Social work internships in South Africa | VAC

I chose Cape Town initially to experience a culture more removed from the Westernized American and European cultures I had experienced prior. I am so happy to say that I did! My experience in South Africa was so warm, welcoming, and playful! It taught me that the workplace has a place for compassion, friendship, and silliness. I connected with many wonderful people who extended their friendship and homes to me as a visitor. In addition to this life-changing social experience, I was also able to use my time away from work to explore the beautiful nature of Cape Town like the beaches and Table Mountain! I also thoroughly enjoyed the Garden Route and visiting Kruger, and was able to see all the wonderful animals! Working with Kelly and the women of MOSAIC was inspiring and eye-opening into the realities of gender-based violence and social work here, and helped me shape my ideas about my future career. I will miss the kindness and friendliness of everyone in Cape Town the most! I stayed for 8 weeks and found it was just enough time to get comfortable here and experience what I wanted to. I would tell people to research South Africa and educate themselves so they can make the most of their experience here. I am so incredibly grateful for the VACorps staff and their love and support; they were the perfect family away from home!

When I graduated from college, I knew I wanted to take some time before I moved on to work or grad school, so I chose to do a 5-month internship with VACorps. This decision turned out to be the best decision I could have made. I loved getting to practice social work with clients who had different backgrounds, cultures, and languages than me. Taking isiXhosa lessons with Kholi also massively enhanced my experience and helped me connect with my clients. Living in Observatory is never boring as there's always an event or a new restaurant to try. Observatory felt like home from the first walking tour, and living with so many like-minded people made it even better. Our house on Station Rd became a little unit with weekly family dinners and movie nights. I'm so grateful for the friends I made on this trip, the support we received from the VACorps staff, and the amazing activities we got to do together thanks to VACorps.

I chose Cape Town for my internship abroad because my university made the opportunity available to complete my master's degree fieldwork, and I had wanted to visit South Africa for about fifteen years. I needed an internship to complete my degree, but I chose to do so abroad to challenge myself to learn social work in a new environment, in a different culture, so that I could broaden my horizons and learn more about myself in the process. I loved interning here because I got to know so many wonderful people and do genuinely good work that I believe helped so many clients in need. Plus, Cape Town is beautiful, the people are incredibly friendly, and the food is amazing! During my time here, I learned that I can take risks and they will pay off a thousand-fold. I could have stayed safe and content in my everyday life back home in the United States, but I would have missed out on all the personal growth that I have achieved during my stay here. I now feel more confident as a person, more capable as a social worker, and have a better understanding of the world and how I can help wherever I am. I loved meeting people from all around the world and I will miss everyone so very much: my friends in the housing I shared, my clients and coworkers, and the helpful VAC staff who did everything they could to make me feel at home. I was here for three months, and I think this is a great amount of time to stay in Cape Town - any less, and you cannot really settle in and make it your second home the way I did. If I had the opportunity, I might stay for another three! If you're thinking of coming to Cape Town for an internship or volunteer work, read up on the history, the different cultures and languages represented here, and then just immerse yourself in the city. Talk to your Uber drivers, your barista, your waiters and waitresses, your coworkers, your roommates - get to know everyone. Ask questions and really listen to the answers. You'll be amazed at how massively your worldview expands as you connect with other people. I am so grateful for all the support and advice I received from VAC, and I'm grateful for all the programming they offer so that interns really have a chance not only to work, but to experience Cape Town and South Africa more holistically, from Culture Series and its educational and informational sessions, to all the wonderful activities that take you out of your day-to-day bubble and show you more of the amazing place you have chosen to live. I will miss South Africa, my internship site, and VAC, probably for the rest of my life.

