Coach Football in South Africa
Share your footy skills and coach kids!
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Group Size: Avg. 20, max 45
Trip code: SACF
Duration: 4-12 weeks
Jet across to the stunning coastal location of Port Elizabeth in South Africa and become a football coach! This non-profit sports volunteering programme is committed to helping communities in South Africa and ensuring South African kids fulfil their footballing potential. In this active role, you’ll run training sessions and matches, and monitor the development of young footballers. You can also choose to spend some time in local schools lending a hand in the classroom as an assistant teacher. Build important bonds and friendships as an inspirational coach, and make a real difference in the lives of South African kids.
Trip highlights
- Pass on your passion for football as a coach in South Africa
- Mentor your kids and spot up-and-coming footballing talent
- Opt to help out in local schools as an assistant teacher and inspire kids in the classroom
- Discover the stunning surroundings of Port Elizabeth on the South Coast
- Meet amazing new people and get involved with social activities such as game drives, surfing and bungee jumping!
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Download more trip information and detailed itinerary
- 100% Financially Secure
- We have provided financial bonds which guarantee that your money is totally safe with Gap 360 Ltd.
- Welcome at airport
- Return transfers to Port Elizabeth Airport
- All food
- All accommodation
- Football coaching placement
- Opportunity to teach lessons at local schools
- Full programme activity co-ordination
- All required equipment for the volunteer programmes
- Transport to and from placements
- Social activities
- 24 hour emergency support
- Flights
- Travel insurance
- Visas
- Vaccinations
- Optional social activities
- Laundry service
- Soft drinks and alcohol
Itinerary
Football is a national passion in South Africa. It was the first African country to host the World Cup in 2010 and the beautiful game is at the heart of the country’s sporting pride.
The townships in Port Elizabeth, where this volunteer programme is based, are bursting with untapped South African talent and yet these kids often don’t get the chance to enjoy structured football games or have access to expert sports equipment.
By becoming a football coach you can make a real difference in these kids’ lives. Not only will you develop their footballing skills, but you’ll also set up them up for a happier and more successful life.
Sports Coaching
The project works with 13 local schools, visiting them on rotation, and you can expect to get involved in three different coaching sessions daily, usually one in the morning and two in the afternoon. You’ll be coaching kids aged around 11-13.
As a coach, you’ll introduce the basics of team play, passing, movement and position holding, and also develop the kids’ team skills and communication. From friendly 'kickabouts' to more advanced football techniques, you will soon develop your own unique coaching programme to suit your players. You may even discover one of South Africa’s future footballing greats!
A Typical Volunteer Day
7.30-9am: Breakfast
10am: Leave for coaching placement, 1 school sports coaching session.
12 noon: Lunch
1-4pm: 2 sports coaching sessions at different schools.
4pm: Return to accommodation
6pm: Dinner
7pm onwards: Free time and lesson planning
At the weekends, breakfast is at 8-9.30am, lunch at 12.30-1pm and dinner at 5-6pm.
For more information about the coaching programme, download the detailed trip notes!
Teaching Days
During your stay in South Africa you can also get involved as an assistant teacher in a classroom, teaching kids from local schools basic English and maths. This role would usually take place once weekly and would run alongside your sports coaching role.
Free Time
Alongside your vital coaching role, you’ll also have chance to explore South Africa and have fun during your free time. The Wild Coast has loads of great activities for you to try, including canoeing, hiking, safaris at the game reserves, fishing, mini golf, shopping in Umtata and going on beach walks. You could try a spot of surfing in Jeffrey’s Bay or head along the famous Garden Route to Cape Town and the iconic Table Mountain. The in-country staff can suggest great trips and activities and help you to plan your free time to max out your experience.
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Online booking isn't currently available but if you'd like to enquire please use the form below. Alternatively if you'd like to discuss alternate trips or if you have any other questions please don't hesitate to contact us.You should arrive in Port Elizabeth airport on your arranged start date, where you will be met and taken to your accommodation (about 15 minutes from the airport). You should only leave the airport with a member of our in-country staff, and if for any reason you cannot locate our staff at the airport, please find a payphone and call them.
