Volunteers
Volunteering at the Greater Stellenbosch Development Trust is a wonderful opportunity, especially for those who want to broaden their horizons and immerse themselves in a new culture. It offers both an amazing way to help out a unique community as well as close contact with the South African people and their culture. Every year, volunteers from all over the world live and work together in Khayamandi (Stellenbosch, South Africa).
Work Placements
Because of the variety of our projects, we can offer you possibilities for volunteering, depending on your personal interests and skills. You can assist us in the following areas:
- Education Project – crèche and pre-school, or after-school care youth project
- Entrepreneurs Project
- Cultural Programme
- General management assistance
Education Project - crèche and pre-school, or after-school care
The Trust supports children to study. Children are taken into the programme from as young as age 2, when they are enrolled at the crèche managed by the Trust. They are supported financially throughout their school career and also if they continue with further studies.
Working as a volunteer at the crèche allows you to explore the daily operations of a pre-school. You will follow a daily activity schedule with one of two classes. The first class is for children aged 3 to 5. The second class is for children aged 5 to 6, in which the children are prepared for school. As a classroom assistant you support the teacher in all areas, including the lesson. Volunteers may also suggest an activity or a skill they can offer the project. Examples would be painting with the children or presenting dance classes.
Every afternoon over a hundred children from different schools come together in the After-school Care Programme. Here you can support the classroom teacher, who supervises each day’s classes. Your support would include helping the children with their homework, but also encouraging children individually and giving them learning support. Every Monday and Friday there is also the so-called "activity club", which offers various possibilities in sports, arts and music. Your talent could be our next activity…
Entrepreneurs Project
Do you study business management or do you know something about finances and how to run a business? Then you can help the participants in SEED, our partner programme, to become self-employed and to start a micro-business of their own. Every month the Entrepreneurs Project offers a micro-MBA course. The total duration of the training is 40 hours and participants are taught basic entrepreneurial skills. You can support our entrepreneurs in developing a business plan, for example. In the new computer room of the Trust Centre you can also show them how computers and the internet can be meaningfully used in their work.
Cultural Programme
There is a lively culture in the InZink amphitheatre, centred on music, performance theatre, poetry performances, film screenings and so forth. There are programmes for adults and for children.
General Management Assistance
Through general management assistance, the Trust aims to aid other organisations with general administration, financial planning and the maintenance of a functioning website.”
General support
If you are more the all-round type or if you would rather work in various projects, we can also look into the possibility of placing you at more than one project. In addition, we are looking for general support, for example in strategic planning, management tasks or the work on and for our website.
Application Procedure
If you are interested in volunteering at our Trust Centre, you can send us the completed form which you can download Volunteers Application Form (PDF, 29 KB) or Volunteers Application Form (Word, 82KB). Please add a copy of your CV (résumé). Make sure we know everything we need to know about your interests, skills and experience. As soon as we have received these documents from you, we will discuss your possibilities with the project managers and get back to you. When you arrive in Khayamandi, you will meet with the project manager of your project(s) to discuss these possibilities. Together you can work out the exact details of your activities.
IMPORTANT: Make sure that you apply at least two months before you intend to arrive in South Africa.
For answers to your questions, please take a look at the Tips & FAQs section. If you cannot find the answer you are looking for, please do not hesitate to send all your inquiries concerning the projects and your application documents to Volunteers Email.
What to know and expect as a volunteer
Tips and FAQ’s CLICK HERE
Living In Kayamandi CLICK HERE
Blog and Facebook Group
Experiences should be shared with others, and that is what our, soon to be available, voluntary worker blog is there for. You can also join our Facebook Group, and ask your questions and share your experiences there. Volunteers and those who have already returned home should feel free to write down their moving moments and experiences.
Nicole Haver has worked on the Educational Project and the website of the Greater Stellenbosch Development Trust for three months, CLICK HERE to read about her experience.