Counseling & Psychology Internships in South Africa

I chose Cape Town because I'd never been to Africa and always wanted to visit. I thought interning and traveling around South Africa would be a truly unique experience — and it was. I loved learning about the different cultures here and the lived experiences of the people I met along the way. My internship gave me a deeper understanding of how the medical and mental health systems work in South Africa, and the models and practices used in the field. Beyond the internship itself, I learned so much about the world and about myself. One of the biggest highlights was traveling to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and encountering an elephant in the wild-- an experience I'll never forget. I also loved living near the beach and being fully immersed in the day-to-day rhythm of life in Cape Town. The support from the VAC team made all the difference. Knowing I could reach out anytime I needed something gave me real peace of mind throughout the program. I'm so grateful for the whole experience.

Participating in an internship with VACorps in Cape Town was one of the most transformative experiences of my life. I chose Cape Town because I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone while being in a place that is vibrant, culturally rich, and community-oriented. I didn’t just want to study counselling and mental health, I wanted to experience it in a real-world setting, contribute meaningfully, and grow both personally and professionally. During my internship with a community-based mental health organization, I was trusted with real responsibility from early on. I conducted counselling sessions, supported clients through complex emotional experiences, and worked alongside dedicated professionals. The work was challenging but deeply purposeful, and it helped me build confidence, trust my instincts, and better understand the kind of practitioner I hope to become. Living in Cape Town made the experience even more meaningful. The city’s natural beauty provided balance alongside the emotional intensity of the work, while exposure to different social realities deepened my empathy and perspective. The VACorps team was incredibly supportive throughout, and the weekly activities created a strong sense of community. This experience not only shaped my professional goals but also changed how I see myself and the work I hope to do in the future.

After three months in Cape Town, I can say it has been one of the most meaningful and almost magical experiences of my life. During my time here, I had the chance to see many different sides of the city from its beautiful coastal areas to communities facing real challenges. This experience helped me better understand South African culture, the strong sense of unity among people, and also the realities of inequality and poverty that still exist. Through my internship with a community-focused mental health organization, I gained valuable hands-on experience, including observing mental health assessments, supporting counseling work with a local family, and participating in outreach projects with children in nearby communities. Outside of the internship, exploring Cape Town’s incredible nature and landscapes became one of my favorite parts of the experience. I will especially miss the weekly activities, the unpredictable but beautiful weather, and the amazing people I met along the way. The VAC team made the experience truly special, always supporting us and helping us get the most out of our time in Cape Town.

Cape Town is an incredible place to gain experience working with diverse communities in the field of mental health. During my internship at a community-based mental health organization, I had the opportunity to work with clients from many different backgrounds and see firsthand the realities people face across the city. Despite these challenges, I met some of the most inspiring individuals who maintained a positive spirit and resilience. Working directly with clients helped me gain practical insight that no classroom lecture could provide and played an important role in shaping the direction I want to take in my future career. My time in Cape Town was also made special by the support of the VACorps staff and the experiences outside of the internship. The activities they organized helped me explore the city and its culture, and they were always there whenever support was needed. Living in a city surrounded by nature while sharing the experience with friends from around the world made the journey unforgettable. I am truly grateful for the opportunity and for the chance to grow both personally and professionally.

I chose VAC to learn more about the field of psychology that I was interested, and was opened up to new fields and experiences that I never imagined! I loved the hikes, adventures, restaurants, history, and deep sense of community in the gap year program and within Observatory and Cape Town as a whole. I will never forget planting lettuce on a beautiful sunny day with a view of Table Mountain and the entire waterfront! I loved how accessible Observatory is - the restaurants, thrift stores, and live music scene. I stayed from January-March and it seemed like the perfect amount of time - definitely wouldn’t have wanted it to be any shorter! I am grateful for the opportunity to have immersed myself in a new place and live in one of the most beautiful and diverse places I have ever been.

