Volunteers are placed in a pre-school (creche), providing extraordinary opportunities for significantly disadvantaged rural African children (the Angels). African Angels was formed in 2007 by Lou Billett, an Australian now living in South Africa, and Tracy King, the owner of the King's Playschool in Glen Eden. Volunteers have the opportunity to work within the Angels' class, with their teacher, and provide teacher support, notably around the week's learning themes, using them to develop the learners' mastery of the English language.

Volunteers will have the opportunity to work closely with the Angels in a supported and professional classroom environment in a team teaching / supportive role from 8:00am - 12:30pm, and then in a one to one teacher role with an Angel until 2:00pm, Monday to Friday.

There are a discrete number of Angels drawn from the Glen Eden community which has enabled Tracy and her team to form close relationships with the parent(s) of the Angels. Olivia, the Angels' teacher, lives in the Glen Eden settlement, where the majority of Angels come from, and so providing the platform for volunteers to develop a unique and empathetic understanding of life in a rural, informal environment.

A minimum age of 18 applies. Early childhood teaching experience or a background in education would be of benefit to the volunteer but is not essential. Volunteers must have excellent English language skills and the desire to work with children aged 2- 6 years.

Orientation is designed to provide a fun and insightful experience to introduce the projects and the beautiful & diverse country to volunteers. All volunteers receive a general orientation upon arrival to familiarize themselves with Chintsa, South Africa, their accommodation, as well as to familiarize themselves with project tasks and the day-to-day runnings. All volunteers of 4 weeks or more receive a free day tour and overnight stay with the famous Mama Tofu in her traditional Xhosa village, where you can learn about South African history and the Xhosa people.

Project specific orientation:

» Project overview by facilitating team.
» Teaching methodology explained.
» Lesson preparation and delivery unravelled.
» Introduction to schemes of work / lesson plans and structure.
» Visit to the creche

Weekends are designed for you to have free time. There are many adventure activities available in the area if you are looking to be active. Volunteers often book onto the beach horse rides, surf school, canoeing or mountain bike rides that happen in the Chintsa area over weekends. The beach is on your doorstep and offers good swimming, shell collecting, chilling and walking. Buccaneers Backpackers has a pool and bar and volunteers are welcome to use their facilities for free while on a project.

Volunteers stay in the Volunteer Africa "vollie" house in the stunning beach village of Chintsa. Rooms are shared between 2-6 people. The vollie house is situated only 3 mins walk from the beautiful Chintsa beach.

Facilities include:

» Communal kitchen & living area.
» All mod cons. including washing machine.
» Hot & cold running water.
» All bedding.

Three meals a day are included in the volunteer project fee. Breakfast is self-serve in the communal kitchen where cereal, bread, jams & spreads are all provided. House Manager, Noms, prepares a packed lunch for every volunteer, which includes a fresh sandwich and a piece of fruit to keep you going throughout your day. Dinner time is a friendly affair with all of our volunteers coming together. Noms delicious home-made meals are a highlight for many volunteers! A typical weekly menu includes: Bangers & Mash, Roast Chicken, Burger Night, Lasagna and Spaghetti Bolognaise. On Friday nights we celebrate what it is to be South African with Braai Night (that's a barbeque!). Vegetarian options are available on request.

Visit our "FAQ" section for a breakdown of where your project fees go & why those running the Volunteer Project rely on the support of international volunteers to sustain their projects & grow them on an ongoing basis.