Social Work, Education & Youth Development in South Africa

My experience with the Social Work, Education & Youth Development project with Sharon and Rustin was life-changing. It was meant just to be a stop on a year-long participatory research project. I planned to commit to a month with this organization and ended up extending twice. Needless to say, my expectations for this project were exceeded in every category. Social impact and activities: If you prioritize local-community centered, ethical and grassroots organizations, this project has to be at the top of your list. The organization itself supports at-risk youth and the kids themselves are talented, engaged and earnest. You will spend much of your time learning from and laughing with bright young people while facilitating programs that nurture their development. In your off time, you can immerse yourself in the outdoors (some of my favorites included ziplining, game drives and nature reserve hikes) and explore part of the Garden Route or even just hang out in town with your new friends at many of the locally owned cafes. Location, safety and support: Knysna is a gorgeous, easily navigable and friendly town. People know one another and in that way, it is a great place to connect with folks with similar interests. There is a great sense of community, people’s networks are often interwoven with each others and acquaintances become like family at an unprecedented rate. Overall, I encourage anyone who’s interested in either the broad category of social welfare or even just has an interest in visiting South Africa to come and learn and experience under the guidance of Sharon and Rustin who go above and beyond to provide you with the best experience. Their generosity with their time and efforts and their passion for this work is evident in the way they organize this project and others for and with their community. Working with organizers as dedicated as they are and a community that is so engaged is really an incredible opportunity not to be missed.

My experience with the Social Work, Education & Youth Development project with Sharon and Rustin was life-changing. It was meant just to be a stop on a year-long participatory research project. I planned to commit to a month with this organization and ended up extending twice. Needless to say, my expectations for this project were exceeded in every category. Social impact and activities: If you prioritize local-community centered, ethical and grassroots organizations, this project has to be at the top of your list. The organization itself supports at-risk youth and the kids themselves are talented, engaged and earnest. You will spend much of your time learning from and laughing with bright young people while facilitating programs that nurture their development. In your off time, you can immerse yourself in the outdoors (some of my favorites included ziplining, game drives and nature reserve hikes) and explore part of the Garden Route or even just hang out in town with your new friends at many of the locally owned cafes. Location, safety and support: Knysna is a gorgeous, easily navigable and friendly town. People know one another and in that way, it is a great place to connect with folks with similar interests. There is a great sense of community, people’s networks are often interwoven with each others and acquaintances become like family at an unprecedented rate. Overall, I encourage anyone who’s interested in either the broad category of social welfare or even just has an interest in visiting South Africa to come and learn and experience under the guidance of Sharon and Rustin who go above and beyond to provide you with the best experience. Their generosity with their time and efforts and their passion for this work is evident in the way they organize this project and others for and with their community. Working with organizers as dedicated as they are and a community that is so engaged is really an incredible opportunity not to be missed.

As a newly qualified self-esteem and confidence coach, this was an incredible opportunity for me to test out what works and what doesn’t while also giving my time, energy and skillset to an incredibly worthwhile project. It was a bit of a culture shock when I first arrived but the team were so welcoming and the kids were so interested in getting to know a new person. They also all want to be there which is a testament to the project and keeps them safe and on the right track. During my time on the project, I was part of so many different things and had the opportunity to immerse myself in all the services they offer and duties they carry out. From playing games, to worksheets, to home visits and discussions about the challenges the children and, by extension Sinethemba, are facing to keep these children safe and preparing them for their next steps - no day was the same and it was very varied and gave a clear picture of what was going on. The kids that attend the centre are incredible. They all have dreams and aspirations and if we can help them gain and cultivate the right skills and attitudes, they will get there. They love going there, they’re always happy and smiling and enjoying themselves. The team have a really beautiful way of speaking to the children with respect and discipline, making the children understand the importance of going to school and their behaviour in order to stay there. I’d love to go back and work with the centre some more in the future and see how they are getting on. Each child is so capable and they can reach their goals with the right attitude and support. The team have a tough job but they do it wonderfully. It was one of the most rewarding and fulfilling experiences of my life and I feel so grateful to have been able to have this opportunity. Socially, I cannot sing Knysna's praises enough. A beautiful little town with plenty to do. The local people were so welcoming and lovely, I made so many friends and it truly felt like a home from home. Sharon was an amazing volunteer co-ordinator and became a friend. She welcomed me to town like a visiting family member and I am so grateful to her for everything. It was a very tough place to leave and I can't wait to return! If you are looking for a life changing, exciting and rewarding experience, this is the project for you. Volunteer International Adventures are a great company to go with and make everything so easy!

