.
Some of today’s pupils have cerebral palsy, which refers to a
group of permanent but non-progressive disorders of posture and movement. It is
due to a dysfunction of the brain, which can occur during birth or as a result
of accident or illness in childhood. Some children have other syndromes or
conditions such as muscular dystrophy, multiple physical impairment, ADHD and
specific learning disabilities.
A lack of concentration, dyslexia or hyperactivity are often
linked to these conditions and the children can get over excited by changes in
routine, which means that teachers and assistants need to have endless patience
in dealing with small upsets. The teachers are grateful for the help of
volunteers – just the presence of another adult in the classroom makes the
activities run more smoothly.
A Volunteer Placement at Vista Nova would be an unforgettable experience, as is
shown by the return of some volunteers after completing their degrees.
Your Work at the School
When you arrive you will spend some time with the teacher
in charge who will talk about the Special Needs of the children and about
your role in the school, as a volunteer.
You will then be allocated to a teacher who will
introduce you to the work You may spend time in all different areas of work
in the school before settling into a particular job. Volunteers should make
requests if there is anything that you are particularly interested in – for
example you may prefer working in the Nursery, or with the older children,
or helping in the Physiotherapy or OT departments.
The work falls into 5 categories: Admin (receptionist,
switchboard - if there is someone absent ); Library (mending books,
cataloguing, etc); Class Aides (helping children in the nursery section, or
helping the teacher with various class activities, or listening to children
reading); being a “Scribe” or amanuensis (this means you will go with a
pupil who is disabled and cannot write, sit with him/her in class and take
notes, and then write for him/her while he/she tells the scribe the answers
in tests or examinations). The fifth category is basically filling in where
needed – perhaps in charge of collecting children who need physiotherapy
You can also help with Sport and Physical Education, such
as swimming, soccer, cricket as well as sport for the disabled.
Different age groups end their school day at different
times. After the pupils have left, you may be given preparation tasks for
the next day by the teacher, or there might be admin work in the office or
the school library. This will be until 3.00 pm.
Sometimes there might be extra duties after this, like
preparing for school Sports Day or School Concert. We urge volunteers to get
involved with extra functions taking place at the school as you can have a lot
of fun and get to know the children far better by getting involved in the after
school activities. Your weekends are entirely free (for sightseeing, travel and
fun)!
WORKING WITH CHILDREN WITH
MENTAL AND PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT
The School we work with has just over 200 children with
physical and intellectual impairments. The pupils are aged from 3 years old to
18. There are four sections covering nursery, junior, middle and senior pupils.
A fleet of school buses travel from all over the suburbs to
collect these children in the mornings from about 6am and the school bus returns
the children back home for the afternoons at around 2.30pm.
State subsidies are not adequate to run a school such as this
one and there is an endless need for funding. The Bel Porto Foundation has been
set up with a special fund raiser in charge of this essential aspect of the
school. Fund raising events occur during the year, and at the re-cycling centre
in one of the school buildings, donations from people’s homes, as well as
newspapers, books and plastic containers are received at any time.
As the pupils are low functioning academically, the
curriculum aims at fostering maximum independence and productivity in each
pupil. It covers the development of self-sufficiency and socialism. Lessons are
designed to improve motor and perceptual skills as well as functional academic
skills. There is a strong emphasis on communication, household and vocational
skills.
Pupils are also encouraged to be aware of the environment and
nature, and a visit to the school Farmyard is a daily occurrence.
The School also serves as a training centre for students from
local universities and colleges. Students in training include speech therapists,
medical students, physiotherapists, nurses, occupational therapists, care givers
and teachers.
The school itself consists of a number of spread out,
pleasant buildings all opening onto the garden. The school buildings are like a
solid built local state school, and the parents and staff keep them looking neat
and painted. The gardens are well-kept and spacious, and the children love
visiting the small farmyard in the school grounds to see the sheep, goats,
rabbits, ducks and chickens – and even a donkey or two sometimes.
There are two heated indoor swimming pools which are used for
class swimming and physiotherapy.
Volunteers here have loved every minute of their placements
here and keep up contact with the school after they move on to study at
University or return to work at home.