I chose Cape Town because I wanted to step outside my comfort zone and immerse myself in a culture with different values, languages, traditions, and art. The city’s rich diversity provided exactly that. I was also looking for a place with plenty to do outside of work, and Cape Town, with its blend of mountains, ocean, and vibrant city life, offered endless opportunities. I spent my free time hiking Lion’s Head and Table Mountain, exploring tidal pools in Camps Bay and Kalk Bay, and sampling incredible food at the Old Biscuit Mill and Oranjezicht Market. I pursued two internships in Cape Town to explore different career paths that interested me. At a public hospital, I shadowed and assisted nurses and doctors treating patients from across Africa, gaining hands-on experience in admissions, assisting with births, learning to apply casts, and writing prescriptions. At the Women’s Shelter, I worked with abused women and children, leading both individual and group counseling sessions. This experience allowed me to connect with clients and their families on a deeper level. My time in both settings helped me understand what I value in a work environment. I realized how important it is for me to engage in hands-on work while also forming meaningful connections with colleagues and the people I serve. Now, looking back, I’m grateful for the skills I’ve gained, the people I’ve met, and the personal growth I’ve experienced during this journey.

I chose to stay in Cape Town on a whim. I heard it was beautiful but I didn’t know much else about it. I immediately fell in love with Cape Town and South Africa. I love the culture, the friendliness, the beauty and the sense of home it has provided me for 3 months. Being able to be somewhere so amazing and do the work I love was an experience I’ll be forever grateful for. I enjoyed my site and coworkers so much, and felt that the work I was doing at was important. It solidified my career desires and taught me so much about being a therapist/psychologist. The VAC staff is so attentive and are there for you through everything. I never felt alone knowing Kus and Kholi were a phone call away. I’m so grateful to them and the rest of the VAC staff for their hospitality.

Choosing to intern in Cape Town through VAC was one of the best decisions I've made for my career and personal growth. working with a nonprofit focused on supporting pregnant women allowed me to support passionate people who truly make a difference while developing valuable skills in assessment and counselling. The experience was not only professionally rewarding but also deeply fulfilling on a personal level, as I was able to work closely with expectant mothers, helping them navigate this crucial period with guidance and support. Vac provided outstanding support throughout my internship journey, from finding the right placement to ensuring I had everything I needed while I was there. The weekly check-ins and social events organised by VAC made me feel part of a community and helped me build connections with other interns from around the world. The team was always approachable, and it was reassuring to know I could reach out to them anytime I needed advice or assistance. Cape Town itself is an incredible place to live and work, with its beautiful landscapes, vibrant culture, and welcoming people. I fell in love with the city's mix of adventure and warmth, and it quickly felt like a second home.

After graduating from college, I was eager to gain hands-on experience in counseling, youth development, and public health. VAC was the perfect resource for this. Working closely with me to understand my values and interests, the wonderful program advisors at VAC matched me with a maternal health organization. Committed to educating, empowering, and supporting expecting mothers, this organization provides crucial assistance to women facing vulnerabilities such as age, immigrant status, and domestic violence. These social determinants significantly impact their mental and physical well-being, which in turn affects the health of their unborn children. Witnessing the resilience of both my co-workers and the women they serve amidst such adversity has truly inspired me. I am immensely grateful to these women for welcoming me into their fold and guiding me through these transformative experiences. Their mentorship has reinforced my passion for youth development, counseling, and global health, leaving me even more motivated to make an impact. I cannot thank VAC enough for supporting me in this journey and making Cape Town feel like a home!

I deliberately chose Cape Town to learn about cultural differences in my professional field of coaching and organizational psychology. For me, it was great to experience how further training is practically implemented in companies. I became more and more confident and I feel more confident in my professional goal to work as an independent coach in a network.

