Volunteer Journalism internships, gain work-experience overseas on a print or broadcast placement in South Africa

Volunteering on a Journalism Internship Placement overseas in South Africa

The South African media is one of the most progressive and best developed of any African country, despite the difficulties it faces by having such a broad demographic – 11 national languages! English is the one of the main languages used in the media, and many black South Africans prefer not to watch or read news in Afrikaans.

As a volunteer on a Journalism Internship in South Africa you could find yourself working for a major daily newspaper or a lifestyle magazine. Based in cosmopolitan Cape Town, our Journalism internships are perfect for anyone wanting some extra experience to get their career off the ground.

For volunteers who are on a gap-year looking to get into a related university course, or those looking for employment following graduation, a Projects Abroad placement will make sure that your CV sets you out from the crowd. In addition to this, you’ll come back with a large portfolio of varied work and the experience of living and working in a foreign country will act as proof of your adaptability, whilst giving you an interesting subject of discussion in future interviews.

These journalism placements are also suitable for working journalists and experienced professionals who wish to take a career-break or broaden their horizons.

Journalism Placements in South Africa with Projects Abroad

Living and working in the stunning and culturally diverse city of Cape Town, Projects Abroad journalism volunteers get a unique chance to gain insight into the politics and culture of the “Rainbow Nation”.

We have a range of print journalism placements that you could join. You could work with an international women’s magazine, focusing on health, fashion, lifestyle and cultural pieces. Alternatively, if you’d prefer a fast paced news setting, you could work at a daily tabloid newspaper with the widest coverage in Cape Town, covering sporting events and local news. If you were drawn to Cape Town by the strong surf culture, why not utilise this to gain experience working for a leading water-sports magazine?

All our print journalism placements not only provide an insider's view of how publications are run, but also give you the opportunity to learn writing, editing and interviewing skills from your English speaking colleagues. All interns have plenty of opportunities to get published, whilst also gaining invaluable work experience for your CV that will improve your prospects in a highly competitive job sector.

Most of our journalism placements are available to anyone, regardless of their experience or background – all you need is good English and a desire to work hard!

Your role on a Journalism Volunteer Placement in South Africa

Whichever placement you work at, you should always be prepared to work independently but never be afraid to ask questions; your colleagues will be busy people but experience has told us that they are always willing to help a budding new journalist! We recommend that you write as much as possible during your placement as you never know how many of your articles will be published. Taking the initiative will pay off; and the stronger your desire to get involved, the more you’ll be allowed to do.

Volunteers have constant support whilst on their placement from an English-speaking supervisor. Of course, the Projects Abroad staff are always on-hand to provide you with necessary support too.

Volunteers on a Journalism Internship should expect to work from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday, with the option of working longer hours if you choose. All volunteers need to show a good level of initiative; all our Journalism placements are fast-paced, and volunteers who seek their own work, ask questions and make an impact on their supervisors will have a fantastic learning experience.

All Journalism volunteers live with host families around Cape Town. You will normally be living in a host with one other volunteer, travelling to work on public transport.