South Africa: Volunteer Sports Coaching in Schools

South Africa: Football placements

With the 2010 football World Cup a huge success, football has never been bigger in South Africa. It is by far the favourite pastime of youngsters found playing in the local fields in the Cape Flats area.

For some talented children football offers an escape from poverty, keeping them away from entering gangs or getting involved in drugs, and giving them opportunities to develop pride and team skills whilst keeping them fit and healthy. Most of all it gives the children a chance to socialise and have some fun!

In the Cape Town communities, volunteer football coaches are always needed. There are thousands of children with a passion for football in the townships of southern Cape Town and Projects Abroad volunteers are needed to train and coach these kids.

Volunteer on a Football Coaching Placement in South Africa

Volunteers working at our football projects in South Africa work at local schools or community centres.

Working at a local school you will be involved with training children and coaching football in the disadvantaged communities of Parkwood, Grassy Park, and Retreat in Cape Town. This project focuses on football training with children aged between 8 and 15 years old on district pitches and in their schools.

We also work with local community partner organisations that welcome volunteers with leadership skills, sports coaching and discipline skills as well as any volunteers with youth counselling experience. You can combine sports with weekly sessions to discuss social issues relative to the needs of the children. As this project takes place mainly in the afternoons, and is not close to the school sports options, it is best combined with another project like Teaching or Care.

At both types of placements volunteers focus on improving football skills and promoting the importance of team work and fair play. You will spend plenty of time on a football pitch providing encouragement for the disadvantaged children you are training. We need volunteers to channel the children’s energy into football, the sport they enjoy the most.

All volunteers taking part in any of the Cape Town based projects in South Africa have the opportunity to add a 7-Day Conservation Project to the end of their main placement. For more information visit our Conservation in South Africa project page.