Saints Volunteer, Stellenbosch

Background

Each year the University recruits 8 students to take part in the international coach development programme in South Africa, spending two weeks delivering on Stellenbosch University’s summer camps and the final 3 weeks within schools in the broader community.

Dates

The Saints Volunteer, Stellenbosch programme runs in July/August each year to coincide with the South African school term and to ensure students gain the best possible experience and coaching opportunities by maximising their engagement in the community.

Dates for Summer 2023

1st July – 5th August (Exact dates dependant on available flights)

• Recruitment

  Recruitment and selection takes place in October and involves a written application, interview, and practical coaching session demonstration.

  Popular sports include:

  • Netball
  • Rugby
  • Football
  • Hockey

  Applications will be considered from a variety of sports!

• Training and qualifications

  All volunteer coaches are required to have achieved at least the following level of qualifications in order to take part in the project:

  • Emergency First Aid Certificate
  • Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport Certificate
  • Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG)

  Saints Sport deliver and subsidise a comprehensive training and education programme that supports those wishing to gain additional qualifications, providing access to external expert-led coaching alongside our own in-house training programmes.

  We encourage students to take the next level of qualification when they are ready and course fees are heavily subsidised.

  Volunteering

  Successful applicants will be given the opportunity to volunteer within the Junior Saints programme, as part of our Sports Camps coaching team or in a junior club or school club setting prior to their trip to South Africa.

  This will provide invaluable experience of working with young people and children, and help develop many useful skills, in for example, leadership, organising, confidence and communication.

• What to expect

  What will the project involve?

  • 5 weeks in Africa
  • Coach development
  • Sports coaching
  • Delivering summer camps to children
  • Supporting school lessons (basic maths, arts and crafts, reading etc)
  • Delivering after school sport to local community groups.
  • Access to Stellenbosch University services; library, medical and mental health support, gym
  • Fundraising campaigns
  • Teamwork
  • Developing leadership skills
  • Forming new friendships
  • Meeting other University students from across the world

• Cost/fundraising

  The programme costs around £2000 per student and successful applicants are tasked with developing their own fundraising campaigns during the year prior to the trip.

  Students are set individual and collective targets and support is provided by the Development Office through use of the SaintsFunder platform.

  Money raised covers the cost of accommodation, flights, Stellenbosch University Matric Cards, an in-country induction training and transport to and from placement sites.

Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University (SU) is home to an academic community of 29,000 students (including 4,000 foreign students from 100 countries) as well as 3,000 permanent staff members (including 1 000 academics) on five campuses. The University is amongst South Africa’s leading tertiary institutions based on research output, student pass rates and rated scientists, and is recognised internationally as an academic institution of excellence.

Find out more

Maties Sport

Stellenbosch University has a long and proud sporting tradition and through Maties Sport aims to foster excellence in both the academic and sport performances of talented student-athletes, and to promote social cohesion and engagement in an active lifestyle among students and staff.

Find out more