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Combine meaningful volunteering with action-packed adventure travel in South Africa. Join over 19,000 participants who have declared ISV the highest-rated volunteer and adventure program for studen...
There is a reason why South Africa is one of the most popular destinations for volunteers around the world. From the wilds of its game reserves, to the amazing traditions of its tribal villages, to the dazzle of its cosmopolitan cities, South Africa is a country of real extremes and diversity.
Volunteering abroad in South Africa is usually a wild ride. Photo by Troy Peden
Volunteer Opportunities Abound. Since the abolition of apartheid in South Africa, bringing equality to the people has had limited success. The long history of under-education for black communities, the impact of HIV, and the extremes of wealth and poverty mean that community development initiatives remain a very important aspect of South Africa’s growth.
As a volunteer you can get involved with several different types of projects. Help bring needed health care and education to underserved people through health education programs and medical outreach projects. Care for children in orphanages and work with street kids to give them the attention, support, and encouragement they lack. Share your love of sports and teaching with low-income children who want and need teachers, mentors, and coaches.
As much as the people of South Africa need volunteer help, the big focus here is definitely the magnificent wildlife. Where else in the world can you chose between volunteering with great white sharks, Cape penguins, lions, rhinos, cheetahs, giraffes, monkeys, or elephants? South Africa has it all. You can work on research initiatives on wildlife reserves and in the oceans, or volunteer at an animal rescue sanctuary in South Africa. You can get hands-on, helping wildlife you have only seen before on the Discovery Channel! For those who are seeking valuable career experience, working in the field or the lab — or who simply want to support conservation efforts and get up close and personal with some really fascinating wildlife — volunteering in South Africa makes perfect sense.
If you want to gain some valuable skills while you visit, there are some very unique skills development and volunteering options available in South Africa. Take your Field Guide certifications course and learn the skills of tracking, spoor identification, and game management on a real reserve. Or develop your photography skills, learning the techniques for capturing the best wildlife images on a Photography and Conservation initiative. Come back with a great portfolio of awesome images and another skill to put on your resume.
Work Hard, Play Hard. Volunteering in South Africa shouldn’t be all about work, though — there is so much to do in your down time. Take a hike up Table Mountain in Cape Town, go kite-surfing in Chintsa, go ostrich riding in Oudtshoorn, kayak with crocodiles in St Lucia, or swim with penguins on the Cape Peninsula. Tour Robben Island and see the cell where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for years, catch awesome live jazz in a shebeen, go whale watching at Hermanus, or just enjoy a brai (BBQ) as you look out onto the endless beauty of the African plains.
Opt to work in the townships of Cape Town, or the smaller communities of the unspoiled Wild Coast, such as St Lucia or KwaZulu-Natal. Expect the unexpected here: the people, the animals, and the landscape are incredibly diverse and unique.
Heilwig Jones
Author - Heilwig Jones is the founder and director of Kaya Responsible Travel. This organization specialists in volunteer placements across Asia, Africa and Latin America, working with local community development and environmental initiatives that really need volunteer help.
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Now is the ideal time for you to try something new and exciting. Living with Lions volunteer program is home to over 80 Lions including the rare white Lion which is already extinct in the wild. You will have hands...
Learn MoreVolunteer in South Africa with International Volunteer HQ today! IVHQ is the most affordable volunteer organization in the world, sending over 5500 volunteers abroad each year. IVHQ South Africa is located in Cape Town, on the south coast of Africa. The area is well known for the dramatic backdrop of Table Mountain, and the all-year round surf locations. We have a wide range of volunteering opp...
Our vision is to support the work of local community organizations in developing countries through the placement of international volunteers. We believe that local communities are in the best position to determine their needs, and we provide volunteers to help them achieve their goals.
As an international volunteer with Cross-Cultural Solutions, you're making a positive contribution, by sharing in the goals of a South African community that warmly welcomes you. You'll gain new perspectives and insight into the culture and yourself. It's an exciting and personally inspiring experience, and you'll develop memories that will stay with you forever.
Volunteering in South Africa is an incredibly rewarding and worthwhile experience. A country which is healing after years of division, South Africa offers volunteers a unique experience to live within the local community. Our South African partner is dedicated to providing high quality, affordable international volunteering. The well-established team has played a crucial role in helping the loc...
GoEco offers many different volunteer programs in South Africa, including projects tailored to travelers looking for extreme adventures like diving with Great White sharks, raising lions and tigers, and learning to surf on the beaches of Cape Town. Get involved and begin the adventure of your lifetime with GoEco!
There are literally thousands of NGOs in and around Cape Town that are working to provide services. Positions are available with literacy campaigns, HIV/AIDS clinics, orphanages, public health education programs, schools for street children, a charitable organization working with cancer prevention, youth programs, HIV/AIDS, an orphanage for refugee children, a children's home, a home for senio...
Volunteer in South Africa with GVI and join fully supported volunteer programs in this amazing and diverse country. Our volunteer placements ensure your trip is meaningful, safe and full of unique experiences unavailable to the normal traveler.
