Volunteer in Surf Outreach in Cape Town, South Africa

Have had a good time learning surfing and surfing with local kids. The arrangements by IVHQ are good, with a detailed pre-departure checklist for me to prepare myself before the trip. The local team is kind and friendly. The accommodation and food are the same as the description.

I love going surfing with the kids all afternoon. I've learned that no matter what our family/financial situation is, always be humble and kind to others like the children we are with every day. Volunteering will allow you to immerse yourself in a new culture, learn a lot from the locals and make lifelong friends. But most importantly it will allow you to grow.

IVHQ was very helpful and informative. The local team was all very nice and helpful and provided me with the best knowledge for my experience. It was one of the best experiences of my life. In terms of food, the cook was lovely and the food was delicious. I had so much fun with the kids on the beach and in the water. And seeing the areas underprivileged children come from was very impactful to me.

I have so many fond memories of the time. I am very grateful for all the great people I met during the time and the friendships I made. All the activities we did together (such as a safari tour, bungee jumping, swimming with seals, trip to Cape of Good Hope, wine tour in Stellenbosch etc.) were among the best things about the stay. We all got along so well and the atmosphere made it feel like a family. I miss the time and the country South Africa very much and I am looking forward to hopefully be back soon. I love the social connection with the other volunteers. The program provided me opportunities to connect with others who share similar interests and values as me, helping me to build my social networks and strengthen my relationships. Go for it! It will definitely enrich you on some level and bring you great experiences. It doesn't matter where you are or what project you are doing with the right people it is all fun and I guarantee that if you are open to new cultures and personalities you will always meet the right people.

The local team was very supportive, present and available for help and guidance, at the same time they were not intruding (acting as parents/guardians.) They were very welcoming and open to the diverse cultural backgrounds of the volunteers. They did not judge. They did not discriminate against anyone. I would have loved to make more impact. I think if I had stayed more than two weeks I would have made more impact because once I get to know someone well I become more open to sharing, helping, giving advice, and driving them to be more successful.

This experience has brought me so much joy and light. Not only is South Africa a magical place, but the kids on the surf program and the friends I made left me with a heart full. The local team makes you feel at home and everyone is so nice. I wish I could've stayed longer, because 2 weeks is not enough. South Africa and all the beautiful people I met will forever have a special place in my heart and I can't wait to go back.

With this program, your going to experience one of the most relaxing and pace full life style, of surfing, going to program and been able to share knowledge with the kids and the volunteers, and having time to explore the place, with a everyday outfit of flip flops and swim shorts, and been able tu walk to any place on town. What else can you ask for, if you’re spending half your day at the beach with the most amazing individuals, surfing, swinging, playing... In this proyect I learned to value everything you do everyday, no matter how small it is, if it wakes you a little happy, you should be great full for it. The kids are just outstanding people, who will share their beautiful souls with you. The volunteers you meet, frome all around the globe, show you how every head is a hole world. The staff is carrying and thoughtful, and always willing to help you. And the town and it’s people are the moste warm and welcoming you’ll find

My volunteer trip to South Africa with IVHQ was the best decision of my life. I was supposed to stay for 4weeks but decided to extend to 6 weeks because I couldn’t leave the kids so soon. It is such an amazing experience, you get so attached to the kids, the locals and the other volunteers. I did a surf program in South Africa and just had the time of my life! We got personal surf time in the morning but the best part was to get in the water with the kids during the afternoons. I really loved my trip so much! I’ll be going back next year for 3 months because after only one week home I miss the kids and want to make sure they’re’ doing alright. If I could give one piece of advice to futur volunteers it is to stay as long as they possibly can because it never seems to be enough!

The moment I got off my plane, I knew I was about to have one of the greatest experiences of my life. Staff were quick to greet me and the airport and drive me to the volunteer lodging. This first Monday, IVHQ and DTR lead u through a very informative orientation on what to expect from our programs and how to stay safe in the area. We were situated in Muizenberg, in the Western Cape. About 35-45 minutes to Cape Towns city center and only a 2 minute walk to the beach. Muizenberg is not very tourist-orientated which gives a very local and different aspect on life in Africa. As for the volunteer program itself. I participated on the surf outreach program. Everyday from 10am-12pm you are in the sea practicing how to surf. After 12pm, you get to go home and have a delicious home cooked meal made fresh each day by an in-house cook. The food menu rotates every 4 weeks so you'll have the opportunity to try many amazing new foods. When 2 pm rolls around, you're back at the surf shop preparing sandwiches for the children on your program. They come directly from a local school and eagerly want to get into the ocean each day. Usually at between 4:30pm or 5pm the surf program finishes and you head home for dinner. There is a very lively vibe at the volunteer lodges. With 6 houses in total, there are many volunteers to meet from all over the world. If you wish, there are local bars and clubs you can go out to, with a curfew of 1 am each day. I found this more than enough time to have fun on a Friday night with those in my program. Cooked Food is not provided to the volunteers on the weekend. They do however provide you with the ingredients to make many different chicken and or veggie dishes. If you choose to buy your own food, there are many inexpensive local restaurants around that serve amazing food! Wifi is available almost everywhere but it is not available in any of the volunteer houses. You can buy a SIM card for your unlocked phone and purchase a data pack to have access at home if you wish. I feel that it is also important to add that the houses are in very safe areas, but thefts do occur. To prevent your stuff from going missing, bring luggage locks and always remember to properly lock up your house before you leave entrances unattended. Over the course of my 4 week stay in South Africa, I had a few requirements from the staff that arose. Each time I had a request or a question, the staff would do their best to fix the concern within the hour. Quite amazing service on their part! I would go back tomorrow if I could. The longer you stay here, the more it impacts you and the more it opens up your eyes to the way of life. I would highly recommend this program or any of the IVHQ's South Africa's programs to anyone.

