Teach Drama, Dance and Music to Township Children

Program Description

This project is based in a beautiful beach resort. Work with children from very poor townships, giving them exposure to cultural activities and enabling their creativity to shine through. Activities:

* Helping with conversational English classes
* Giving Dance lessons and Music lessons
* Devising and performing educational pieces of theatre (on issues such as bullying)
* Helping the children to put on a small-scale productions, in Drama, Dance and/or Music
* Organising an after-school drama club or drama sessions during school-time for pupils.
* Organising and putting on drama workshops

"The class started with Amy and Jack teaching them about the different ways of using themselves in drama, namely facial expressions, body language and their voices. How to maximise and minimise their body movements and facial expressions and then the different ways they could use their voices by whispering, shouting, talking, singing and crying.

As you can imagine, the class got extremely rowdy and all the children had a lot of fun. The noise levels then increased as Amy and Jack showed the class how to do breathing exercises, and mouth warm-ups so they could make a ‘sound collage’ by splitting the class up into groups and getting the different groups to make one particular sound. Put together it was deafening but all the children loved it with them all interacting.

They then where taught how to create different effects with their voices by changing the pitch, speed and volume of their voices. All they learnt was then put together in character enactment and by volunteers from the class doing freeze frame sketches. They then ended the class with a song.

The hour class went by so quickly I actually had to check my watch to see if it was really over! It was so great to see so many children in the class participated and it was quite obvious to me that they all got a lot out of it as when the class was over Amy and Jack where surrounded by children hugging and kissing them! Well done guys!!"

Highlights

FOOD:
You'll be given a food budget which will cover your basic essentials (but not extras like alcohol, snacks and eating out). The kitchen has all the cooking amenities that you might need to take advantage of preparing meals with some of the great seafood, meat, fresh fruit and vegetables South Africa has to offer.

There are supermarkets and local shops where you'll do your food shopping.

There are plenty of excellent restaurants within walking distance that offer the most incredible local and international cuisine which our volunteers rave about. Knysna is also famous for its oysters and even has an annual Oyster Festival where everyone eats and drinks far too much!

The waterfront and marine is beautiful and full of restaurants and cafes with cuisine that ranges from breakfast, coffees, cakes and snacks, through to sumptuous meals and various different nationality menus.

ACCOMMODATION: THE VOLUNTEER HOUSE:
The volunteer house in Knysna is within walking distance of the town, yet set against a natural green belt. The birdlife is prolific and often the local Vervet monkey troop comes to visit to entertain the volunteers with their antics. The sunset views from the top balcony of the volunteer house of the Knysna lagoon are beautiful and great way to relax after a day working at your placement or to catch up on your tan in the summer. See photo on right-hand side.

The house is large and spacious and also has a self-contained flat downstairs for couples and families. The bedding in the two same sex dorms and the towels in their ensuite bathrooms are changed regularly every Friday by our much loved cleaner, Pretty, and there is plenty of cupboard space to store your clothing.

Facilities include a kitchen kitted out for cooking, dining area, a few bathrooms, TV, DVD player, free Wi-Fi, garden and several wooden verandahs.

There is an outside courtyard and garden in the secure grounds where you can have a typical South African barbeque known there as a ‘braai’. Make sure you try the local spicy sausage known as ‘boerewors’ and the Karoo lamb chops are to die for on a ‘braai’, but if fish is more to your taste then a fish ‘braai’ with South African ‘snoek’ is a must.

Qualifications

Minimum age 16, no qualifications necessary.
All year round - you choose your start and finish dates!
Subject to school holidays.
Enthusiasm and an active imagination are welcome.

Volunteer Types

What`s Included

►Arranging your Programme
►Full pre-departure support and assistance
►Payment Protection Insurance
►Accommodation
►Food
►Meeting you at the nearest Airport
►Transfer to your accommodation
►Transport to and from your project
►Local in-country team support and backup
►24-hr emergency support.

What's not included: Flights, Insurance, Cost of Visas (if a visa is required), Return transfer to airport.