Before choosing to come to Cape Town I had my heart set on going abroad to London. I was told the best place to get my hands deep in dirty in my major (social work) would be an internship in Cape Town. My college roommate was also from Cape Town. So when I heard that the most rewarding path was the one that lead to Cape Town, South Africa, I was intrigued. It just felt like more than a coincidence. I realized that I would get the opportunity explore and experience the culture and country of my best friend in the very same way that she was getting to do in my country back in America. While also getting to do real social work! So I made the decision and said what the heck. Let's go to Cape Town. I was skeptical at first. My dream had always been London. It didn't take much time to forget all about my past desire to travel to London once I actually arrived in Cape Town. In a few short days I was immersed in a culture that was not my own. Cape Town is a brilliant hodge podge of languages and cultures. I've spent 8 weeks in Cape Town and I haven't regretted a single moment of it. My internship with Khulisa Social Solutions allowed me to work side by side with the social workers, police officers, lawyers, and magistrates of the Cape Town Community Court. I actually got to work in the jail cells of the court. Never in my life would I have gotten to do something like that back in America. My time in Cape Town has helped me realize my strengths, weaknesses, biases, and has especially opened my eyes to the things I take for granted back at home. I came here two months ago absolutely terrified of what a summer in Cape Town would have in store for me. I am so thankful that I had the VACorps staff standing behind me throughout my entire journey. If I needed anything I knew I had someone to call. I'll never forget how Carmen held my hand to help me get down the mountain after hiking to Elephant's Eye Cave. If that doesn't give you an idea of how much VACorps cares then I'm not sure what will. Maybe its mushy to say this, but the VACorps staff and the interns have such a strong relationship. We are truly one big family. I am going to miss the relationships I've made here. And I am definitely going to miss the stunning scenery that Cape Town proudly displays. (Definitely won't miss the public transportation system) Just know that I am not the same person I was eight weeks ago. Not everything I've experienced in Cape Town has been good and beautiful. Some of it was downright uncomfortable. But those are the moments that I will never forget. Those are the moments that made my short time in the Mother City the best summer of my life.

The things I have seen and the things I have done are impossible to describe in a few sentences. Being able to grow and learn every waking second, even on my walk to the grocery store, have been such a blessing. I have learned so much about myself interning at Ihata Shelter, but also through the painfully slow, overly friendly, and incredibly unique African culture. But if one thing stands out to me the most, this place has taught me a lot about love. Loving every single person I meet, and showing them nothing but love. Loving nature, and continuing to be awestruck by it because it never gets old. And most importantly, loving myself. I will never forget the moment when one of the women at the shelter threw her arms around me after coming back from my short trip to Johannesburg and sneaking me to her room to give me African sweets. I felt so much purpose and belonging. But I will also never forget the moment the same women, who I had so much hope for, left the shelter without finishing the program. Through my dismay and heartbreak, I was reaffirmed social work is the career for me. I will never forget that hilarious, strong, loving and beautiful woman, and she will always serve as a fuel for my future career. Cape Town has made my heart skip a million beats, but has also broken it. The culture, the people, the adventure, the mountains, the unknown, the challenges, the thrill, the incredible friends from all parts of the world. Finally, the women at Ihata shelter, I have loved. I am still shocked these women who have seen inexplicable and deplorable hardship were still willing to accept and show so much love to the blonde American girl who says "literally" several hundred times an hour and has a concerningly difficult time understanding foreign accents. Thank you VAC for giving this to me!!!

My internship taught me to be comfortable with my own initiative. I was alone for the first six weeks so I had to get over being shy. During my internship, I have had a platform to practice my social working skills which has taught me a lot. The staff was amazing and very inspirational too so I have also learned a lot from them personally.

This internship really stretched my comfort zone. CTRC puts a lot of trust in their interns, so I had a lot of responsibility right of the start. I conducted interviews, processed finances, created a support group, taught human rights workshops and helped organize the CTRC Nelson Mandela day, plus National Women Day. I've learned so much about social work, the nature of poverty and education in South Africa, the effects of rape and war on women and African feminisim in general. My experience with VAC and in Cape Town was wonderful. The VAC staff is so frinedly and supportive, while Cape Town itself is the most beautiful and interesting city. After this experience, I can easily see myself coming back and staying for years.

My time at CTRC has been so invaluable that I am dreading leaving. I have become so close to mu supervisors who I view as mentors and we have spent countless times discussing potential future careers for me after the experience, and knowledge I've gained at the centre. From the beginning, I was integrated into the staff, even as just an intern and I was challenged to do difficult social work I didn't know I was ready for. I am so thankful to have spent my weeks at such a worthwhile and inspiring job. I only wish I could have stayed longer!