South Africa is a country with a rich history and diverse cultures, with captivating landscapes and unparalleled natural beauty. Join African Impact in this vibrant corner of Africa on projects ranging from township community upliftment in the bustling Cape Town city centre to photography and wildlife conservation on a private game reserve!
A volunteer program in Cape Town can include caring for pediatric patients at local hospitals, teaching English, mentoring street children, and helping to build schools and houses in disadvantaged communities. Opportunities range from 2 weeks to 6 months.
African Conservation Experience organizes work placements for volunteers of all ages on wildlife conservation projects in Southern Africa. We pride ourselves on the quality, integrity and friendliness of the service that we provide. We ensure that volunteers understand fully what is expected of them and place particular concern on volunteers' security and safety.
Projects Abroad is based in the cosmopolitan city of Cape Town, located in the heart of the Western Cape. From it's beginnings as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town has grown into the second largest city in South Africa.
Volunteering Solutions has 47 programs in 15 different locations. Programs are offered in India, Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Philippines, South Africa, and Honduras.
South Africa has a turbulent history, resulting in a great divide between rich and poor. Many South Africans live in poverty and struggle to meet every day needs. Carefully structured volunteer programs provide a means to make a real difference through community development.
Volunteer abroad with UBELONG. It is the leader in international volunteering and offers safe and extremely affordable volunteering opportunities in Asia, Latin America and Africa. It is based in the U.S. and led by volunteers and development professionals. You will not find a more affordable, professional and supportive volunteering organization.
Cultural Embrace by API offers life-changing volunteer and travel opportunities in South Africa. Imagine rescuing and hand feeding wounded animals in the wild such as baby cheetahs or lions. You also could have the opportunity to build a school to improve the education of the children in a local village. Do more than imagine and experience a wonderful adventure! Amazing volunteer opportunities,...
Frontier wildlife volunteers in South Africa could work in a primate sanctuary, help care for cheetahs, work on a game reserve with the "big 5" African animals, or become a qualified field guide. But it’s not all about animals! We also offer teaching, sports coaching and community development placements, or an amazing group tour along South Africa's famous Garden Route.
Kaya aims to bring together the quality and impact of grass roots projects with the breadth of choice, quality of structure and organization and level of service that enables everyone the opportunity to contribute to positive action and enjoy traveling the world more responsibly.
Memorable. That is a fitting word to describe South Africa. With its breathtaking natural beauty and the wildlife that will leave you awestruck, South Africa is rich in culture, adventure, and its diversity.
Incredible wildlife, varied landscapes, warm people, and thrilling adventures await you on this unforgettable journey through South Africa. From working with the youth of South Africa, to unforgettable wildlife safaris viewing the Big 5 in Kruger National Park and the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, this program combines service, wildlife education, cultural immersion, adventure, and will truly...
Volunteer in a culturally rich South African local township pre-school; Volunteer in a Big Five Conservation Project and make a real and lasting contribution to the local wildlife. Volunteering with children in Africa. Bringing warmth and tender care to little ones.
Volunteer in South Africa and get to know the charming meerkats, help improve the odds for brown hyaenas and other wildlife in spectacular Pilanesberg National Park, and protect biodiversity at a World Heritage Site hosting the second largest colony of African penguins on the planet.
For a unique and very real life experience, join us on a journey that will open you to new realities and take you inward to experience the tangible soul and the warmth of Africa. A voluntour is an opportunity to combine meaningful skills exchange with adventure and sight seeing on a grass roots level.
Join us as a wildlife volunteer and contribute to real conservation in South Africa! We’re looking for people who want to make an actual difference to Africa's wildlife. Does an exciting day out in the bush looking for Wild Dogs or Black Rhino sounds exciting? Then join our professional team of conservationists as we actively monitor and protect endangered and priority species. We work pred...
Enhance your resume and gain international work experience with Magister Student Placement Organisation. You will also learn a new language and experience the cosmopolitan lifestyle in Cape Town.
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United Planet
United Planet’s Volunteer Abroad programs are 100% cultural immersion experiences. United Planet Quest programs run year-round and are available to individuals and groups of all ages, skill levels and nationalities. We have no doubt it will be life-changing and provide lasting memories.
A Broader View Volunteers Corp
If you're looking for a unique travel experience abroad, look no further! A Broader View's programs are the perfect way to meet new people, immerse yourself in new cultures and make a difference abroad.
Child Family Health International
CFHI South Africa programs offer participants the opportunity to learn more about health issues that transcend national borders, class, ethnicity, and cultural divisions. By participating in CFHI’s global health education in South Africa, you will gain a unique insight into healthcare systems of developing countries and increase your cultural competency.
The BUNAC Volunteer South Africa program gives you the opportunity to volunteer and assist in the development of another country. You will be placed in projects in the Cape Town area to help the local communities with projects covering such areas as Social Welfare, Tourism, Conservation, and Education. A 7-day orientation is provided in Cape Town. All meals and accommodation are provided for t...
All Working Abroad International Volunteer programs include placements, housing and meals. Volunteer Abroad programs are an exciting way to learn about a new culture, meet new people, and make a positive impact on a community in need. Our partner organizations specialize in creating partnerships between international volunteers and local organizations. This allows for a structured and saf...
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