In late 2019 when I started my search for an internship location, I had no idea or the slightest inclination that I would end up in Cape Town. As I searched online, I came across the VACorps website and read about VACorps and the testimonials from the previous interns and I knew I had finally found my internship destination – Cape Town and with VACorps. I started the internship application process and everything was running smoothly until COVID struck and then I had to put my internship on hold as the world went into lockdown. What I really appreciated even when everything was on hold is the effort that VACorps staff and especially Loyiso put in keeping me updated on the progress he was making to find an internship site that would suit my interests. Even though it took 2 years before I could finally travel to Cape Town and do my internship, it was well worth the wait, and I was definitely not disappointed. My internship site at the adolescent mental health clinic has been extremely fulfilling, and even though at times it was heartbreaking to listen to the difficult mental health issues of the patients, that is what the internship was about, and I learned a great deal. The staff at the site was very friendly and it took less than a day to feel at home. Sometimes the activities at the clinic required just shadowing the professionals but this was also a perfect way of observing and learning and soaking in the “silent experience” gathered. I came to Cape Town only focused on completing a two-month internship, but I must admit the weekly activities organized by VACorps led me to see and appreciate that there is a lot more to the experience than just interning in Cape Town. The city is just beautiful and my two months felt a little short to appreciate everything that the city has to offer. So all I can say is that my internship period was just a ‘Cape Town appetizer’ and I will definitely come back for more when I have more time. But in the meantime a BIG BRAVO to VACorps for not being just an internship agency but for going beyond to integrate the interns into South Africa. The weekly activities, especially the visit to GAPA (Grandmothers Against Poverty and Aids) have led to my being ´adopted’ by the grannies and now I leave Cape Town as a ´grandchild’ of GAPA and so this gives me a good reason to come back to Cape Town. I will be collaborating with GAPA to set up a similar project back home. So thanks to VACorps for without you I wouldn’t have met those inspirational, strong women. For anyone considering interning with VACorps, you will NOT regret that decision. The personal and professional experience gained will definitely leave a mark on your heart that will be with you forever. And for anyone coming to intern, come with an open mind, ready to embrace all there is to enjoy from nature to food, to massive shopping malls, and most of all to the very friendly people of South Africa. So for now, it is not goodbye Cape Town but see you again in the near future.

VACorps was the best program I have ever participated in. It is extremely organized and structured so you never feel like you are lost or without support. The staff is more than friendly and willing to respond to you as quickly as they can. They care about you and want to make sure you are having the best experience possible. I loved my internship working at a mental health clinic as it helped me narrow my career interests. Overall it was a very well done program and I would highly recommend it to a friend or family member.

I chose Cape Town because a friend of mine was part of Vac and had a great experience. My internship was part of my degree and I would definitely recommend it as I learned a lot and probably more than in Switzerland. In Switzerland, it‘s quite hard to get into a Clinic and really work together with patients. But not only did I benefit from the professional knowledge in the clinic, I also improved my English and I had to live on my own in a foreign country. I learned about the culture and also more about the African way of living. It was also really nice that my internship was flexible and that I could get a day off when I wanted to explore more of Cape Town. I‘m definitely going to miss the people. They are much more friendly and welcoming than back home! In total, I stayed for 6 months but only half of it I worked in my internship. The rest I will use to travel around South Africa. I would definitely advise people to come for more than 2 months to really get an insight into their daily life. The weekly activities were great and I saw places that would have been more complicated to explore on my own. The staff was absolutely amazing and probably the best part about Vac. They would help in every situation and that‘s really nice to know!

