from 1,211€

Fantastic 4.5rating (42)

Penguin Rescue and Rehabilitation Assistant

location
4 - 12 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Fantastic 4.5  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Work hands-on with sick or injured endangered African Penguins protecting the biggest colony of these beautiful birds in the world!
  • Observe how they will re-learn how to catch fish independently after being made fit and fat by the loving hands of volunteers.
  • Be part of the conservation efforts to protect our endangered penguins and help us to preserve our natural treasure!
  • Explore local South African life and beautiful nature and wildlife in the area with fellow volunteers!
  • Emerge yourself in a truly worthy cause that protects vulnerable marine wildlife such as the Penguins as well as various marine birds.

Especially good for

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Groups
50+

About the program

The Penguin Rehab and Conservation center in Port Elizabeth serves as the rescue center for the endangered African Penguins.

About the Program

The South African Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre (SANCCOB), a non-profit organization in Port Elizabeth, South Africa; is focused on the care of sick or injured African Penguins (also known as Jackass Penguins) as well as other marine birds such as gannets, cormorants ...

About the program

About the Program

The South African Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre (SANCCOB), a non-profit organization in Port Elizabeth, South Africa; is focused on the care of sick or injured African Penguins (also known as Jackass Penguins) as well as other marine birds such as gannets, cormorants and seagulls. The work of SANCCOB is vital for the safety of the largest breeding colony of African Penguins in the world which is situated on St Croix Island right off the shore of Port Elizabeth in the Indian Ocean.

This is the only centre in Port Elizabeth that has the capacity to collect washed-up penguins who are sick, hurt or exhausted; and to treat any diseases they may have, give them a vitamin boost, fatten them up and release them into the bay again.

They will re-learn how to catch fish independently with a definite advantage, being made fit and fat by volunteers.

There are currently only 25 000 breeding pairs of African Penguins left in the world, and 21000 of those are mostly right here on our doorstep in Algoa Bay.

The centre’s purpose isn´t just to rescue and rehabilitate, but also to inform and educate the general public through their different programs. The extensive displays at the centre give tourists, school groups and other visitors the opportunity to learn about these endangered birds but also a wider variety of marine life in the beautiful and incredibly diverse Algoa Bay.

Volunteers are needed for the diversity of tasks that come with caring for the penguins and other rescued birds, as well as the educational purpose of the centre. Volunteers will feed and clean the penguins, maintain their enclosures, welcome visitors and guide them through the educational centre, go out on occasional rescues and assist with releases. 




Typical day

As a volunteer you will generally work closely with the people who work at the rehabilitation centre from 8.30AM until 5PM including the following tasks.

  • Hands-on work with penguins and other marine birds
  • Assistance on educational visitor tours
  • Cleaning and feeding of the penguins
  • Helping to release ...

Typical day

As a volunteer you will generally work closely with the people who work at the rehabilitation centre from 8.30AM until 5PM including the following tasks.

  • Hands-on work with penguins and other marine birds
  • Assistance on educational visitor tours
  • Cleaning and feeding of the penguins
  • Helping to release rehabilitated birds
  • General, centre-related tasks
General 
  • Welcoming visitors 
  • Answering the phone and office duties (filing, taking, and delivering phone messages, printing, copy work, receiving deliveries, data capturing, stocktake, postage, communication with suppliers etc.)
  • Attending to “Bird Calls” (phone calls relating to birds in need of rescue) 
  • Assisting with emails  Guiding visitors and school groups through the center 
  • Helping at the coffee shop when needed 
  • Centre maintenance duties 
Fundraising 
  • Capture visitor’s data into database 
  • Filing 
  • Thank you letters to donors 
  • Tracking donations from donors 
  • Assisting in creating Penguin adoption packs 
  • Assist with tin collection program
Sea school 
  • Teaching the visiting children about the center 
  • Helping with rock pool and shipwreck lessons 
  • Looking after displays and educational material 
Bird hospital 
  • Maintaining a high standard of hygiene and cleanliness in the rehabilitation centre. 
  • Scrubbing and cleaning the bird hospital facilities 
  • Washing and drying of laundry 
  • Cleaning equipment used in food preparation and feeding 
  • Defrosting and preparing fish for a variety of seabird species. 
  • Preparing and administering medication to different bird species.
  • Feeding the penguins and other birds (force feeding and free feeding) 
  • Hydrating (tubing) different bird species. 
  • Assisting in maintaining the permanent bird exhibit (scrubbing rocks, raking sand and food preparation) 
  • Cleaning and caring for the birds that are brought in 
  • Catching and handling of different bird species. 
  • Assisting with bird release preparation 
  • Joining the staff (when possible) at rescues in the Port Elizabeth area

Volunteers work 5 days per week from Monday to Sunday from about 8h00-17h00 with a lunch break 13h00-14h00 and short tea breaks during the morning and afternoon. This means that you will be asked to work on weekends but then you will have two days off during the week. Some days might start earlier or later and in summertime, due to the heat, hours can change.


