Social Welfare Worker

The program

This program makes a truly positive impact on vulnerable children, abused women and those with physical and mental challenges. Volunteers are desperately sought to help this program across the many projects it works on. From providing care and love to orphaned children, to supporting abused women and children, or day-to-day care to others facing challenges in everyday life, this program truly makes a difference to the lives of others. Volunteer help is essential to the viability of these projects and greatly appreciated. Duties for volunteers vary greatly and a love for working with children and those who really need it, and a lot of patience, are very important. Volunteers need to be flexible and willing to help wherever help is needed. It is also important that they understand the local community situations and the local challenges associated with these types of placements.

Goals of this Project:

• Provide quality support to some of the most marginalized people in Cape Town
  
• Improve the future prospects of orphaned or abused children
  
• Boost the confidence and aspirations of marginalized children and their families
  
• Enable inter-cultural exchange which benefits both students and international volunteers alike
  

How you can help

Volunteers are desperately needed to help on this amazing project that supports some of the most vulnerable people in Cape Town, South Africa. Volunteers will gain a huge amount of experience on this social work program, lending a hand on a multitude of initiatives and using their skills and compassion to support those in need. Duties of volunteers vary from each initiative they are working on, however in the orphanages volunteers could assist with feeding and clothing younger children, to playing and assisting with homework and with those struggling at school. These children have suffered great hardship, and often just need someone to listen, a helping hand, warm hugs and affection. At the homes for abused women and children, volunteers will assist with day to day activities and could help with caring for the children or supporting the mothers with programs designed to help them achieve a brighter future.

Volunteers on this program will contribute in a number of ways and can expect to undertake the following tasks:

• Attending to and interacting with the children
  
• Helping with cooking/preparing meals, feeding children and other duties where required
  
• Working on awareness programs for abused women
  
• Working on skill development programs for abused women
  

A volunteer’s work day on this project will generally last between 4 and 6 hours and while we ask all volunteers to be flexible in this regard, a typical daily schedule is likely to go something like this:

7:00am Breakfast at the volunteer house

7:30am Walk to your project site

8:45am Pre-start meeting with project supervisor

9:00am VOLUNTEERING DUTIES START

A tea break and lunch break will be fitted in during the day, but often the timing of breaks will change based on the needs of the local staff and number of volunteers on hand.

3:00pm VOLUNTEERING DUTIES END

3:15pm Debrief with project supervisor

3:30pm Walk back to the accommodation

Evenings Volunteers are free to explore the local area, check out the multitude of local restaurants, bars and cafes, or relax with the other volunteers.