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About Gap Year South Africa

Gap Year South Africa harnesses the power of volunteerism and aims to connect the developed world with the developing world. We believe in the power and importance of committing time and energy into a developmental project. Our on the ground organisation in South Africa has an extensive network of contacts and intimate knowledge of local conditions, which allows us to organise the best possible South African Gap Year projects.

Gap Year South Africa works extremely closely with under-resourced local South African communities. At the core of Gap Year South Africa’s DNA are our community development projects.  This is our primary objective as an organisation and we want to welcome volunteers that are motivated to make a difference and serve others that have been afforded very little opportunity in life. Our South African Gap Year projects contribute to social and economic development and address priority areas such as education, health, moral regeneration and social cohesion

Gap Year South Africa always endeavours to ensure that our volunteers have a safe time while in South Africa, make a meaningful contribution to a hugely under resourced community, have loads of fun, experience Africa and in particular Cape Town and all of its attractions as well as learn a great deal about themselves and gain valuable life lessons and experiences.

Gap Year South Africa Approach

Our approach is one of co-investment and community involvement, where local communities and local organisations are also encouraged to commit time, energy and basic resources to the projects. Gap Year South Africa projects are ‘owned’ by local communities and local organisations and a stringent operational code of conduct is always adhered too. This encourages a two-way commitment and investment both from the local community and local organisation as well as the volunteer.

Our model avoids creating a mindset of dependency but rather builds self sustainability within under-resourced communities. The intended beneficiaries of our projects are people who have inherently been afforded very little exceptional opportunity. Working with local communities, we aim to empower underprivileged people with the essential life skills to become future values-based leaders of development in their own communities.

Location

Gap Year South Africa exclusively directs all its energy and resources into South Africa. We specialise in the placement of volunteers from all over the world into key developmental projects in underprivileged communities in South Africa. Gap Year South Africa is proudly regarded as one of the leading organisations in the delivery of specialist South African Gap Year experiences. Gap Year South Africa prides itself in offering a limited number of places on each Gap Year project, ensuring all our Gap Year volunteers enjoy an extremely personalised experience in South Africa.

Gap Year South Africa has two Head Quarters, one in the United Kingdom and the other in South Africa. We cater for all your requirements prior to your departure for South Africa as well as managing your in-country South African experience including your chosen project, airport transfers, accommodation, weekly food, transport to and from your project as well as organising a wide range of excursions.

Meet The Team

Jon Rademeyer - UK, EU and USA Volunteer Coordinator

Jon RademeyerJon Rademeyer Jon is your contact person prior to departing on your chosen Gap Year South Africa experience. Jon will assist you with all your requirements such as providing expert advice on selecting your most suitable project. He prides himself in offering our volunteers an open and direct line of communication. This assists in ensuring all your questions are answered and that you depart informed and prepared for your Gap Year South Africa experience.

Read more about Jon

Jon is a British Citizen who spent his formative years in South Africa, before immigrating to the UK. He is a graduate of the University of Warwick with a BSc Hons in Mathematics and Economics. A very keen sportsman, Jon has played county cricket through all the junior age groups including captaining his University 1st XI in the UK's top university and club leagues. His passion for sport has taken him into coaching a variety of sport from cricket to tennis. Jon also possesses extensive experience in the volunteer project industry, having co-founded Gap Year South Africa alongside William Davis. Together, they have implemented volunteer projects in under-resourced communities in Port Elizabeth and Cape Town, South Africa. Co-founding Gap Year South Africa has realised Jon's passion for the development of young people who have inherently been afforded very little exceptional opportunity through volunteer projects. His vision is to provide opportunity for under-resourced young people to realise their potential and become future leaders in South Africa.

William Davis - South African Projects Coordinator

William Davis William is your South African host for the duration of your chosen project. He will meet you at the airport, provide you with a comprehensive induction, and ensure you are well settled in our volunteer house in South Africa. He transports you to and from your project everyday and is actively involved in all aspects of Gap Year South Africa community development projects. William is proud of all the attractions South Africa has to offer Gap Year South Africa volunteers.

Read more about William

William is a South African Citizen who has always displayed a passion for both sport and business. He is a graduate of the University of Stellenbosch Business School having completed a MBA (Masters in Business Administration) degree. He has always played sport and attributes his personal growth and understanding of fellow citizens to this fact. Having played and captained provincial cricket teams at every age group level, William later transferred his passion for playing and leading teams into coaching. He qualified as a UCBSA cricket coach and completed the National Sports Council (NSC) Sports Leader programme. William also possesses global experience within the education and sports sectors, having implemented a number of developmental initiatives throughout the UK. William along with Jon founded Gap Year South Africa, an organisation that uses the power of volunteerism in education and sport as a catalyst to inspire values-based leadership amid young people of South Africa assisting in the process of galvanising the population toward positive change and development. Co-founding Gap Year South Africa has afforded William the opportunity to pursue his vision of producing a new generation of educated, innovative and values-based young community leaders ensuring a sustainable future for South Africa.

Roxy Towill - Professional Surfing Specialist

Roxy Towill Roxy is a professional surfer and five times South African Surfing Champion as well as being an International Surfing Association (ISA) qualified surfing coach. She designs and coordinates all Gap Year South Africa surfing projects. Our surfing projects are run from Roxy's highly acclaimed Roxy and Quiksilver Surf School based in Muizenberg, Cape Town. Roxy will ensure that you have the most epic Gap Year South Africa surfing experience.

Read more about Roxy

Roxy's passion in life is surfing and teaching people to surf. She is inspired by the opportunity of giving back to surfing all she has received from the amazing sport. Roxy is a professional surfer and five times South African National Surfing Champion. She has represented South Africa at The World Games in Indonesia - placing 9th in the world and The World Long Board Champs in France - placing 17th in the world. Roxy is the founder of the highly acclaimed Roxy and Quiksilver Surf School based in Muizenberg, Cape Town. She is an International Surfing Association (ISA) qualified Coach and has coached the Western Province Junior Team that won the SA team title trophy in 2005 at The South African Championships. She managed to finish in the top two of the Cape Town Surf Coaching, Lifesaving and First aid British Surfing Association (BSA) Coaches Course level one and two. Out of the water Roxy has achieved a great deal including having completed a Degree in Psychology and Communication, a diploma in Sports Psychology as well as being a qualified chef.

Steve Benjamin - Professional Ocean Adventure Specialist

Steve Benjamin Steve is a qualified marine biologist who designs and coordinates all Gap Year South Africa ocean adventure projects. Steve is the man behind Animal Ocean and his knowledge and experience place him as one of the leading guides inspiring expeditions in Cape Town's waters. With Steve's intricate local knowledge of the sea, built on his education, work experience and his long love of surfing, fishing and diving, will ensure you experience all the wonders of the ocean during your Gap Year South Africa ocean adventure.

Read more about Steve

Steve is a marine biologist and passionate freediver with a Bachelor of Science honours from Rhodes University Ichthyology Department. He furthered his passion for the ocean by joining South Africa's finest underwater filming logistics and expedition company, Blue Wilderness, led by Mark Addison. Here he worked daily with photographers and divers getting them close to the magnificent tiger and blacktip sharks of Aliwal Shoal. He was tasked with leading the underwater team as they captured spectacular footage of the Sardine Run for the BBC's production 'Natures G reat Events'. He specializes in getting passionate Gap Year divers, photographers and film makers up-close and personal with Sevengill Cowsharks, Mako sharks, Blue shark and Cape Fur seals.

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