Namibia - School Assistant

- A unique opportunity to make a positive impact on the local San Bushman children
- You will be living close to many wild animals in the Namibian bush and nothing beats being surrounded by a pride of lions, leopards or cheetahs and being able to spend time observing their individual traits
- You will be accompanied by other people who are very passionate about teaching.
- Assist with education the San Bushman Children and providing them with a better future

Volunteering at the local school provides a unique opportunity to make a positive impact on the local San Bushman children, whilst surrounded by Namibia’s beautiful landscapes and wildlife. Located at the Namibia Wildlife Sanctuary, the School co-exists with nature and is truly a place where wildlife and communities come together. All routine aspects of the program are carried out in a rotational group system to ensure that everybody gets exposed to the variety of experiences available.

Full day at the school. This is primarily for children aged 6 - 13 years.

07:30 - 13:00
- School Curriculum lessons
- Volunteer providing assistance to teacher / volunteer not teaching

14:30 - 17:00
- volunteer participation with children - Supervised by a teacher on site
- Children homework sessions - assisting children to complete there homework they received.
- Arts & crafts - this will be anything from dancing to arts.

Once a week the volunteer must give a presentation the primary school kids. It should be fun, interesting, and educational. Topics could be about volunteer's country of origin, culture, or tourist attractions.

Weekends
If and when required, volunteers will asked to assist.

Volunteers will be expected to be involved in the daily activities of the school. The daily activities might include:

- Assisting the teachers in preparations of lessons, develop/create teaching aids
- Classroom chores e.g. handing out of assignments, tidying up, preparing daily presentations
- Leading / assisting children with going to the bathroom, tying their shoes, washing hands after playtime etc.
- Helping in the playground and ensure the safety of the children
- Actively participating in school projects
- Observing the teacher’s lessons, using this opportunity to learn
- Teaching the students new skills such as arts and crafts, music, dance, etc
- The teacher may or may not ask the volunteer to present a particular activity or classroom task, which will be in line with the curriculum. This opportunity is, however, not guaranteed
- Planning and take part in the extracurricular activities
- Assisting with homework and student school projects

Volunteers work at the school from Monday to Friday. School/teaching hours are from 07:00 to 12:00.
The children get 2 breaks in between lessons.
Afternoon activities (sports and other activities) start at 14:30 and continue till 17:00.

Saturdays and Sundays are your off days, unless a planned weekend school activity takes place. Volunteers are required to participate in the planning and implementation thereof.

Please note that from time to time there can be unavoidable changes to projects. These can be caused by weather, conservation priorities, materials supply, or because ongoing projects have progressed more quickly or slowly than originally planned. We ask you to accept the changes - we are sure that you will enjoy the replacement projects just as much.

We are looking for volunteers who are self-motivated, flexible, able to work both independently and in a team, patient, kind and considerate, able to cope with setbacks, and of course have a sense of humour! Volunteers are expected to be role models for the children and passionate about helping them have the best possible start in life.

The project is closed on the following public holidays, or you can assist at the sanctuary. During school holidays, no activities will take place as the teachers and staff will not be at the school

Public Holidays 2024
10 & 25-26 December

School Holidays 2024
01 April - 09 April
14 June - 16 July
06 - 17 September
29 November - 31 December

Public Holidays 2025
01 January
21 March
18 & 21 April
01, 04, 25 & 29 May
26 August
10 & 25-26 December

School Holidays 2025
TBA

Airport pick-up on arrival & drop-off at departure (Windhoek International)
Accommodation
Three meals a day
24-hour support & supervision
Donation to the project
Certificate of appreciation

Minimum age of 18
Basic level of competency in English
Police Clearance Certificate
Completed application form
Qualification in teaching; in the process of completing a qualification in teaching; experience in the field of teaching. This is only valid for Category 2 - Qualified Teachers.
Code of conduct: Volunteers will sign the school’s code of conduct, agreeing to adhere to all values, rules and regulations of the school.

Visa Info
You will receive a 90 day tourist visa on arrival, remember to have a copy of your supporting letter.

Get out and explore the deserts of Namibia. Activities included are hiking (approximately 5k - 10km per day), Sossusvlei day trip, sleep outs in the bush, and wine tasting.

Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.

Volunteering and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. Alterations in activities are mainly due to changes in local conditions, which we believe is part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that they are.

Our projects range from 1 week up to approx. 30 weeks. Projects have a specified minimum stay, then it’s up to you how long you can commit. In our experience the longer you stay the more you will gain, as your understanding of the project broadens and you take on more responsibilities. Every volunteer will be given a certificate of appreciation at the end of their stay as a symbol of volunteering stay.