I went to SA for 12 weeks and it was the most amazing, incredible experience of my life! It changed me for the better! Sharon was so helpful from the very start. I’d never done anything like this on my own and was terrified! Soon as I arrived, Sharon was already there to meet me, she was friendly and bubbly and made me feel at home and I felt at ease straight away! She taught me about the place, what was on, about the locals, where the shops were etc Sharon always made sure we were safe no matter what! I loved every single second I was their! Everyone was so friendly, I would highly recommend

I had the amazing opportunity to work in South Africa a few years back as a volunteer. The entire experience was rewarding in so many ways, I learned so much and am so grateful to have had the chance to participate.

Life-changing experiences working with extraordinary people... Spending a month in Knysna helping out at the Youth Development Centre was one of the most amazing and humbling experiences in my life. I spent each day in the Knysna township with the team that runs the centre, understanding more about the challenges the kids face and the positive impact we can make with our help. It felt like I learnt as much from them and they might have from me. Everyone was so generous with welcoming the volunteers into their world and appreciative of the effort we made to offer our support and time. The month-long program was brilliantly run and organised by Sharon - who made sure we made the most of every minute of our time there. Offering numerous and diverse ways to help out with the local community - from teaching at a primary schooI to helping out with the local mountain biking school - plus exploring the stunning local area, farmer's communities and extraordinary nature and wildlife. I couldn't be more grateful to Sharon, her organisation and all the people I met, including the other volunteers, for the most incredible time I spent in Knysna.

I spent two weeks on a youth development project. It was extremely valuable. Each day as a volunteer was as important as the last and the entire experience was made even more enlightening by the care, and genuine passion for the job shown by those coordinating the experience, Sharon Dreyer in particular. She ensured the work we were involved in was unique and compassionate. The work involved helping youths gain the skills they needed to return to education or employment, and what may feel like minor involvement to us meant a lot to the youths involved and that makes all the difference. Would recommend to anyone who can contribute their time to this great cause.

My experience working within the youth centre changed my life for the better. Having such a hands on coordinator who genuinely cared for me made it so enjoyable, interacting with the kids and becoming their friend over the space of a month. I felt so at ease on my placement, I felt secure and looked after, all at the same time of looking after the youth. Overall my experience was unlike no other, unforgettable and made me go on to further my growth back home. I loved it so much! Olivia

I had a wonderful experience where i got to explore the beautiful South Africa with its incredible people and beautiful environment when i did my internship back in 2016! It was an unforgettable experience.

After a long career in social work in Scotland, this was a wonderful reminder of the value that social work services and community development can bring to areas of deprivation. A reminder too that this value doesn’t just depend upon financial resources but upon the personal resources that individual people bring - particularly respect, wisdom, compassion, empathy and humour. In the face of limited practical and financial resources compared to the UK, this remarkable project clearly delivers on its goals for young people and their families and for their community. The staff and the young people themselves were very welcoming and very willing to give their time to talk, to explain and to ask questions. I most definitely feel that I got more out of the experience than they did, but this did not seem to diminish their enthusiasm. I was very aware of the significant challenges the young people in the project were facing but by the end of the placement, I could see that in spite of that, young people are pretty much the same wherever they are. So full of potential, full of hopes and dreams and the energy to realise them if they have the chance. An inspiration to me in so many ways.