I chose Cape Town to intern abroad as South Africa is a country I've always wanted to visit. So I couldn't have asked for a better thing than to intern in Cape Town as it is the best of both worlds. I really enjoyed my internship and the work I did, but I also had a great deal of fun exploring the city and uncovering the rich culture within. Over the course of my 6 months here, I've really really grown to love the city. Looking back on my stay here, I'm really happy I was placed in Observatory, as it is a lovely little neighborhood full of life, and full of different things to do and see. I'm really going to miss the little cafes and thrift shops along lower main, and the vibrant colors of the neighborhood. I love that it is close to a lot of things in cape town, but isn't downtown either. I've learned so much about myself, and this country during my stay and will be leaving with many stories, experiences, and ideas for my future. I do have to say that I recommend for interns to be here for 3 months, if not more, as I found myself only really getting comfortable/knowledgeable of Cape Town after 2 months here (it's so big, so many things to see and do and learn!!!). I'm also really thankful for VACorps to set up weekly activities with their interns, as it helps to get to know each other, but as I got more and more comfortable here and met more people outside of the program. I stayed for 6 months and did my internship at a large public health NGO. The first 2 months I was at a clinic, I worked at the front desk of the Youth center (a center for youth up to the age of 24, where they get family planning, contraception access, counseling, and overall health assessments). I really enjoyed it, as I worked in close quarters with the nurse there. I was able to sit in on consultations with patients, assisted in removing implants, helped with minor first aid (I have first aid qualifications), talked to the youth there, and helped sort out their files. I felt like I was helping a lot where I was needed and felt good about it. Following those 2 first months, my supervisor tasked me to take over a pilot study: The acceptability of menstrual cups among 14-15-year-old girls in the Masiphumelele Township. This project is what I worked on (along with other tasks I got from my supervisor) for the last 4 months of my stay. I really enjoyed it, as I felt they trusted me to work diligently on it. I set up educational workshops with girls that were recruited for the study to educate them on basic feminine hygiene and basic women's biology and got a good grasp of what they knew about it all, and what was missing. I then was tasked to prepare/edit the protocol for the study, as well as various source files for the study, ethics approvals, amendments, etc. This was overall a very satisfying project to work on, as it gave me a good taste of what working in an NGO really entails. Overall, I want to thank everyone at VACorps for having my back. I never felt alone or stranded or worried during my stay here as I knew I had a whole team ready to help me. I'm really going to miss this city, the mountains, the beaches, the shops and restaurants, the nightlife, and everything in between.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Cape Town! VACorps gave me all of the resources I needed to thrive during my time in South Africa. They provided me with fantastic internship placement and created an independent environment of growth with numerous learning opportunities. As a future Public Health major, I was matched with a complimentary internship where I worked as a counselor for pregnant women and new moms, designed a resource book and compiled helpful programs for those seeking help, and worked in the Mowbray Maternity Hospital nursery and organized donations into new baby and momma bags! I transitioned from shadowing counselors to individually running counseling sessions.  Working at my internship site gave me a real introduction to public health in Cape Town, and, surrounded by such a supportive environment, I can undoubtedly say I experienced true growth in my confidence and abilities. I lived here for 3 months, and would definitely recommend staying for as long as you are able! There is so, so much to explore (especially with Cape Town's diverse geography), and you will certainly want to see everything. Some of my favorite activities have been hiking (do Lion's Head at sunrise!), surfing, trying new restaurants, exploring thrift shops, visiting Kirstenbosch, and museum touring. The 'vactivities' and Culture Series ensures you learn and see everything you can about the city! Overall, the level of growth I have experienced in this program, from within my internship, to simply learning how to live independently, has been unmatched, and I do believe my gap year would be incomplete without it.

After having to cancel a semester abroad due to covid regulations and not being able to travel for 2 years, I was desperate to find something else. Since I have been wanting to see Cape Town ever since I was young and I wanted to split my university internship into different parts. VACorps seemed to be a great match. Upon arrival, I was honestly very surprised by how different the city was from what I had imagined and how often we were told to be super vigilant on the streets, etc. After a couple of days of orientation (which was very helpful), I felt more and more comfortable moving around on my own and finally started my counseling internship. The whole team was super welcoming and I was assured that I will get to see many different facets of the Project, including a live birth on my second day! I am especially grateful for the trust that all of the counselors had in me, enabling me to experience counseling sessions myself. I only stayed for 6 weeks, therefore the internship experience was very intense because no week was the same, which I enjoyed very much. For psychology students that already know they want to go into counseling, I would advise taking more time: It's a great team and you will have more time to counsel yourself! The girls from the Loft that I stayed in made my time here super special as well and I will miss every single one of them! Overall I am very happy about my decision to come here and the experiences (personal and professional) that I gained during the internship will always stick with me!

