Volunteer Programs in South Africa

Take part in this volunteering program abroad, and work on an amazing research and conservation project in a private game reserve in the Greater Kruger area. Home to more than just the Big 5, the reserve also has more than 400 species of birds. The project aims to share data with conservation groups and authorities to protect species and natural habitats as well as to educate communities about human impact on wildlife. As a volunteer on the Big 5 Game Reserve, you’ll actively participate in research on wildlife populations and habitat maintenance. To join this project, you need: - Genuine love and concern for animals and the environment - Reasonable level of fitness due to the physical nature of the work - Enthusiasm, openness, flexibility, and cooperation - Awareness of research skills, knowledge, and experience in African wildlife (helpful, but not necessary) If you’re a student and wish to earn credit, speak to a Kaya Placement Advisor. Please bring a laptop to help with data and project activities.

Gain practical social work experience during this exciting internship program in Cape Town, South Africa. You'll be part of a community center in Masiphumelele, a township on the outskirts of the city that provides a safe and stimulating space for up to a hundred children every afternoon. Many of these children have experienced different levels of trauma, and as an intern, you'll assist the program in providing stimulating activities and counseling sessions for groups of children when needed. This internship is a great opportunity for getting practical experience in social work while supporting an important social development program. Your tasks will include offering individual or group counseling sessions to children with troubled backgrounds; helping create stimulating, educative, and fun activities for the children in the aftercare program; and helping cook for and feed the children at the center, among others. Preferably you'll have an academic background or experience in sociology, social work, community development, education, pedagogy, or something similar.

A volunteering experience with bite! Relocate to the incredible setting of the South African bush for the animal encounter of a lifetime, working closely with the entire spectrum of safari wildlife on a working game reserve. This special program calls for animal lovers and outdoor enthusiasts to join the effort to protect Africa’s iconic big game species through park patrols, predator tracking, species surveys, and more. As part of its mission to study and conserve all that spectacular wildlife and support the ecosystem they habitat, the reserve operates a range of conservation projects in which the volunteer can actively participate.

Experience the power of visual storytelling during this unique humanitarian photography program in a town just outside Cape Town—Stellenbosch, South Africa. As a photographer on this program, you'll learn how to document the work of local nonprofit organizations effectively, and you'll put that knowledge into practice during photographic assignments. You'll be tutored by a professional humanitarian photographer with extensive experience and a deep passion for nonprofit photography. Through personal guidance, you'll be sure to grow both in skill and confidence as a photographer. This workshop is a wonderful way to make an impact through your lens and experience South Africa in a unique way. During your stay in Stellenbosch, your accommodation, transport, and meals will be taken care of. You'll be based in a comfortable lodge in the city center, allowing you to easily explore some of the many highlights Stellenbosch and Cape Town have to offer. To qualify for this NGO photography program, you'll need to have basic camera skills and some photographic experience. The workshop runs several times a year, and you can join us for 2 to 4 weeks.

This exciting project was developed to save the majestic native animals of South Africa. The Wildlife Protection program is based in a spectacular game reserve outside Port Elizabeth. The 6000 hectares of land are filled with diverse species, including the ‘Big 5’. In addition to the combination of grasslands and sub-tropical vegetation, the reserve has naturally formed pockets of water, amazing rock formations, and splendid flora. The program plays a significant role in helping with the reserve's maintenance and animal protection, supplying willing volunteers to assist with various tasks. Like many conservation programs, funds are greatly lacking and volunteers are essential to project success. Duties vary daily and are dependent on factors such as the weather. The work is mostly outdoors and, sometimes, in unpleasant conditions, so volunteers have to be willing to lend a hand with all sorts of activities.

Are you looking for an epic adventure that will change your life forever? Then look no further! This Ultimate Gap Year Experience is unique; you will be transported to four different projects across southern Africa, working on the front lines of conservation and connecting with local and expert professionals who are just as passionate about conservation work as you are. One day, you will be collecting data on big cats in one of the largest reserves in South Africa, and then learning bush skills from a master tracker and tracking a herd of elephants the next. You will be part of the conservation community, listening to stories of the land and learning from qualified locals. Completely immersed, you will see what it’s like to live and breathe meaningful African conservation. It’s not always easy to nurse injured animals back to health, but the reintroduction, monitoring, and seeing them thrive afterward is a memory that will last a lifetime. This is a hands-on experience where your efforts are rewarded—many of these wildlife projects wouldn’t exist without volunteers like you. This program is also tailored to how much time you have, your skills, and what you would like to achieve.