Free-time activities

The Eastern Cape and the Port Elizabeth area are like a treasure trove of natural wonders, making PE the ultimate pit stop for exploring South Africa's diverse landscapes. As the location of PE is well situated for seeing a wide variety of sights, it is much more favorable to see the diversity of ...

Free-time activities

The Eastern Cape and the Port Elizabeth area are like a treasure trove of natural wonders, making PE the ultimate pit stop for exploring South Africa's diverse landscapes. As the location of PE is well situated for seeing a wide variety of sights, it is much more favorable to see the diversity of South Africa than Cape Town.

You can venture East to the untamed Wild Coast or discover the famous Addo Elephant Park within only an hours drive. Or you can head North to the vast Karoo, a desert oasis boasting historical gems like Graaff Reinet and the enchanting Baviaanskloof Wilderness. Travel West to the Garden Route towards Cape Town and be enchanted by the Tsitsikamma National Park, charming holiday spots like Wilderness, Plettenberg Bay and Knysna, or catch some waves in the legendary Jeffrey’s Bay. With so much beauty to uncover, your itinerary will never be dull!

We will offer various weekend outings and day trips during your stay and its up to you to decide to join us. Just remember, your weekend adventures aren't part of our package, and you can choose to join in (or not)!


Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Required Documents

Short resume

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

It is important that volunteers: -Are physically fit and able to stand for a full shift, comfortable with getting dirty, willing to work in all weather conditions, often outside, reliable and accountable, compassionate and caring nature with a love for seabirds and up to date with their tetanus vaccination. -Can work in a team as well as independently, follow Standard Operating Procedures, and work well under pressure.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 08:30 - 17:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Go With Khaya

Included in your fees:

  • Information and assistance before departure
  • Airport pick up upon arrival and drop off at the end of your stay
  • City Tour and Introduction Program
  • Shared accommodation in our beautiful volunteer house
  • 3 basic meals a day (family style)
  • Daily transport to-and-from the project
  • Volunteer T-Shirt from SANCOBB with a name badge

Excluded from your fees: 

  • Private Luxuries (snacks, cool drinks, etc.) 
  • Costs for weekend outings to safari parks etc. 
  • Air tickets 
  • Insurance 
  • Laundry service

Airport Pickup at Port Elizabeth International Airport

Airport arrivals and departures are included in the fees and we will personally meet you with a sign with your name on it so you can't miss us!


Accommodation

The volunteer house in Port Elizabeth is a gorgeous home with loads of space.  Whether you prefer to unwind in the garden, at the pool or in the lounge; this home has a special place for everyone. 

The home was built in grand old architectural style and is decorated with modern touches. There are 5 large bedrooms with male and females having their own rooms and bathrooms. A sparkling pool for summer and a fireplace for winter, what more do you need?

The property is well secured (electric fencing and security company) and superbly located within walking distance of the beach, various restaurants, laundry & shops, it has fast wifi and plenty of spaces to unwind and relax.

Food & Beverages

Our cook will provide all meals at the volunteer house on a daily basis. This means you will be able to enjoy great South African home cooked meal & learn how to cook some of these specialties if you are keen to jump in.

Our cook will create weekly menus with evening meals like stews, curries, stir-fry, soups, pastas and other wholesome options. Meals will be prepared and cooked from Monday to Friday, where on weekends volunteers will only have to heat up a meal or make their own similar meals with all ingredients provided. For breakfast you can have toast, fruit, yogurt, cereal and/or eggs while for your packed lunch to take to the project you can have sandwiches with cheese, marmalade, cold meats or other spreads. There is free instant coffee, tea and water available at any time. 

Please tell our coordinators about any wishes, vegetarian wishes and allergies concerning food.