Visiting South Africa was always a dream of mine. It seemed so far away but yet a place full of beauty and adventure. During this crossroad in my life, and as an adult changing careers I thought: what better place to end this transition than in a beautiful city like Cape Town. I saw various internship websites and when I came across VACorps and read about the various programs and testimonials of other interns immediately gave me lots of positivity and trust. Since the first email, I sent VACorps until the end of my application process to come to Cape Town everyone was so welcoming, patient and made sure I understood the whole process while making me feel safe and confident in my decision. I really enjoyed going to Cape Point on one of the weekly activities with all the interns and part of the VACorps staff, it was a beautiful and unforgettable experience. One of the biggest highlights of my trip was going on the Garden Route Tour, I had just landed from Spain 2 days before, and here I was 2 days later going on a beautiful safari with the whole team, it really made my trip start with a big bang! I loved every second of it, and I will treasure those memories forever. I always felt safe and taken care of by the team as well as my internship site felt like one big family. I never felt alone or unprotected being so far away from home. The warmth and kindness everyone showed me mean the world to me and a little piece of my heart will always remain in Cape Town. I recommend all interns looking for an adventure of a lifetime, an unforgettable experience while learning and gaining experience in their respective careers to choose VACorps. Whether you are in your gap year or changing careers at a later stage of your life like me, this is a beautiful, unique, and enriching experience. I learned a lot at my internship practice at the psychiatric clinic where I worked, it has given me a better understanding of what to expect in my new career as a psychologist, and I have also learned a lot about myself. I am forever grateful for the guidance, support, and everything I learned during my internship. I always felt part of their team, I never felt like an outsider nor even as an intern. Thank you for making me feel valued and for teaching me about all the unique experiences the world of psychology has to offer. I still have much to learn as someone starting in the world of psychology, but if my experience at the Clinic is a small taste of what is yet to come, then I am very happy and excited about the future.

Interning at VACorps has been the best thing I have done all year. Speaking to their advisors made me believe interning with them would be the best thing; especially as all opportunities are in South Africa. I was drawn to SA because it has a unique culture and history which has shaped the country. As a psychology student, I liked the idea of working with people which is what interning in SA has been all about. The people are all welcoming and communicate openly. I have loved interning remotely as it is more accessible but also has allowed me to help a company that needed it and would not have gotten the help unless it was remote. I learned a lot in my internship including how hard I can push myself. I realized I love doing research and that I am good at getting into great detail when doing it. Additionally, I have learned how working to help others is my true passion. Some specific highlights include meeting with my supervisor every week and working on creating a girls’ module tackling real-life issues to help young women and girls in the Crossroads township. What I loved most about my host company is that they share the same main principles as me, including an appreciation for education. For me, education is the most important resource we have, and that I believe we should all have access to reap the benefits. They were also very accommodating, kind, and willing to give support at any time. Now that my internship experience is over, I will really miss having important and interesting work to do every day. I will also miss the weekly cultural workshops that VACorps hosted.