Your Work at the School
When you arrive you will be allocated to a teacher who
will introduce you to the work. You might be sent to different areas of work
in the school before settling in to a particular job. If there is anything
you are particularly interested in, such as working with a particular age
group or helping in the Physiotherapy or OT departments, please let us know
when you apply, so that we can arrange it for you.
You will work as a classroom assistants or class aides
(helping children in and out of wheelchairs for different activities, or
helping the teacher with various class activities, like painting, doing
puzzles – and with the older children cooking, simple maths and reading
etc). Other tasks include reading stories to children, helping children to
simple tasks on the computer and supervising the outdoor activities.
Tricycle riding forms part of the curriculum - as exercise and mastering the
skills associated with the physical action are very important.
The children also learn simple rules of the road on
marked out areas of the playground. Swimming lessons are a favourite and the
school has two heated indoor pools. Your help in and out of the pools will
be appreciated as children need individual help in the water. One pool is
specifically for physiotherapy treatment.
Volunteers working in the Nursery section usually move
over to the older children after the nursery children have finished for the
day. You may be given preparation tasks for the next day by the teacher or
Admin work, like helping out in the front office if someone is absent. The
school day ends at 3.00 pm.
Sometimes there might be help needed, like preparing for
Sports Day or School Fete or School Concert. We urge volunteers to get
involved with extra functions taking place at the school as you can have a
lot of fun and you will get to know the children much better out of hours.
WORKING WITH CHILDREN FROM
DISADVANTAGED AREAS
Eleanor, Travellers Organiser (middle), who will look after
you on your Project, with our SA Asst. Manager (left) and the Headmaster of
the School (right)
Our work with disadvantaged children is with a school that is
part of a group of International Schools founded in order to help children
around the world to break the cycle of poverty and become self-sufficient,
contributing members of society.
In this School, children learn the key values of respect,
responsibility, independence and integrity and are encouraged to develop a
passion for learning.
The School was started in January 2001 and is certainly
making a difference in the lives of its pupils. Some of these grow up in the
patchwork of tiny dwellings made from salvaged materials which stretch for miles
around Cape Town. These children live in neighbourhoods rife with gangs,
violence, disease and drugs. Other students are orphaned or abandoned, living in
orphanages or shelters.
These kids are eager to learn and the school feels that in
these children lies the glimmer of a new social order, where they will have
opportunities, which their parents did not have. The children cannot afford good
schooling and might be lost in a life of gangsterism and dysfunctional adulthood
unless given the chance of an education. With the opportunity for the children
to develop pride in doing their best, they feel a sense of achievement and a
realisation of their own ability and importance.
The students look forward to coming to school each day and
their proficiency in everything from schoolwork to sport improves steadily as
they progress throughout the school. The eager faces and willingness to learn
demonstrate that the children are really on a new path to success.
Parents are drawn into the school family as the school
believes they should be a part of the transformation taking place in their
children through education. The school has parents’ workshops where parents
learn how to support their children’s academic efforts and news of the school’s
success has spread throughout the community. Parents are proud of the
achievements of their children for whom the future might have been very bleak
without the experience of educational opportunities. The School's attitude is a
very progressive one, attacking a serious problem within South Africa’s social
strata with intelligence and sensitivity and reaping real results.
You will find this an incredible experience that you will
never forget.
Your Work at the School
As a volunteer you will be
a classroom assistant and aide to the teacher, helping in various roles
depending on the requirements of each day.
When you arrive, you will be allocated to a teacher who
will introduce you to the work and discuss with you where the need for your
assistance lies. You may be sent to different classes in the school before
settling into a particular job. If you have any preferences, such as working
with younger or older children, it is likely that these will be able to be
accommodated.
You will be a classroom assistant or class aide helping the
teacher with various class activities. You may be asked to teach a class under
supervision or to fill in for someone who is absent. You could also assist
with reading or extra coaching.
School begins at 8.00 am and you will be on duty in the
classroom or in the playground until the end of the school day. As the school
has an extra long day, you need not stay for the extra time unless you wish
to.
You will assist teachers – but might teach a lesson under
supervision. If a teacher is absent, volunteers in the past have coped well
with filling in for the day.
Some children need help with certain subjects such as Maths,
Reading or IT. In this case, your assistance in a small group or with
one-on-one instruction is valuable. The school does have a special teacher who
takes small groups for extra coaching, and you could assist with this.
Sometimes such a group works within a class, and at other times the teacher
may remove the group for special work.
