Volunteer Community Development Soccer Placements

Volunteer Community Development Soccer Placements in South Africa

Football skillsWith the 2010 World Cup being a huge success, soccer has never been bigger in South Africa.

Projects Abroad in South Africa offers two separate soccer programs. The first option involves coaching soccer in the disadvantaged communities of Parkwood, Grassy Park, and Retreat in Cape Town. This project will focus on skills training with children aged between 8 and 15 years old on municipal fields and in schools.

The second option is working with an organization called Grassroot Soccer. Founded by former professional soccer players in 2002, Grassroot Soccer (GRS) trains African soccer stars, coaches, teachers, and peer educators in the world’s most HIV-affected countries to deliver an interactive HIV prevention and life skills curriculum to young people.

Please indicate which project you are interested in when you apply.

Volunteer as a Soccer Coach in South Africa

In the Cape Town communities there are thousands of children with a passion for soccer in and Projects Abroad volunteers are needed to train and coach these kids.

Volunteers will focus on improving soccer skills and promoting the importance of team work and fair play. The project will allow you to spend plenty of time on a soccer field providing encouragement for the disadvantaged children you are training. We need volunteers to channel the children’s energy into soccer, the sport they enjoy the most.

Volunteer on a Soccer for Social Development Placement in South Africa

United by footballVolunteers on the Grassroot Soccer placement will work directly under the supervision and direction of local Grassroot Soccer Coaches. They will perform a wide range of roles helping to run education programs at the Soccer for Hope Center and implement the ‘Skillz’ curriculum. The Soccer for Hope Center is a project of “20 Centers for 2010,” which was the Official Campaign of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and was managed by Grassroot Soccer.

The primary role of volunteers will be to develop and run education programs at the center. This will involve tutoring, organizing after school activities for kids, refereeing, setting up games and schedules, field maintenance, equipment management, generally assisting wherever is necessary, and working with the Grassroot Soccer Coaches to empower, educate, and support South African youth.

Volunteers also support the Grassroot Soccer curriculum through teaching life skills and building positive relationships with targeted youth in the Soccer for Hope Center in Khayelitsha.

Grassroot Soccer say:

Grassroot SoccerThe 2010 World Cup was a unique chance to highlight the power of soccer as an educational tool and raise the world’s awareness of the global HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Volunteers applying for this project need to have completed at least one year of university in any field but preferably in education, youth or social development, or in international relations. Anyone with soccer coaching qualifications or youth work experience is greatly encouraged to apply.

Life skills coaching

Projects Abroad and Grassroot Soccer also offer special programs to make sure the children have something to do when they are on break from school. Outward Bound will also be assisting on the these programs and volunteers with an interest in rock-climbing, hiking, and outdoor sports may have an opportunity to get involved with these activities in some capacity.