Description

South Africa is a country of dramatic contrast, where wealth and poverty coexist. While South Africa operates state of the art medical facilities, it also has a 25% HIV/AIDS infection rate; in light of the country's modern infrastructure, millions still live in shack dwellings. It is a place of development and progress, but also has a large population who are unemployed and do not have enough to eat or access to proper education.

In the poorer townships of Cape Town, unemployment in some areas has reached as high as 40%. In the 21st century, computer literacy is a skill, which is valued almost as much as standard literacy! It is therefore a huge advantage when searching for work to have learned basic computer use, which is where our volunteers can help. By sharing their knowledge of IT with students and teachers alike, volunteers increase South African's prospects for finding work.

From developing a better understanding of computers, job opportunities that would not previously have been available present themselves. With IT skills, children and adults also find themselves in a position where they can benefit from all that the worldwide web has to offer.

Volunteers can help teach very basic computer programs like Word and Excel, however if you are also able to develop databases and assist with any maintenance work it will be much appreciated. This IT Project is suited to volunteers of all abilities; you don't need to be a computer whiz to be helpful.

Our IT project in South Africa is based in a center of the mixed township of Lavender Hill. The IT Center is run by a local NGO who have limited funding, resulting in the constant fear of shutting down the center due to a lack of teachers. The center has a single IT room with 10 computers, but within the same building there are a number of other tuition rooms used to conduct life skills mentoring, counselling for HIV/AIDS sufferers, and health education. Downstairs there is also a large creche to cater for the children whose parents are attending classes or working during the day.

Highlights

Volunteers taking part in our IT project spend most of their time teaching young unemployed adults basic computer skills. Just like children throughout the world, computers fascinate South African kids and they are eager to learn how to use them, thus some classes are devoted to giving them this opportunity.

Volunteers teach a variety of practical computer skills ranging from how to turn a computer on and off, to explaining software such as Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, to demonstrating how to use the Internet for research and communication. You'll normally introduce a topic and have the freedom to devise a way to get the students to practice and consolidate the new technique you've just given them.

There is a set three-month term which runs with only a short break with a set curriculum to follow. Due to the relatively high levels of spoken English, you may be left to teach a class on your own while a local teacher will be provided to aid with theory lessons. In other cases, youll work alongside the local teacher who will introduce a task, which volunteers then aid by working with small groups experiencing problems. As with all projects, any help you can give that may aid the development of the project, such as cataloguing information and developing new syllabuses or exams, will be gladly received.

Volunteers who wish to help in the IT center should have a reasonable working knowledge of the main Microsoft packages - but you don't need to be an expert since it is just the basics that you'll be teaching most of the time. The help of volunteers on the IT project is always greatly appreciated; computers are a hugely useful resource and being able to use one is a great advantage.

All volunteers taking part in any of the Cape Town based projects in South Africa have the opportunity to add a 7-Day Conservation Project to the end of their main placement. For more information visit our Conservation in South Africa project page.

Qualifications

none

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

please go to our website for prices.

Cost Includes:

• Emergency evacuation services
• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Medical services
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

• Computer Training
• Volunteering

Typical Volunteer

Open-minded with a willingness to travel.

Age Range

16-80

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Home-stays

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups of 2-5

Application Process Involves

• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Typically The Application Process Time is

10 days

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement

As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded

1992