It would be useful for volunteers to get involved with
other subjects also such as Art, Drama and Music? The children do life-skills
sessions in the afternoons, and there would be opportunities here for this
input.
There are Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists who
would be grateful of help if a volunteer is qualified. Otherwise simple
classroom work would also encompass these skills.
Access to video and music systems are available.
Each classroom has a computer with Internet access. You can
also help pupils with computer work.
There are other special events throughout the year
that volunteers could assist in: Founder’s Day in October Sports Day in March Educational Outings – all year – three per term. Workshops for parents – all year
If you are on your placement during these events, your involvement in any or
all of these would be appreciated – for supervision of children and to share
in workshops with parents. One gains a great insight into the children and
their lives by taking part in all these activities.
RECOMMENDED COMBINATION! The Red Cross Children's Hospital
Why not think about combining this placement
with a month at the Red Cross Children's
Hospital?
It is the biggest children's hospital in sub-Saharan Africa and would be an
excellent addition to your time in the City, not to mention an excellent entry
on your CV!
In brief, the main tasks and
responsibilities on this project will be to visit the children, hand out toys, play and interact
with them, and give them lots of comfort and love. You may also assist with
general non-medical support, e.g., accompanying a patient to another department,
collecting folders and fetching food, etc, or assisting the pharmacy area or
clinics where patients wait for their medication.
To read more about the Red Cross Hospital, please
click here
ACCOMMODATION AND LIVING IN SOUTH AFRICA:
In a bohemian part of Cape Town, along the east coast of the city
near Woodstock, is a set of very lovely lodges! The Lodge Observatory is a
series of 5 houses in Observatory, a famous Alternative Suburb in Cape Town.
Apart from other Travellers volunteers, this hostel mainly attracts many intern
students. The Lodge is managed by Nelly and her daughter Charmaine. They are
very friendly and will always help you where needed. They can answer any
questions or can even help when you need some TLC because you feel a bit
homesick!
The Main Lodge is the centre of all
the lodges and is a meeting point for everyone. You can discuss your day in the
living room, have a nice chat out on the terrace, go for a swim, watch a movie,
etc.
here are two 4-person dorms, one
3-person dorm and one double room. This lodge has a living room, two bathrooms
and a well-equipped kitchen. The back of the house has a nice covered terrace,
as well as a braai area (South African barbecue) and a swimming pool.
In the back of the garden there is a
little place called the Garden Lodge. This is basically the chill-out room with
several comfortable sofas, satellite television, VCR and HiFi system. Great for
relaxing or for parties.
The Main Lodge also has storage
facilities for surfboards etc. and space to store your luggage if you wish to
travel around the country and leave your things somewhere safe.
Food:
You will be given a food allowance to buy your own food from the
big supermarket up the road. Each house is equipped with a kitchen with a
fridge, stove, oven and microwave, and all the necessities to cook a good meal.
TRAVEL:
You have the option to arrange your
own flights or we can assist you with your flight arrangements. If you would
like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you regarding available flights
and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your flight bookings/payments will
be fulfilled for you by Murray Rogers Travel Ltd., ATOL No. 6856. (Read
more about Murray Rogers Travel Ltd.) Where possible, we arrange for two or
more people to travel on the same flight and we will let you have the names and
telephone numbers of other volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to
each other or even meet up before leaving for your placement.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable return tickets
because many of our volunteers choose to extend their stay once they are in
their destination country. Changeable return tickets enable you to do so, within
the limits of your visa and the level of your air ticket, of course. If you
choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get a changeable
ticket. We meet you at the airport regardless of whether you make your own
travel arrangements or not.
We can also arrange your flight
dates to give you additional time at the end of your project for travelling
around and sightseeing - this is a fascinating and wondrous country!
VISAS:. In countries where
visas or immigration documents are required, we'll send you all the necessary
forms and information and make the process very easy for you.
To
read about the extensiveSupport & Backup
we provide in our countries,
please
click
here.
PRICES:
To see the Prices of this project and all
our other projects in South Africa, please
click here
Prices
include
Food & accommodation while on your project,
unless otherwise stated,
2 T-shirts, if required
for your project
All support and backup
during your programme
Meeting you at the
nearest airport, where appropriate, but exclude international travel.
.
+44 01903 502595
