Ultimate Ocean Adventure Volunteer Projects in Cape Town, South Africa

Spend your Gap Year with Be the Change Worldwide on the ultimate ocean adventure.  Volunteers will learn to scuba dive by completing the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Open Water Dive Certification, followed by completing the advanced PADI Open Water Dive Certification which including five adventure dives.  Volunteers will also complete a Skippers Course allowing them to operate a vessel up to 14 nautical miles offshore.  Our Ocean Adventure projects are combined with raising an awareness of the importance of marine conservation and education while motivating behavioural change amongst young people in South Africa.  Volunteers will be empowering peer educators within our partner under-resourced schools through education and raising the awareness of the current and impending threats facing our oceans and environment.

During your Be the Change Worldwide ocean adventure experience in Cape Town you will enter a unique world that will change your life forever.  Learning to scuba dive and skipper a boat is absolutely essential for anyone thinking about a future studying or working on the ocean. Volunteers complete both the PADI Open Water Dive Certification and advanced certification upon arrival.

The Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), founded in 1966 by John Cronin and Ralph Erickson, is the most internationally recognised training organisation and a world leader in educational development of scuba diving professionals and enthusiasts.  You will be equipped with the knowledge to explore the magnificent marine world. The course is regarded as the world’s leading entry level diving qualification and combines both theoretical and practical aspects of scuba diving.  The PADI Open Water Dive Certification course teaches you the fundamentals of scuba diving and allows you to practice these skills in confined shallow water environment (swimming pool) prior to undertaking four open water dives (two shore dives and two boat dives).  The PADI Advanced Open Water Dive Certification course includes five adventure dives such as a boat dive, drift, search and recovery, deep dive and navigation dive.

The Skippers Course involves attending two days of lectures and completing an exam.  You will learn the skills necessary to operate a vessel up to 14 nautical miles offshore.  The project also affords volunteers the opportunity to complete 50 hours of operating a vessel to become fully qualified.

During your ocean adventure project you will communicate information to young people in our under-resourced partner school.  A major focus of the project involves photographing marine animals, collecting marine education information, developing a poster project and presenting the project to the school for further education programmes.  This project is run in conjunction with our school environmental awareness project.  In the mornings volunteers will be facilitating classroom educational activities such as contributing to the improvement of the school through a greening campaign and further improve classroom facilities through cleaning, maintaining and refurbishment.

Volunteers go out on a boat to freedive twice a week (in the afternoons).  The exact days for these dives is determined by weather conditions and remains flexible each week.  Volunteers are provided with all necessary equipment for freediving.  Once Volunteers are comfortable underwater, they will start collecting images for their school project.   Volunteers also participate in gathering scientific data for the Sevengill Cowshark photographic database run by the Save Our Sea’s Foundation.  Volunteers may also have the opportunity of meeting like minded South African divers, freedivers, professional photographers and film makers. Interacting with these people greatly enhances our volunteer’s experience.

The aim of this project is to expose our volunteer to the wonderful marine life of South Africa through going out to see on a boat and freediving with marine animals. Our Volunteers gain an intimate knowledge of the unique marine biodiversity by spending time underwater exploring wonders such as the kelp forests, swimming with Sevengill Cowsharks and playing with Cape Fur Seals.

Volunteers will then be in a unique situation to take their first hand knowledge back into the classroom and show children what lies beneath the waves through poster presentations and photographic images taken whilst diving. Ultimately this project affords volunteers with an opportunity to take the knowledge gained from your time spent in the ocean to the school.

Our communities are typically under-funded and under-resourced, our volunteers, and our resources, are always very much appreciated. Our projects assist in social and economic development and address priority areas such as moral regeneration and social cohesion by our volunteers engaging with the local community and providing essential life skills through raising marine conservation issues and environmental awareness.

It is not a prerequisite for our project volunteers to have qualifications, specialist skills or work experience but a passion to promote marine conservation and a safe and clean environment  through knowledge transfer and influencing behavioural change.

Be the Change Worldwide will ensure that you are equipped with all the required skills to partake in our ocean adventure project as well as promote and deliver our environmental awareness project. You will discover existing skills as well as acquiring many new and valuable skills.

Be the Change Worldwide Gap Year ocean adventure projects are aimed primarily at previously disadvantaged groups, communities and individuals with a strong developmental approach.  Our ocean adventure projects are developed to empower young people who have not been afforded the opportunity to learn about the importance of a safe and clean environment.

Our community Gap Year ocean adventure projects contribute towards transformation whilst removing potential access barriers such as cost, elitism, race and gender.  The intended beneficiaries of our environmental awareness projects are young people who have inherently been afforded very little exceptional opportunity.

Your energetic presence will add immense value to the future wellbeing of under-resourced young people as well as contributing to the education of our future leaders on the importance of preserving and conserving our environment.  Be the Change Worldwide will provide you with an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the key environmental issues surrounding us daily.

In addition to your Be the Change Worldwide Gap Year ocean adventure projects you will be required to select at least one of the following community projects:

• Teaching and education
• Performing Arts
• HIV/AIDS awareness
• Care work
• Environmental awareness
• Sports coaching

Be the Change Worldwide seeks individuals that are passionate and energetic with an enthusiasm for an adventure of a lifetime.  If you are a post-school or post-university gap year student, a university undergraduate or postgraduate, or a career breaker, our projects are ideally suited for you.  Volunteers must be 17 years of age and above.

