Street Kids Rehabilitation and Community Work Extra Information

Please read carefully

Africa provides an ever-changing environment and power failures, water shortages, temperature fluctuations and other uncontrollable situations do occur. You will need to remain flexible, understanding and in good humoured. “African time” can be difficult and frustrating for those used to a very structured life so this is something to keep in mind! Once you arrive in Africa, your care is the responsibility of African Impact and our project managers. We always aim to provide you with all your daily needs, keep you out of harm’s way and support you in your volunteer work. In exchange, we ask you to attend work punctually and to behave consistently in ways that reflect well upon African Impact and our project managers.

The African Impact projects rely on networks, and those networks are held together by good relations. If a case should arrive in which our staff feels that volunteers have repeatedly behaved in ways that contradict the basic spirit of this agreement, we reserve the right to remove you from the program.

We view the volunteer experience as a commitment that includes a willingness to overcome challenges of various sorts. In cases where volunteers are experiencing difficulties, we strongly encourage creative, collaborative solutions. At the same time, we respect the ability and freedom of our volunteers to make their own judgment and understand that volunteer work only functions well when volunteers retain the will to participate fully and energetically.

With regard to community work and particularly community programmes of this nature, involving extremely disadvantaged and sometimes problem individuals, it is important that your expectations are realistically aligned before you arrive. Please understand that our aims through our involvement with these projects are not to become involved in in-depth psychological counselling or trauma relief. We do not believe that adequate integration and the building of bonds of trust can be established at very short notice. Our project aims are to provide support to worth institutions, to assist with the facilitation of their daily tasks, to interact with the local disadvantaged community and build bonds of friendship with them. Where volunteers have particular expertise and experience there is a chance that they will be able to slot in on a slightly more in-depth level, and this ill need to be arranged before you arrive by sending through a CV and motivational letter.