Applications are now open for our award-winning Child Life Practicum Program in Cape Town! Our 4-week Child Life practicum program is open to child life students as well as to those interested in the field and is led by Certified Child Life Specialists. The practicum is designed to meet the Association of Child Life Professionals’ standards. While practicums are not required for becoming a Certified Child Life Specialist, the ACLP encourages students to pursue practicums in order to be better prepared and more competitive when applying for child life internships. During the program, through experiential learning and observation, students will increase their knowledge of basic child life skills related to play, developmental assessment, and integration of child life theory into interventions with children and families. The program fee covers training, secure housing, 24/7 on-the-ground support, and some local events with the Connect-123 Cape Town team. We also offer an optional overnight safari experience, where you can see Africa’s big five!

Looking to apply your talent and expertise to a good cause? Find a program that matches your interests and skills through Volunteer World! We are the largest volunteer abroad comparison platform around the globe, enabling you to seek and compare offers from major travel agencies as well as smaller grassroots NGOs and local specialists in more than 80 countries. All these with just one click! Find projects in wildlife, teaching, community development, and several other areas. Simply choose your desired destination and desired travel date, and our search engine will compare the best volunteer abroad programs on your behalf. Whether you wish to gain experience at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa or teach English at a monastery in Nepal, we've got you covered. Volunteer World guarantees a quick and easy application. We will guide you through this process, as well as help plan your next meaningful trip. We provide free access to quality-checked projects and flexible options. And if anything goes wrong, we've got your back with our qualified support team and our refund guarantee.

Gain practical legal experience while making a meaningful contribution to human rights in one of South Africa’s major cities. This programme is designed for Law, Policy, and International Relations students or graduates who want to strengthen their skills, engage in global legal work, and boost their career prospects. Work alongside a dedicated human rights and legal clinic that advocates for marginalised communities. Train with legal professionals as you learn to manage cases, communicate with clients, draft documents, take accurate case notes, liaise with institutional bodies, and assist in litigation. Take the opportunity to specialise in departments that match your interests and even manage your own cases under supervision. Throughout your placement, immerse yourself in South African culture while contributing to lasting legal and social impact.

Experience Durban, the heart of Kwa-Zulu Natal province in South Africa. Child Family Health International is proud to have operated this excellent program in collaboration with many health care providers and public health projects in the Durban area since January of 2006. The Durban program highlights the challenges faced by the post-apartheid public health care system taking into consideration the threats of HIV/AIDS, environmental health issues, and other underlying causes of poor health in the region. The program will focus on health issues addressed through clinical interventions and community development projects in health. This program combines service-learning opportunities in public health and clinical settings. This site will focus on learning about public health issues in the region in a mostly observational manner and participating, in a limited way in the provision of health care at clinical facilities.

The Wildlife Volunteer in a Rescue Farm program offers a unique opportunity for individuals passionate about wildlife conservation to contribute actively to rehabilitating and caring for injured, orphaned, or abandoned animals. As a volunteer, you will work directly with various species and assist in animal care, habitat maintenance, wildlife rehabilitation, and educational outreach. This program is perfect if you're interested in environmental protection, animal care, and sustainable travel. It's a “family” project, meaning children as young as four can join. Our advisors will provide personalized recommendations based on your kids' ages and the project's mission.

A lifetime adventure is waiting for you in South Africa! Sign up for our safari internship, a program that covers a broad range of degree majors and interests - from tourism to business. You will get to focus on tourism and marketing or work as a safari guide. Your position and responsibilities depend largely on the placement. This is also open to volunteers interested in learning the ins and outs of African safaris. For four weeks to 12 weeks (ideally, eight weeks to 12 weeks), get up close and personal with South Africa’s amazing wildlife. This is a unique and interesting addition your credentials, making your résumé stand out from the competition! If you take on the role of a safari tour guide, you will collaborate with industry professionals. While doing so, learn from their unique perspective and listen to their experiences, allowing you to bring home tips you can use once out in the professional field. If you land a placement in the sector of tourism and marketing, you will learn more about South Africa’s tourism industry. At the same time, you will have the opportunity to broaden your professional network.

Everyone has heard of the Big 5—Africa's “must-see” animals! But are you ready for your disappointing fact of the day? They are called that because they were the most difficult to hunt. Because of this, “claim to fame” hunters have gone overboard, making each of these animals endangered and needing your help! This volunteer trip will put you in the heart of South Africa’s gorgeous Eastern Cape. It’ll be your job to track the movements of wild herds across a 6,000-hectare private game reserve on an open-top safari! You’ll make a meaningful impact by ensuring that the Big 5 will be around to hunt—with cameras, of course—for many generations! Make lifelong friends and memories while doing meaningful work. Get up close and personal with some amazing animals in a program that includes everything you can think of!