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ABOUT VOLUNTEERING • Who can volunteer with The Baywatch Project? • How long can I volunteer for? • What is the work like? • Do I need qualifications? • What does it cost and what does the fee covers? • Why do I have to pay to be a volunteer?
About the Baywatch Project• Where is the Baywatch Project located? • What arrangements are made for when I arrive at the airport? • What happens during orientation? • What does the Baywatch Project do for me while I'm volunteering?
About living in Seaview, South Africa• What is Seaview like? • Is South Africa safe? • Are there any leisure facilities (in the area)? • What is the cost of living? • What kind of activities are available to me in my time off? • How do I stay in touch with my family and friends? • What kind of food is eaten?
About other stuff• What kind of visa or permit do I need to volunteer? • What kind of travel insurance do I need? • What kind of vaccinations do I require? • Do I need to take medication for malaria? • What should I bring with me? ---
ABOUT VOLUNTEERING--- Who can volunteer with The Baywatch Project? • Anyone over the age of 18 and under the age of 30, of any nationality (including South African) can apply to volunteer with the Baywatch Project. You will need to ensure that you have funds to cover your trip, have a valid passport for the period of your stay and do not have a criminal record. --- How long can I volunteer for? • We can usually accommodate any period of time. The minimum duration is one month. --- What is the work like? • Volunteers will be busy with marine conservation. The many practical outings to for example Penguin & Bird Island, Bayworld, the intertidal zone and fishing expeditions will lead to a lot of knowledge about what is going on in the nature. You must expect a lot of diversity in the course. Because we believe that one can learn a lot more from practical outings than just theory, we decided to focus on the practical side. Of course you must have some theoretical knowledge about different subjects and to equip you better for this situation, routine input is given by our skilled lecturers. The great thing is that you will soon find that you can actually apply the theory in practice when you are out at sea. A core part of the assignment includes working with tourists (as well). Volunteers will eventually all be expected to participate in the various briefings and talks to tourists on the boat. They will also be taught the basics of boat handling and be expected to drive the boat on occasions. There is an opportunity to get your skippers ticket. Volunteers will also be expected to undertake some proactive marketing and make constructive suggestions to improving our marketing strategy. --- Do I need qualifications? • To be a volunteer you do not need to have any qualifications. You just need to be motivated and you must be willing to learn. You will see a lot of things you have never seen in your life so just keep your mind open and suck in the experience! --- What does it cost and what does the fee covers? • Please click here to go to our Costs and Visas page --- Why do I have to pay to be a volunteer? • Africa is the poorest continent in the world and there is essentially no budget to run the conservation and educational volunteer programmes. Your payment gets broken into two: the first section goes towards meeting the costs of your stay (meals, accommodation, transportation etc.) and the second part goes towards the operating costs of the programme. BACK TO THE QUESTIONS ---
ABOUT THE BAYWATCH PROJECT--- Where is the Baywatch Project located? • The Baywatch Project house is located in Seaview, near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Most of the work will take place out on sea or in nature. --- What arrangements are made for when I arrive at the airport? • We will be at the airport when you arrive in Port Elizabeth and will transport you to our house. --- What happens during orientation? • Once you arrive in Port Elizabeth, you will be met by Lloyd Edwards of the Baywatch Project, he will be your host and teacher for the next period! You will then be brought to the house for a period of orientation, lasting around 2-3 days. This way you are able to meet the volunteers currently based in the house, meet the staff that you’ll be working with, get familiar with the area that you’ll be in and get used to the African way of life! It will also enable you to gather some basic information about life as a volunteer in South Africa and also give you the opportunity to get familiar with the currency, the shops and products available, modes of transportation etc. All the basics you will need to know before embarking on the project. --- What does the Baywatch Project do for me while I'm volunteering? • We will be a constant support to you while you are on your project. You are living at our house so you will have daily contact with our staff and the other volunteers. We will ensure that you have transport to and from the project and to and from any things you may need to attend in relation to your work. We will also provide computer, internet and telephone access for you and cover the cost of any project-related usage. We can also help you identify and meet useful contacts in the area, assist with translation where necessary and generally support you in whatever way you require. We will also provide food (breakfast and dinner) and accommodation for the duration of your stay. We are always on hand to try and resolve any difficulties our volunteers may be facing - whether personal or work-related. We want everyone to enjoy their time here and hope that you will feel able to approach us about any concerns so we can try a find a solution as quickly as possible. If you are unhappy on your project, we will endeavour to find a way of improving the situation. BACK TO THE QUESTIONS ---
