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Teaching Projects in the Western Cape

Want to do something really worthwhile? Teach English to disadvantaged children at the southern tip of the African continent!

The schools you will be involved with cater for many children from the poorer township community. Your help and support are appreciated by everyone, but mostly by the children! Travellers' teaching programme has been running in this region for many years and the impact our volunteers has had is amazing. Many of them return again and again. The result is a community that has benefited tremendously over the past few years.

Our teaching programmes in the beautiful Western Cape’s Garden Route are situated in Knysna, George and Plettenberg Bay. The teaching placements in all three towns along the Garden Route are relatively close to each other.

You don't need any qualifications to do this project and you can choose to work with primary or secondary schools. All ages from 17 upwards to 70+ can take part and all nationalities are welcomed with open arms. You don't need to speak the local language either.

"I'm absolutely loving South Africa. Knysna is much bigger and much more lively than I ever imagined, and the schools are much more friendly and receptive than I dreamed possible. I couldn't have asked for more support or a more beautiful place to live in." Gill Taylor, teaching in Knysna

On this page:

ABOUT THE LOCATION:
The famous Garden Route stretches along the warm Indian Ocean and hosts the most beautiful array of natural splendors, from exotic white beaches to ancient indigenous forests, home to monkeys, buck and leopard and the elusive forest elephants. The Garden Route is famous for all sorts of activities from adrenalin sports such as bungee jumping, skydiving and shark cage diving to more relaxed pursuits such as hiking, quad biking in the forest or visiting one of the many animal sanctuaries in the area. Your local Travellers liaison will be happy to assist you in finding interesting things to do and places to see so make the most of it!

Knysna is approximately 500km from the beautiful capital city of Cape Town (see photo at bottom of page) and voted South Africa’s favourite town 4 years in a row! Its mountainous backdrop, impressively sized estuary and indigenous forests really give the town a natural feel to it. Although it still has that ‘small-town’ feel, Knysna is growing rapidly, and has all the amenities you could ask for such as banks, hotels, internet café’s, cinemas and shopping malls.

Plettenberg Bay (better known simply as Plett) is a bit smaller than Knysna, but equally stunning.  It's pure white beaches stretch as far as the eye can see and there is a lot to do, from whale and dolphin watching, to hiking trails and awesome nightlife. Plett is situated about 25-30 mins away from Knysna to the north.

The schools in George are located about 6 kms on the outskirts of the town, in one of the poorer areas. George is much larger than both Knysna and Plettenberg Bay put together and has more of a city feel to it. The town lies comfortably nestled at the foot of the picturesque Outeniqua Mountain Range.
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Elizabeth Tratt, Travellers UK co-ordinator for South Africa, surrounded by excited children

Return to the South Africa Home Page and
the list of all our projects in South Africa


Knysna, with it’s stunning views of the estuary


An interview with Nicole during her
Teaching Placement in Knysna

ABOUT YOUR WORK:
The schools that we assist in the Garden Route are mainly for the poorer African and Coloured children in the local community and townships. Standards are generally very high at all of the schools, but in most cases materials and resources may be scarce. Even with the lack of facilities, etc., the enthusiasm of the students and staff at the schools more than make up for this. Download and print additional
information on this project
 
Teaching in Knysna

Teaching in Plettenberg Bay
Teaching in George

The children have a fantastic energy about them and you will be immediately welcomed in by hoards of children running up to greet the new teacher. It is often difficult to stop them smiling!

Download additional information on
ALL our teaching projects in South Africa
You will normally begin your placement by assisting the teachers but, depending on your ability, you may progress on to being given complete control of a particular class or group. You will receive a lot of help and support from the teachers and staff at the schools, but you must be prepared to use your own initiative and ask when you need something.

The average class size ranges from 15 to a manageable 40, which is still quite manageable compared to some other schools in the country.

The best way to describe this project is to let one of our previous volunteers tell you about it in her own words. Felicity du Pulford taught at Sunridge Primary, and this is how she describes a typical day on her project (but please note that this is only one school and that work in other schools may vary):

We didn't anticipate how much there would be to do in Knysna, so our only worry is fitting it all in. Last week, after meeting all the other guys, we went out on Friday which was lovely. Pauline gave us a tour drive around Knysna, so we got to see the beautiful views of the lagoon and town.