I am here to learn how to surf, meet with the kids, and I enjoy this volunteering.

I chose this program because I've never surf before so I get to learn and meet a lot of kids and I've done IVHQ before and I loved it. So I am up for a new place.

I chose this program because of pretty similar reasons to Olivia, I just wanted to surf and I haven't been anywhere in Africa before and this a good place to start. It's my fourth time volunteering with IVHQ and I love it. On a typical day, we wake up at between 7 to 8o'clock, breakfast at the house. We come here (program location), we put wetsuits on, and we surf for roughly two hours. It sort of changes because the kids had exams. So the time varies, sometimes it's different but it's roughly the sort of what we do. We go home for lunch. We come back here after about say 45minutes or to half an hour of break for lunch. We wait for kids to finish school. Then when they arrive we make sandwiches or prepare certain types of food for them. Then we take them out to the beach, if they wanna surf, they surf. If they don't wanna surf, we play beach games. Sit and talk like the females here, etc. After about two or three hours, we come back here and we get them dressed in dry civilian clothes again. Then we feed them the prepared sandwiches or fruit. Sometimes we got fruits. Then we send them their way. And then we clean clean clean. Ready for the next day!

I chose this program because I have done a previous program with IVHQ not in South Africa. I saw this program and it seemed really interesting that's why I chose it. I'm here for another week and this is my last week.

I came here because I am a Sail Instructor back home so I thought I'd use all the sport knowledge to help out here.

I'm here for three months and this is my second time on the Surf Program. I guess there's always room for me back here!

I chose this program because it seemed like there will be amazing experiences and a lot to do in Cape Town. I've been here for a month now and will be staying for a total of 3 months.

Put simply, my South African experience through IVHQ was phenomenal. We volunteers came with the intention to lend a helping hand, instill positive values upon the children, and "teach" them to surf after learning ourselves. Ironically enough, the children were the ones teaching us how to surf, alongside lessons larger than the ones we could ever dream of teaching them. Upon arrival, my group was shuttled directly to the volunteer house where we were met by the incredibly friendly and helpful staff. Brazzio and Whitney warmly welcomed us to South Africa by helping us to settle in and advising us on how to spend our first weekend before placement since we came several days early. The home itself was beautiful, spacious, safe, and had incredible views from the gated front porch (an amazing place to enjoy some coffee before heading out to placement each morning!) Come Monday morning, we were off to orientation. The ride to orientation was already so enjoyable I knew the next few weeks were going to be extraordinary. We were picked up by a man named Karl in a makeshift shuttle van to drive into the city center. Along the way, Karl told us stories and explained the people and culture, all while cracking jokes and "bumping" popular music. We met the other volunteers, got the scoop on the local area and how program was going to run, and were treated to a wonderful lunch and walk through Cape Town. Post-orientation, we split into our respective programs. The first day of surf program was met by an awful storm, but that did not stop William (surf program director) from making our first day together unforgettable. After trudging through the rain to tour of every single surf shop within walking distance, we enjoyed an afternoon at a coffee shop getting to know each other while sharing our visions for what to put into and get out of the program. Barriers were broken, laughs were shared, and bonds were formed. The next day, Karl's van rolls up outside the surf room and the children pour out running to the door with overflowing energy and joy. Accompanying them was Charles, a man with a heart of gold and the ability to make just about anyone crack a smile at his discretion. My favorite habit of his was yelling "Peace!" as he left the surf room every afternoon to take the children home, while throwing up the peace sign. The following weeks flew by and were filled with plenty of playtime, surfing, beach games, and sandwich making. Although these activities sound simple, every interaction with the children was a chance to radiate positive values and love; essentials that we often take for granted that they do not always have at home. Just as words are inadequate to define love and positive values, so too are words inadequate to describe those few weeks. Inspiring, heart-warming, eye-opening, unlike anything or anyone else, these words attempt to describe my experience and the locals but do neither justice. What I can define, however, is one of the most significant themes of those two weeks; the transcendence of love and positivity through all language barriers.