Be the Change Worldwide, with the help of our Gap Year volunteers, also contributes towards educational resources, various teaching aides and the continuous renovation of classrooms enhancing the educational environment for the children.  Our under-resourced partner school certainly does welcome any additional contributions or resources.

You will be based in the South African coastal city of Cape Town, also often referred to as the Mother City. Cape Town is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The impressive presence of the world renowned Table Mountain stands proudly above the city of Cape Town. Beautiful white sandy beaches along a peaceful coastline frame the Cape Peninsula, which is famed for its unique floral kingdom, bountiful rivers, vleis and dams and magnificent countryside. The surrounding area extends far into the winelands, green in summer and red-gold in autumn. Cape Town is a city of culture, built on a history that reflects in the architecture, cuisine, music and dance. Together with a warm summer and temperate winter climate and a friendly community, Cape Town is an ideal Gap Year destination throughout the year. Situated 10 hours from the majority of gap year world traveller destinations, Be the Change Worldwide is an ideal stop on your global adventure travel. Please click here to visit our destination page to learn more about Cape Town, South Africa.

Explore Cape Town, South Africa

You are hosted by the Team of Be the Change Worldwide in our comfortable fully furnished house along with all our volunteers. The volunteer house is a very safe and friendly environment within Fish Hoek, a coastal village lying in a valley at the mouth of the Silvermine River, on the False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula.

Our volunteers stay in dormitory style accommodation with communal bathrooms. The house facilities include satellite television, broadband internet access and a swimming pool The house is located a short distance from the golden beaches of the magnificent Indian Ocean and conveniently situated within walking distance to a wide range of amenities for all your additional needs.

During the week, Mondays to Fridays, volunteers have all their meals prepared for them by our local team. Meals are not included on Saturdays and Sundays, as experience has taught us that most volunteers tend to explore Cape Town during weekends. Volunteers either purchase and prepare their own meals on weekends or often choose to eat out at local restaurants. Our kitchen is superbly equipped and local supermarkets and restaurants are within walking distance from the volunteer house.

On arrival at Cape Town International Airport you will be welcomed by our Be the Change Worldwide Team and be transferred from the airport to the volunteer house. All daily transport to and from the projects is provided.

The volunteer group excursions are selected from a wide variety of exciting activities based in Cape Town. Volunteer group excursions are selected in advance by the Be the Change Worldwide team and are subject to change. The volunteer group excursions are selected from a host of exciting activities such as:

• Explore Cape Point where the cold Benguela and warm Agulhus currents merge
• Venture up Cape Town's magnificent Table Mountain via Cable Car
• Spend a day exploring all the attractions at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
• Visit the magnificent two oceans aquarium
• Snorkel or freedive with Cape fur seals in the exquisite oceans of Cape Town
• Enjoy learning to surf or surfing the waves of Cape Town

The table below indicates the number of group excursions selected from a wide variety of exciting activities that are included as part of your project fee:

Volunteers will have free time on weekends to explore all Cape Town has to offer. Our team will inform you of all the amazing attractions available to you in and around Cape Town. If volunteers choose to experience any additional excursions above those stipulated as group excursions, these excursions will be at the volunteers own cost. Types of additional excursions available to volunteers include:

• Journey on a Township Tour into a vibrant world of colour
• Shark Cage Diving with Great White Sharks
• Scuba dive at the Two Oceans Aquarium
• Abseiling down Table Mountain
• Specialised guided wine region tours
• Robben Island Museum Tour
• Penguin Sea Kayak Trail Simon's Town
• Tandem skydive
• Visit the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
• Hike up Table Mountain and cable car down
• View the magnificent penguins at Boulders
• Explore the World of Birds wildlife sanctuary and monkey park
• View the African Big Five on a one day safari tour

Prior to your departure:

• Expert advice on selecting your most suitable project
• Travel assistance from our specialist Partners
• Valuable ideas and assistance for your fundraising campaign
• An open line of communication to our friendly and informative team
• Our informative Project Pack including all relevant contact details

During your project in South Africa:

• On arrival at Cape Town Airport you will be welcomed by our South African Team
• Transfer from the airport to the volunteer house
• Accommodation in the volunteer house in Cape Town
• Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) Monday to Friday
• 24/7 assistance from our Be the Change Worldwide Team
• Project induction and training prior to the commencement of your project
• Management of your project delivery
• All daily transport to and from your project
• A selection of exciting volunteer group excursions and social events
• 24/7 emergency support from our Be the Change Worldwide UK Team
• A portion of your funding donated to your projects local community
• A chance to play sports for clubs in South Africa (terms and conditions apply)
• An opportunity to learn to surf and/or gain certificates in Scuba Diving (terms and conditions apply)
• Experience a new and vibrant culture

• Flights
• Saturday and Sunday meals (volunteers tend to explore Cape Town on weekends)
• Visas (if applicable)
• Travel Insurance
• Vaccinations
• Spending money
• Additional excursions and travel