Our headmaster at Sunridge, Mr Solomons, is so approachable and welcoming. It’s difficult to describe just how welcome the children make us feel, the atmosphere at the school is just so happy, the teachers so willing to help and we just seem to have slotted into place.

We have been to both the soup kitchen and the orphanage. Lewis and I are keen to go to both as much as possible, and love getting to know the kids. We're going to be very muscly by the end of the month though - all of them want picking up and swinging around all the time!

Knysna has absolutely everything we could want or need, and we are being well looked after by Pauline. We're just starting to regret that we are only here for a month!


Lots of eager-to-learn children just waiting for you!

EXTRA ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE IN KNYSNA
As an added bonus to your project you will also have the opportunity to provide help and support to the local community through the various afternoon activates we have to offer. This is an excellent way to emmerse yourself into the African culture, but most importantly to give a caring hand to the local community. The activities could range from helping out at;
  • The local orphanage  - Make the afternoons fun and exciting for these lovely children by playing games, helping them with home work and just being there to give them the attention that they so crave.
  • The art centre for children - You could make a great impact in their lives by helping them to express their creative side and enjoying an afternoon full of art and crafts. This is such an exciting opportunity for children, so why not be a part of it too!
  • The soup kitchen - Soup kitchens have been set up to provide a meal for the poorer children in the community and often this will be the only decent meal a child has during the day -  any support given is greatly appreciated by all.
  • After school drama or sports - Take some time out after school to set up after school sports or drama clubs, the children love it and it's a great way to get to know them better in a relaxed and fun environment (If you'd like to set up a drama or sports club, please let us know when you apply so that we can arrange it with the school before you arrive.)
  • Other community projects  - In the past volunteers have helped to paint the outside of a crèche that was in desperate need of a lift, the crèche is now looking very cheerful with brightly coloured walls. A jungle gym was donated to this orphanage and volunteers also helped to put it together for the crèche too!
You could be part of these excellent and worthwhile projects so why not volunteer in Knysna!

Your Travellers Project Co-ordinator on the Placement:
Once you apply for this placement, all your arrangements will be taken care of by Elizabeth Tratt (better known as Liz
J), Travellers UK-based Project Co-ordinator for teaching in South Africa. She'll liaise with you to discuss your needs and will be able to answer all your questions. Once you're in South Africa, you'll be well looked after by our South African team, but Liz will remain in touch with you throughout your stay.

Read a very informative Blog by Travellers volunteer, Claire Archibald - it's about her placement and it's fascinating!

SUNRIDGE SCHOOL (mural painted by one of Travellers' volunteers)

SCHOOL TERMS IN SOUTH AFRICA:
Dates for the 2008 school terms (semesters) are given below.

  • 1st Term 11 January to 20 March

  • 2nd Term 14 April to 27 June

  • 3rd Term 16 July to 21 September

  • 4th Term 1 October to 30 November

Dates for the 2009 school terms (semesters) are given below.

  • 1st Term 21 January to 3 April

  • 2nd Term 15 April to 26 June

  • 3rd Term 20 July to 23 September

  • 4th Term 5 October to 11 December

Teaching is not available during school holidays, so if you're planning to participate in a placement, please take the above school term dates into account when planning the timing of your project. On the other hand, if a holiday falls during your proposed placement, you could use this time to do any independent travelling and sightseeing.

If you're a little unsure about the idea of standing in front of a class and teaching, you can, before you leave, enroll in a 1-day intensive open teacher training course (optional) to help you teach if you have no previous experience and would like to gain a little teaching knowledge.

