South Africa – sports coaching

Sports coaching is a great way to experience South Africa whilst engaging with the kids in the township schools in Port Elizabeth.

Chose from:

Rugby

Football

Basketball

Hockey

Netball

Cricket

Tennis

Swimming (seasonal – only in January, February and September in outdoor pools)

Sports coaching does not feature on the curriculum of the township schools so this well established local charity, which is well supported financially by the local businesses,  in addition to providing invaluable sports coaching in the township schools, is able to help particularly gifted children to find sponsorship to realise their talents and go all the way to schools of excellence and even university.

They depend on the volunteers to help deliver their sports coaching programmes and are well organised with specific start dates (see below) and durations of placements from 5 to 12 weeks, with 12 weeks being the most popular and the better in terms of sustainability of the project.

Watch Becca Howard’s video of her time volunteering in South Africa:

As soon as the volunteers arrive at the schools, they are struck by how happy the children are that they have come and are given a very warm welcome with lots of singing and dancing and clamouring for attention.

Volunteer coaching tennis

At the end of your placement, if you spot any exceptionally talented kids, the charity wants to know and will try and get them sent to a school of excellence so that they can realise their full potential and become the South African sportsmen and women of the future.

Teaching and orphanage work are also available either as full time, combined with another activity or as a taster day.

Leisure Time

Sharing the Volunteer House with lots of other sporty people, you are bound to make lots of friends and enjoy the swimming pool during your time out and going out in the evenings for drinks and the occasional dinner.

At the weekends, there is the opportunity to go off and explore the local attractions. Equally several fantastic excursions are included in the placement price:  two different weekend activities for those doing 5 weeks, 4 different weekend activities for those doing 12 weeks.

Other activities you can book once there are:  bungee jumping, shark cage diving, safaris, sky diving….

For more information about South Africa, check out the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/south-africa

For information on how to stay safe and healthy in South Africa, visit: https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/africa/south-africa

South Africa Experience – Add on when your placement finishes

For those of you who have made friends with the other sports coaching volunteers and want to travel the Garden Route from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town with your new mates at the end of your placement, this 7 day add-on travel experience will give you lots of time to chill whilst seeing all there is to see and experiencing some fun activities.  The trip is a mix of experiencing the wilderness in canoes,  includes beaches, riding an ostriche (!), caves, canoeing, wine tasting, trip to Table Mountain when you get to Cape Town.

Included in the price:

• All transport between locations and to organised activities
• 7 nights accommodation at backpackers
• canoe trip into the Wilderness Nature Reserve
• entrance to Cango Caves
• entrance to Ostrich Farm
• Sundowners on Signal Hill
• Entrance to wine estate and tasting of wines
• trip to Tape Mountain

See below table with placement prices, start and finish dates, other Combo projects you can move onto when you are finished and also the dates and cost of the South Africa Add On Travel Experience!