Volunteering

Volunteer projects start at a minimum of 2 weeks, and usually last up to 8 weeks. 

Long-term volunteering is also possible for a duration between 4 months and an entire year. Please note that in the case of long-term volunteering, a volunteer visa is required. 

This varies from project to project, but the average working day is about 8 hours.

The fee you pay covers the costs incurred by the project, the administrative costs incurred by Good Hope Volunteers and, in some cases, a donation to the project.

Though it varies from project to project, the fee may go towards the costs of accommodation, food, clothes, transport and excursions as well as volunteer training, preparation and supervision.

Some of our conservation projects include specialised training with a certificate from the project (as well as the certificate from Good Hope Studies), and these projects are therefore more expensive than the social and community projects. 

For more information about what is included, please see our Good Hope Volunteers price list or contact us for our detailed project descriptions. 

The numbers vary depending on the project and the time of year – it’s not possible to give an exact figure as they often change. 

Most Cape Town projects have more than 1 or 2 volunteers at a time and some of the projects in rural areas can have up to 10 volunteers at a time. 

We've indicated the maximum number of volunteers allowed at a project on our detailed PDF project description. Please contact us for further details. 

Volunteers come from all over the world.

When volunteering in Cape Town, you may take part in our Good Hope Studies activity programme. 

All projects outside Cape Town offer activities that are related to the area they are based in; this can be anything from visiting the Addo Elephant National Park and Monkey Sanctuary in Plettenberg Bay, or bungee jumping at the Storms River. 

It all depends on the project and where it is located. The projects offer assistance in booking these activities.

Your project will have vegetarian meal options available. Please inform us about this requirement when enrolling.

South Africa

You can volunteer in South Africa on a tourist visa for a duration of up to three months. A tourist visa can be extended once while in South Africa. 

For longer stays like long-term volunteering, you will need to apply for a volunteer visa at your nearest South African embassy. Whether you can receive your tourist visa upon arrival at the airport in South Africa, or whether you need to apply for a tourist visa at an embassy, depends on your nationality. 

For the latest details and more information visit www.dha.gov.za or contact the South African embassy in your home country.

Namibia

All volunteers can enter Namibia on a tourist visa, valid for a maximum of 90 days.

You will receive the visa at the airport when entering the country. All visitors require a passport for entry into Namibia, which must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended stay in the country and have sufficient pages for entry and exit stamps. You must also have a valid return ticket or onward ticket to prove that you will leave the country after your trip.

Extensions for a further three months are available from the Ministry of Home Affairs in Windhoek, and your volunteer project coordinator can assist if a visa needs to be extended.

We advise that you consult your doctor for recommendations regarding vaccinations when travelling to southern Africa. 

Some of the projects do recommend specific vaccinations, such as tetanus. However, the WHO (World Health Organisation) does not require any vaccinations prior to traveling to southern Africa (apart from yellow fever).

We strongly recommend that you take out full personal insurance cover. This should include protection against theft and against loss of fees, should the whole or part of a programme, activity or accommodation not be attended.

As a volunteer, you are required to take out a medical insurance for any of our projects and for any length of stay. You can take out any medical insurance policy as long as it meets the following minimum requirements:

• The minimum coverage must be USD 100.000.
• The insurance must be valid from the day you leave your home country to the day you arrive back in your home country.
• The insurance must cover the country you volunteer in. If you volunteer in more than one country, the insurance must cover all counties you volunteer in.

Before you go bungee jumping or white-water rafting, please check if this is covered by your insurance. It is possible to buy extra insurance to cover most adventure activities, and it is recommended that you do so.

Detailed information about what you need will be provided in our project descriptions. As a general rule, however, please remember the following:

• pack light,
• don’t forget sun protection (caps,  clothes with long sleeves, sun glasses, sun cream),
• bring some warm clothes for cool evenings (all year round) and cool days (April to October),
• leave valuables like expensive watches, jewellery or expensive cameras at home.