Care for Children in a Safe-House in South Africa

You'll assist with their general care as well, and also spend time playing games with the children in order to build up their confidence and give them some social skills. During the mornings you'll look after the children that are at the House, helping with basic Reading, Writing, Maths.

In the afternoons you'll assist with the daily efforts required to run the Soup Kitchen. You'll also help the children with their homework and keeping them stimulated and entertained by providing educational activities.

This is a very rewarding project and would suit anyone keen on Social Work, Teaching or Child Care.

The type of work you will be allocated will depend to an extent on your own abilities and capabilities, taking into consideration the children’s health and safety.

You'll help with basic Reading, Writing, Maths, play games with the children, help them with their homework and generally keep them stimulated and entertained by providing educational activities.

Assist the trained Carers in a children’s Safe-House in the local township by helping to care for children from abusive backgrounds. You'll work with various ages, assisting in the soup kitchen, general caring for the youngsters, and observing counselling to HIV sufferers.

Your hours may vary, but normally you will work from 8am to 2.30pm but you can stay longer to assist with the Soup Kitchen. Word days are Monday to Friday so you will have weekends free for any sightseeing or independent travel. Here is a list of duties that you may also be asked to help with:

* Washing the children, and their clothes. Changing nappies
* Assisting with literacy and numeracy with the older children.
* General cleaning of the Care Centre.
* Helping carers and caring for the children.
* Assisting with homework
* Helping the children eat.
* Helping carers and caring for the children
* Assisting with the preparation and handing out food

As a result of your volunteer work, the Safe House, the Carers and the community benefit directly or indirectly:
* The children have access to your love and care, and these are fundamental to their growth and development.
* Will improve their own traditional knowledge, skills and ideas on care work as these will be supplemented by any initiatives that you and other volunteers come up with
* Have access to your invaluable help and assistance
* Get an opportunity to interact and learn foreign cultures

FOOD:
You'll be given a food budget which will cover your basic essentials (but not extras like alcohol, snacks and eating out). The kitchen has all the cooking amenities that you might need to take advantage of preparing meals with some of the great seafood, meat, fresh fruit and vegetables South Africa has to offer.

There are supermarkets and local shops where you'll do your food shopping.

There are plenty of excellent restaurants within walking distance that offer the most incredible local and international cuisine which our volunteers rave about. Knysna is also famous for its oysters and even has an annual Oyster Festival where everyone eats and drinks far too much!

The waterfront and marine is beautiful and full of restaurants and cafes with cuisine that ranges from breakfast, coffees, cakes and snacks, through to sumptuous meals and various different nationality menus.

ACCOMMODATION: THE VOLUNTEER HOUSE:
The volunteer house in Knysna is within walking distance of the town, yet set against a natural green belt. The bird life is prolific and often the local Vervet monkey troop comes to visit to entertain the volunteers with their antics. The sunset views from the top balcony of the volunteer house of the Knysna lagoon are beautiful and great way to relax after a day working at your placement or to catch up on your tan in the summer. See photo on right-hand side.

The house is large and spacious and also has a self-contained flat downstairs for couples and families. The bedding in the two same sex dorms and the towels in their ensuite bathrooms are changed regularly every Friday by our much loved cleaner, Pretty, and there is plenty of cupboard space to store your clothing.

Facilities include a kitchen kitted out for cooking, dining area, a few bathrooms, TV, DVD player, free Wi-Fi, garden and several wooden verandahs.

There is an outside courtyard and garden in the secure grounds where you can have a typical South African barbeque known there as a ‘braai’. Make sure you try the local spicy sausage known as ‘boerewors’ and the Karoo lamb chops are to die for on a ‘braai’, but if fish is more to your taste then a fish ‘braai’ with South African ‘snoek’ is a must.

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