South Africa Literacy Volunteers

The project aims to improve children’s attitude to reading and hopes to help children love books by recruiting and training volunteers to help children aged 5-12 who find reading difficult.

Those of us that love to read have enjoyed privileges most of us have taken for granted; parents who read bedtime stories, books in English lying around the house or at the very least, an adult in the family able to read and write English. Whereas many South African children have parents who can’t read or write English and who, therefore, can’t help them to learn. Yet, without this, children tend to fall behind their peers, losing confidence and self esteem. With the loss of confidence comes the loss of pleasure: children who don’t feel confident about their reading simply don’t like reading, or books.

And why should they? For many of those children, reading has only ever been torture and humiliation. Those that don’t read outside of school have only ever had the school’s books imposed on them, and those books may not interest them. They’ve never had the opportunity to choose what interests them, and to explore that.

Volunteers are placed with children pre-selected by the school’s head teacher. They sit in the library, or a quiet place outside of the classroom, and read with those children individually for half an hour at a time, twice a week.

This project is very informal and is focused on creating a relaxed atmosphere for the child to be able to enjoy their reading. You will be working on a one to one basis with children in libraries and building a valuable rapport with the children and staff at schools.

The project survives through a volunteer workforce that gives their time to this valuable cause.

Most of the children come from disadvantaged areas. South Africa is facing schools where the average class size is 42. A recent international progress in literacy study (PIRLS, 2006) has revealed that almost 80% of South African learners have not developed basic reading skills by the time they reach Grade 5. The study, conducted in 40 countries across the world, showed that South African learners were up to two years behind the literacy standards set by their international counterparts.

Put simply, the more volunteers they have, the more learners they can assist!

You will be reading and playing with the children for half an hour, twice a week for each child, working one on one with children, reading to them, encouraging them to read back and boosting confidence in speaking and reading English.

Your typical working hours on this project will be from Monday to Friday, 9am until 1pm, but any extra time you can give will be appreciated as well as any other skills you can share.

Day 1: Arrive into Cape Town
Today you will be met at the airport and taken to our volunteer house in Fish Hoek. You’ll need to arrive in before 4.15pm so that you’re all ready for the orientation which kicks off at 5pm. The journey from the airport to Fish Hoek should take around 45 minutes and if you keep your eyes open you might get to see Table Mountain on the way! The orientation will take you through what it’s going to be like at your project, do’s and don’ts, how to stay safe and it’s your prime opportunity to ask any burning questions that you haven’t yet had answered. After the orientation you’ll have some time to relax and prepare before your first day at the project tomorrow.

If you aren’t able to arrange a flight to get you into Cape Town before 4.15pm then we’d recommend you fly in a day early. We can arrange an early airport pick-up for you including one night’s accommodation, please give us a call for more information.

Day 2: Meet the kids!
Today is the first day on your project, where you’ll get to know your fellow volunteers and staff, not forgetting the beautiful children! Starting out from your accommodation, the team will make sure you know what you’re doing and where you’re going, they’ll also introduce you to the staff at the project who’ll be your main contacts while you’re working. The journey from your accommodation to the project is on public multi-people taxis and it will take about 15 minutes.

Your first day at the project will be all about settling in and getting to know how things work.

Day 3 -5: Get into the swing
You'll start to learn the ropes this week, it’s your chance to get stuck in and show everyone including yourself, what you’re made of!

Literacy is a serious issue in South Africa. One in four adults is illiterate, and many school children are unable to read and write in English. Imagine how hard life must be for people who can't read English: they're frustrated every day by street signs, restaurant menus and posters, they'll miss out on the entire world of computers, and they're not as employable as they could be. Volunteers don't replace good teaching; they add to it, playing the role of a literate adult in the child's life with time and attention just for them.

Day 6-7: It’s the weekend!
The weekend is yours to do as you please. You certainly won’t run out of activities to keep yourself occupied in the surrounding areas. With places like Table Mountain, Cape Point, Kirstenbosch, botanical gardens and Boulders beach just a short distance from your accommodation, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Following weeks
You’ll be working Monday to Friday at your project, with the weekends all your own!

Now that you’ve been shown the ropes, make sure you take some time to get to know the staff and children; understand more about how and why the project exists and carve out your own niche to help shape your experience.

Your last day
Having said goodbye to all your new friends you’ll transfer back to the airport on this day. The return transfer from Fish Hoek to Cape Town International is not covered within your project fee but our regular transfer company will be able to sort the journey back for you, the costs will be around US$35 / 250 Rand and this is easily arranged in country.