Your induction will normally start the following day, when you will have a full briefing of the details of your volunteer coaching programme, have a full tour of your accommodation and be told about any ground rules. You also get the chance to meet the other travellers and volunteers as well as your Lead Co-ordinator, who will inform you of your coaching schedule for the duration of your stay.
At the end of your time as a coaching volunteer, you will be dropped off at Port Elizabeth Airport for you to continue your onward travel.
All accommodation and meals are included as part of this sports coaching programme.
Accommodation
Accommodation is at a shared volunteer house in Port Elizabeth, located around 10 minutes drive from the city centre and 15 minutes drive from the airport.
The volunteer house offers a basic standard of accommodation, in single-sex dorm rooms with bunk beds sleeping four people per room, and shared bathrooms. There is a communal area for socialising, with table tennis and a pool table, a volunteer kitchen, a satellite TV with 24 sports channels, and a large garden so you can enjoy the outdoor lifestyle in the South African sunshine and kick a football around. There is also a large swimming pool so you can cool off after a hard day’s coaching!
The volunteer house has four coin-operated washing machines available for you to do your own laundry. There is a payphone available at the house, and there is also free wireless internet coverage (although this can be intermittent) where you can connect your own phones or laptops, and there are also internet cafes only a short walk away.
The accommodation is centrally located in Port Elizabeth with the main shopping mall close by, as well as local shops within a five minute walk, selling everyday items such as snacks and drinks, toiletries, SIM cards, phone top-up vouchers and international call cards. The beautiful Port Elizabeth beachfront is only a short taxi ride away (costs approx 42 ZAR per journey), and the accommodation is approximately 10 – 15 minutes journey from the Township areas where you will volunteer.
The volunteer house is very safe, as it has a coded entry system, and there are two night security guards. Your volunteer co-ordinators also live on site in the house. Lockers are available for your use, although you will need to bring your own padlock.
Meals
Three meals a day are included, with a self-service breakfast of cereal and toast served between 7:30-9:00 Monday to Friday and 8:00-9:30 at weekends. You will make up your own packed lunch every morning from provided ingredients (sandwiches, crisps, fruit) to take to your placement. Lunchboxes are provided. At the weekend, lunch is served between 12:30-13:00pm. Dinner is cooked by the house cooks, and is served between 17:00-18:00pm unless you are working at a late placement, where a meal will be saved for you. Volunteers will wash up their own dishes when they have finished eating. Typical meals include; rice dishes, burgers, lasagne, bolognese, curry, pie etc. Vegetarians and those with other dietary requirements can be catered for provided you inform us in advance.
Alcohol is not provided at the accommodation, but there is an off license 5 minutes walk from the house. You are allowed to consume alcohol in moderation at the house, but if at any time placement performance or other volunteers are affected alcohol consumption may be prohibited during the week.
Minimum age to take part in this coaching programme is 18. No previous coaching experience is necessary, just enthusiasm, commitment and a good knowledge of football.
You will get a 90-day travel visa on entry to South Africa. You only need to renew this if you are planning to stay in the country for longer than 90 days. The visa maybe renewed for an extra 90 days at a charge of R425.
Visa rules and regulations are subject to change. Please check the relevant embassy websites for the most up to date visa information.
DBS
On this particular programme, as you’ll be working with children, you’ll need to undergo an enhanced DBS previously known as CRB, or Criminal Record Bureau check and will need to have a clean criminal record.
DBS checks may list past convictions, cautions, reprimands, warnings, and if applicable will show whether or not you have been barred from working with certain vulnerable groups. Non-conviction information such as fixed penalties may also be included.
There is an addition cost for the DBS check, please speak to your travel advisor at the time of booking. The DBS process is in 3 stages:
1. Once we receive your booking payment, you will then be sent an online application link for the DBS check, which you will need to complete.
2. Once you have completed the application, the DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) will need verification of your identity - to do this you will need to take 3 original documents to your nearest crown post office and use their DBS and ID verification service. This costs approximately £9 and is payable directly to the Post Office.
3. Once the post office verification is done it usually takes up to 2 weeks for your DBS to be processed, and your DBS will be sent to you directly in the post.