ABOUT LIVING IN SEAVIEW, SOUTH AFRICA--- What is Seaview like? • Seaview is a very safe and small village just a few kilometres west of Port Elizabeth. There are big houses with even bigger gardens and it is just a couple of meters away from the ocean. It is a beautiful place to live and do volunteer work. At least, that is what the volunteers so far said. --- Is South Africa safe? • Like many countries, South Africa's international reputation for high levels of crime is largely based on activities in the big cities, such as Johannesburg and Cape Town. The area you will be living and working in will be as safe as any in Europe and safer than many. As long as you treat others with respect and use your common sense, you'll be fine. South Africans are generally very friendly people and the majority will be eager to ensure you have a safe and pleasant stay. Port Elizabeth is also known as the Friendly City. Although having said that, it is not advisable to wander into townships or locations you are not familiar with unless accompanied by someone who is. --- Are there any leisure facilities (in the area)? • In the house we got two entertainment areas. One has got a Television with DVD player. A lot of DVDs are available but you can always bring your own top movies for the cold winter nights! Port Elizabeth hasn’t got just one big centre where everything is happening like in Europe. All the shops and restaurants are located in different malls. In the nearest mall there are three restaurants and a lot of shops. A cinema is also situated in the mall where you can watch the latest movies. In Seaview there is a popular restaurant as well where you can get a delicious three courses meal. In all instances you'll find that the cost of these are generally extremely favourable compared to first world countries! --- What is the cost of living? • It is always difficult to gauge how the cost of living compares to that in other countries. The amount of spending money that you need will vary according to how much you want to shop, eat and drink during leisure time. While the majority of produce is cheaper over here, some imported items will be around the same price as in Europe and the US. For example, CDs are often a similar price, as are trainers/sneakers and electrical items. For the most part, however, everything from clothes and jewelry, to groceries and meals out will be considerably cheaper. While traveling, you will find backpackers' dorm accommodation from 75 Rand. A snack and a drink will cost you about 70 Rand in a restaurant. --- What kind of activities are available to me in my time off? • There are a lot of activities. Of course you want to make the most out of your stay in Africa. That's why we also offer enough time off for all kind of activities. Please click here to go to our activities page --- How do I stay in touch with my family and friends? • We have got a wireless internet connection so if you have one, bring your laptop with you! You can also buy prepaid telephone cards when you’re here so that you can sms and call all your family & friends. Friends & family can also visit you, you will just have to make some arrangements while you are here. --- What kind of food is eaten? • The food you will be eating will be predominantly western food (potatoes, beef, vegetables, etc.). One of the national sports in South Africa(besides rugby) is using the Braai (=barbeque). A lot of fresh fish and meat will be prepared on the Braai! BACK TO THE QUESTIONS ---
ABOUT OTHER STUFF--- What kind of visa or permit do I need to volunteer? • Volunteers are issued with a temporary residents' permit with a volunteer amendment. For further information about this permit and how to apply for it, please visit our Costs and Visas page. --- What kind of travel insurance do I need? • You will need to arrange your own comprehensive travel insurance for the duration of the time you plan to spend in South Africa, including the period you will be volunteering for. Your travel insurance should cover you for repatriation and also for any activities you may wish to take part in during your stay. These will depend on both the project you will be working on and your own interests. It is important to ensure that you are covered for activities such as horse-riding, abseiling, bungee jumping, sky diving etc. should you plan to participate in these or if they form part of your volunteer role (for example, all volunteers at Hobbiton will be abseiling and, quite possibly, canoeing). --- What kind of vaccinations do I require? • The only vaccinations you need are updated tetanus and polio injections, although some doctors also immunise against yellow fever, should you be planning to travel elsewhere in Africa. It is advisable to consult a doctor or pharmacist before you leave to make sure you are covered against all eventualities. --- Do I need to take medication for malaria? • The majority of South Africa is free of malaria so, unless you are planning to travel in the Northern area (i.e. Kruger Park and surrounding area) or into Mozambique or Swaziland, you do not need to take anti-malaria medication. All anti-malaria drugs are freely available in South Africa and, in general, much cheaper than overseas so it's advisable to purchase them over here. It is also worth bearing in mind that many South Africans choose not to take anti-malaria medication even when in malaria areas. This is because there are three different strains of malaria and the presence of anti-malaria drugs in your bloodstream can make it harder to identify the strain and, therefore, more difficult to treat it promptly. Even if you contract malaria, it is very rarely life-threatening as long as it is treated promptly. There are a wide array of very effective mosquito repellents available in South Africa so I wouldn't worry about buying before you fly as they are also usually cheaper over here. --- What should I bring with me? • Please click here to go to our What to pack page. BACK TO THE QUESTIONS |
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CONTACT DETAILS PHONE: + 27 (0)41 378 2528 MOBILE: +27 (0)73 152 2277 PO BOX 15317 EMERALD HILL 6011 email: INFO@THEBAYWATCHPROJECT.COM www.THEBAYWATCHPROJECT.COM | Funded by: |