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Port Elizabeth International Airport (PLZ) in Port Elizabeth. We assist you to find cheap flights to South Africa. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for South Africa provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in South Africa you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for South Africa. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

Our awesome volunteers arrive on Mondays where we will welcome you and take you to our super comfy volunteer home. After some rest and settling in for the first day we dive headfirst into action on Tuesdays. 

Arrivals and departure transfers to and from the airpoirt are included in the fees, so join us throughout the year, but just keep in mind that we take a break for 2-3 weeks in late December/early January.

This project has a minimum duration of 6 weeks.

Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

4 weeks (min. stay) 1,211€
7 weeks 1,693€
12 weeks (max. stay) 3,218€
Average fees 285€/week

Program fees

285€ per week 4 - 12 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES


Duration

4 - 12 weeks

Deposit

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


Final Payment

Your final payment will be agreed with Go With Khaya during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


Meet your organization

Go With Khaya

Fantastic 4.5 rating (42 reviews)

Agency - founded in 2005

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high response rate

Coordinated by

Igna

Spoken languages: English

About the project

Go With Khaya provides responsible and affordable volunteer projects. Take a gap year, work with communities and children, teach sport or work with wildlife.

Meet your organization

“Khaya” means village or dwelling in several African languages – but it also has a deeper meaning, that of ‘belonging’. In Xhosa it also means home or homestead and in Swahili it means boma, which is an enclosed secure area for cattle. At Khaya Volunteer Projects, we make our volunteers feel that they belong. If you choose Khaya to organize your volunteering experience, you will feel secure and well-informed. You will also feel that you belong to the project you decide to work with, as Khaya fits the right people to the right projects.

History

Go With Khaya Travel Experiences was established in 2005 under the initial name Khaya Volunteer Projects. We offered international students the opportunity to come to South Africa and experience working with local companies and organizations as interns. Our goal was to offer an incomparable experience of the diverse culture and socio-political landscape of this amazing country, and our hope was to inspire people to offer their time and effort in return.

We soon found that many volunteering projects needed more hands and financial support than interns could provide, so in 2009 we started to offer volunteering opportunities to people of all ages and walks of life, such as gap year students, travelers, and conscientious older people with time to spare – whoever you are, you will find the right project for you and fit right in. Things took off from there and we didn’t look back - in 2011, Khaya expanded to Tanzania (Arusha and Zanzibar) and Zimbabwe. Today we have offices in South Africa, Zanzibar, Tanzania and Malawi.

Our Mission

Our mission is simple but resonant: we provide volunteering opportunities for international travelers that are both unique and as affordable as possible with high standards of service and facilities. Needless to say, we also prioritize our selected volunteer projects’ needs in ways that benefit both project and you, the volunteer.

At Go With Khaya, our greatest desire is to show people the true Africa, with its dynamic cultures and its incredible raw beauty. To live and work locally in South Africa, Tanzania or Zanzibar means immersing yourself in these countries and experiencing your travels in an entirely unique way you will never forget.

Our offer

Go With Khaya will introduce you to affordable volunteer projects which have been personally chosen by or established by us. You can choose from a number of viable, sustainable, rewarding ventures: working with children, healthcare, sports development, education, conservation, animals – whatever you can think of, that project wants and needs your time and energy!

We have developed an extremely hands-on and personal approach to your experience. You will have a project facilitator working closely with you throughout your volunteering program to make sure your questions are answered and your concerns addressed. No question, suggestion or complaint is too silly, small or simple! This is just one of the many reasons Khaya has volunteers coming back to us year after year.

Dynamite comes in small packages! One of our points of pride is that our volunteering projects are selected and developed for quality over quantity. This means you won’t have to stand in a queue to touch an elephant or to take part in an activity – this isn’t Disneyworld!  Many other volunteer projects have 30 or 40 volunteers involved, which we feel dilutes your experience and denies the volunteer project your focus and enthusiasm. Some of our volunteer projects are rather new and in the process of improving, so we at Khaya make it our priority to uplift and support where we can and grow these projects to new heights – and for this, we want our volunteers to be as involved as possible and not just people who paid a fee to be ‘faces in the crowd’!

Why Go With Khaya?

Affordability

We focus on keeping our volunteer projects’ prices transparent and as low as possible while still offering the highest level of service. We encourage…no, we CHALLENGE you, our prospective volunteers, to compare our prices with other organizations. We offer incomparably affordable experiences for the level of service you will be receiving. We make sure to eliminate hidden costs and ‘fine print’ as far as possible in our volunteer project pricing. All your meals, transport and 24/7 supervision and guidance is included in our offering (this MAY differ per project, so please double-check with us).