I came to South Africa because I wanted to understand its history and struggle, to understand how counsellors and psychologists apply western theories to people living in a country like South Africa and to explore this beautiful country. I tried to control my expectations, but even if you make a strong effort not to build expectations they magically appear. And I must say, both Cape Town and Hope House have gone above and beyond my expectations. Exploring Cape Town and its surroundings have been one of the most magical things I've ever done in my life, and it has given me a glimpse of how people live here, how they think and the historic context they live in. Regarding my internship placement at Hope House... it was such an amazing experience that I will cherish forever. I felt my supervisor's trust from day one, and that motivated me to give the best of me at anything I've done there. In two months I've counseled 9 clients (7-8 sessions each) and co-facilitated two different groups at Levana Primary and Lavender Hill High, and I couldn't be happier with how much I've learned from my clients and the learners, but specially from my coworkers at Hope House. The kindness and hard work of people working at HH inspired me every day. Specially my supervisor, Mandy. She is so talented at what she does, she is one of the most talented persons I've ever met. She treats everyone with love and she passes her wisdom onto everyone around her. You can tell she is one of the people in this world who really cares for people around her, and wants to support anyone in need anytime she has the opportunity to do so. I will forever be grateful to Hope House and VAC, for choosing such an amazing placement for me. Thank you!

I came to Cape Town to challenge myself, to learn about culture and politics outside of the US, gain new work experience, celebrate life, and adventure! I've been reconnected with my passion for women's right issues and with my risk taking and adventurous spirit. I've really enjoyed connecting with so many different kinds of people from all over the world and trying and seeing so many new things. I've really enjoyed hiking mostly on my own, paragliding, and sea kayaking -- and love taking in the stunning natural landscape of Cape Town, All the delicious food from all over the world, and South African wine tasting has also been delightful. Also a pleasure to meet and spend time with other VACorps interns, navigating their own adventures here. I loved getting to meet and support the women at the domestic violence shelter where I was interning - and find differences and connections to their stories of women i've worked with in the US. The shelter has been faced with financial difficulties in my time there, and I was able to learn quit a bit about South Africa's social service funding structure. I was also interested in the organization's management and response to this challenge, which gave me additional perspective on social services work in different social and historical contexts. My stay in Capetown will be 10 weeks, which feels about the perfect amount of time for an experience like this. I was able to see and explore many things inside and outside of Capetown, foster beautiful friendships, and get a taste of social service work in an international context. Honestly, I wish there had been more coordination with my internship site around what skills I had to offer them so we could have initiated a project for me earlier on in the experience. Similarly, my site could use some support identifying their organizational needs from interns, and committing institutional support of the intern projects. All told it took about 3 weeks for me to get a sense of how the organization functioned and discuss with the staff what I had to offer - and even still my work 1:1 counseling and group session work was not able to be offered on a regular basis due to a lack of organization of the women's time on the part of the shelter. Every day I arrived - I had no idea what I would be doing. While this is an experience in and of itself - and I'm able to take initiative and be flexible in many environments - I found this at least emotionally taxing and at most re-traumatizing, for both interns and women, who were operating in an environment that lacked transparent communication, whose daily schedule is unpredictable and reactionary, which created an atmosphere of suspicion and hyper individualism (ie. every woman for herself). While this in many ways can be seen as reflection of the post-colonial context, I had the opportunity to visit another domestic violence shelter, and conversed with other interns about their sites - narratives which did not reflect the above experience - but one of collaboration and appreciation. I offer caution placing interns at this site without a good deal more work prepping both with the site and the particular intern around the needs and capacities of both parties. I appreciated the VACorps orientation week and Friday excursions the most as some lightly structured activities in which to connect with others and explore what this area has to offer. I'm grateful for VACs support especially in the beginning of the experience - having people to connect with and support getting information on the logistics of living life here - paying for electricity at the grocery store, the difference between data and airtime, different forms of public transport etc. I've also appreciated the accessibility of program staff to answer questions and support connecting with an opportunity to visit another domestic violence shelter while I am here - which offered a meaningful dimension to my internship experience. If I could go back in time I would tell myself to bring mainly "athleisure" clothes - both for hiking etc, but also exploring all over the city and beyond - you really just need to be comfortable. I did bring my hiking shoes and was really glad i did - hiking trails here are pretty rugged, and sneakers alone do not feel sufficient.