Nervous about going somewhere new? Or about teaching? Read Adrian Tate's description of his arrival in South Africa to teach Sports

SPECIALS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
Bush Survival 5-day Course
Surfing 7-day Course
Paragliding 7-day Course
Extras Application Form
Photo Galleries
Volunteer Feedback
South Africa News

So far what is the best thing about your placement?: "I don't think I could actually define my "best experience" as one moment. What with teaching at the school, rehearsals for my play, the dance classes, soup kitchen, orphanage, hanging out at home with the other guys, going for a drink, the worlds highest bungee jump, trips to the beach, and countless other activities we really are spoilt for choice. I have been here for over 2 months now and I can honestly say there has not been 1 day that I haven't enjoyed!! Luke Brennan

Be inspired by one volunteers story of her time in South Africa and the subsequent links she developed when she was back home. Sarah Cowan's heart warming story

ACCOMMODATION AND LIVING IN SOUTH AFRICA:



Volunteer house in Knysna

Monkeys in the garden of one of the volunteer houses in Knysna

Thanks to a Travellers and our volunteers, these orphans had their first trip to the circus

Knysna: You will more than likely live in one of our homely volunteer houses with other Travellers volunteers. One of the houses is situated in town and closer to the estuary (which is handy for short walks into town), and the other higher up above the town with beautiful views of Knysna Lagoon. Both houses are very comfortable with great facilities.

You may either have your own room or will share a room with one or more other volunteers. This depends on how many people are on placement at the time of yours. You will be provided with a food budget and will need to prepare and cook your own meals.

Plettenberg Bay (Plett):
We make use of a brilliant hostel overlooking stunning white beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see. The hostel is beautifully set in a modern house with full facilities and is situated very close to the quaint town centre.

You will share a room with other Travellers volunteers and you will share the communal areas such as bathrooms, showers, kitchen, etc. with Travellers volunteers and other backpackers. Downstairs there is a large lounge and a TV room. The hostel also has a lovely bar, with a pool table and an outdoor deck, ideal for braais (barbeques) and relaxation. You be provided with a food allowance and you will need to prepare your own food.

George:
Here you have the opportunity to live with a local family and truly immerse yourself in the local culture. Many volunteers prefer this option because it enables them to 'become one of the family'. Most of our volunteers remain good friends with their families long after they've returned home.

When accommodation is limited, we occasionally place volunteers in a local Guest House which is very comfortable and convenient for access into town.
** Please note that occasionally the houses that we use may change owing to availability, so the facilities you can expect may change accordingly.

There are several good, inexpensive steak houses and lots of good Chinese, Italian and other ethnic restaurants all over South Africa. Seafood, of course, is often fresh and plentiful.

With the current favourable exchange rate of about 14 Rands (R14) to the pound, your spending money goes quite a long way! (Prices and exchange rates are current at time writing, but please check rates regularly because they do fluctuate.)

To give you an idea of costs, a local beer will set you back around 70p and coca cola, roughly 30p (at time of writing), so you really can afford to spoil yourself with a good night from time to time.

On Arrival, your Introduction to the Country:
When you arrive you will be welcomed by a member of our South African staff who will take you to your accommodation and introduce you to everyone. During your first few days you'll be given an induction so that you can learn about the country and its culture, as well as other useful information, like how to use the transport system, banks, safety issues, tipping, and lots more.

"The area is beautiful and travelling is easy. The house we stay in is lovely and the Travellers workers are such kind, loving people which really makes it feel like a home away from home. What with all the other volunteers and the Travellers staff, it really does feel like our own little family ... well, our own very big family, I suppose!!!!" Luke Brennan

  • To read about the extensive Support & Backup we provide in our countries, please click here.
  • Read how our volunteers have made a difference to the children in the schools
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.
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!

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.

You will fly into the Airport in Johannesburg where, time permitting, you will be welcomed by Jan, our Travellers representative. She will ensure that your transfer to a flight taking you to George, near Cape Town, is smooth and hassle-free.

In George you will be met by our Manager, Bill Fussel, or a member of his staff. Bill was born in England and emigrated to South Africa many years ago, so he'll probably interrogate you on English prices, latest UK weather - and Chelsea Football team!

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.
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.

Return to the South Africa Home Page and
the list of all our projects in South Africa

TO APPLY FOR THIS PROJECT, PLEASE CLICK HERE

   

 

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Last modified: April 24, 2008