Where does your money go?

We donate a good portion of your volunteering fee directly to the projects we work with (this can differ per project, you can check with us). This means that not only are you helping and supporting the projects with your time and energy, but you are also financially contributing to them! Khaya ensures that the costs involved in our projects are as transparent and uncomplicated as possible so that you know exactly where your hard-earned money is going to. Please contact us if you have ANY queries whatsoever regarding your fee, and what kind of mileage you are getting for your buck!

Locally based

Go With Khaya has one fantastic advantage over other volunteer groups – we’re based right here in Africa, and are therefore directly involved with the volunteer projects on an ongoing, hands-on basis. We make every effort to visit all our projects regularly to ensure that everything is running smoothly, and to ensure that both projects AND volunteers receive all the necessary support and guidance. Our direct partnership with our projects allows us to see immediately how you, the volunteer, fit into the bigger picture, and at the same time we can help with the day-to-day details of your stay.

Very important to us: Go With Khaya strives to create employment in Africa by employing local people at several of our projects and giving them much-needed income opportunities.

Going the extra mile

Go With Khaya believes in going the extra mile. Whether you have questions specifically about the volunteer project you have embarked on, or just a general travel question (er no, lions and elephants don’t usually run rampant in city streets here! :). Ask away with impunity, nothing is too big or small for us to find the answer.

Go With Khaya also conducts ongoing coaching and training of our local partners and coordinators. We train the staff of several projects on how to deal with volunteers, how to utilize them, and the best possible way to assist them. In doing so, we offer support for volunteers and at the same time foster an environment of empowerment for the full-time project workers.

Keeping it real

The pictures that you see on our website are authentic – they were taken by volunteers and GWK staff. We want you to see exactly what you get if you sign up for a volunteering project with us. We are NOT involved in this industry merely to make a buck – we have a passion to make change happen, and to create a win-win situation for all involved. Also, we really want you to send us YOUR pictures and words, your vision of your experience, for our own knowledge and for potential future volunteers.

Pre-departure and feedback

Before you depart your home country, GWK will supply you with a pre-departure guide with information about the project you choose. We will supply everything you need to know about visa requirements, and a list of what you need to bring with you; the climate; what to expect culturally and environmentally; and much, much more information!

We always aim to improve our services wherever possible, so once you have completed your time as a volunteer; we will ask you for feedback on your experience with us. Your feedback is of utmost importance to us to keep improving and growing our partnerships to new heights.


42 reviews · rating4.5

Aniek Fassotte rating4.4

2022 at Penguin Rescue and Rehabilitation Assistant

Het originele plan was om zes weken bij dit project te gaan werken. Uiteindelijk is dit me zo goed bevallen dat ik mijn verblijf heb verlengd met twee extra weken. Het was mooi om zulke ervaring op te kunnen doen. Maar eerlijk is eerlijk, met de 'bazen' bij dit project moet je wel om kunnen gaan. ..
Feeding the penguins really was the highlight! And I never thought routine would be so much fun. All because of the adorable penguins! These creatures do bite, but it's easy to forgive them. Great service from Khaya Volunteer Projects, from booking to service while in Port ...
Claudia Fiedler rating3

2024 at Education on Zanzibar

School: Overall the teaching experience is an experience that changed my view on the world. However, if you are visiting from europe you need to be aware, that things in africa work differently than at home. To me, the project seemed quite unorganised. The communication with the school was ...
David Mason-Williams rating4.4

2023 at Siyafunda Wild Experience

Volunteering with Siyafunda was one of the best decisions of my life! Everyone involved in the project is passionate and knowledgable about their work, which I find inspirational. I learnt so much during my six weeks with Siyafunda, and I cannot wait to one day return and learn more! Anyone who is ...
corinne loze rating5

2022 at Vervet Monkey Rescue

it was an amazing experience with a lot af support and involing of volonteers. The program is very serious and it was just so adorable to take care of pink faces ...
Lison Mc Nicoll rating4.6

2022 at Vervet Monkey Rescue

I stayed 2 weeks in Bambelela in June-July 2022. It was amazing! People there are so nice and we have plenty of monkey time. The tasks to do are easy but so helpful for them! An experience of a life! I’ll always remember my beautiful monkeys there! ...

Location

Africa > Southern Africa > South Africa > Port Elizabeth

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