Veterinary Projects
Veterinary Projects
Gap Year South Africa provides an excellent opportunity to gain veterinary experience in our local marine and reptile centre. This is an excellent opportunity to gain invaluable work experience rehabilitating penguins as well as providing local young people with an insight into the wonderful wildlife that surrounds them.
Our communities are typically under-funded and under-resourced, our volunteers, and our resources, are always very much appreciated. Our projects assist in social and economic development and address priority areas such as moral regeneration and social cohesion by our volunteers engaging with the local community and providing essential help and support in our marine and reptile centre.
It is not a prerequisite for our project volunteers to have qualifications, specialist skills or work experience but a passion to work in veterinary science and promote knowledge on the local wildlife to under-privileged school children.
Gap Year South Africa will ensure that you are equipped with all the required skills to promote and deliver the Veterinary project. You will discover existing skills as well as acquiring many new and valuable skills.
Community Setting
Our veterinary projects are aimed primarily at previously disadvantaged groups, communities and individuals with a strong developmental approach. The intended beneficiaries of our veterinary projects are local wildlife centre's and young people who have inherently been afforded little exposure to information regarding the local wildlife.
Your Role as a Volunteer
During your veterinary project you will gain valuable experience working alongside our local veterinary staff as well as communicate youth friendly information for underprivileged young people in a number of our under-resourced partner schools in local communities. Through your role, you will provide much needed assistance in our local oceanarium and empower peer educators within our under-resourced partner schools. Your energetic presence will add immense value to the future wellbeing of under-privileged young people. Your project will enable you to gain invaluable work experience in our local oceanarium and reptile centre, familiarizing yourself with key veterinary issues and the ability to communicate important information regarding local marine and reptile life.
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Project Flexibility
In addition to your Veterinary Project you will have the choice of including an Environmental Awareness Project, a teaching and/or sports coaching experience in your project.
Volunteer Profile
We seek a passionate and energetic individual with an enthusiasm for an adventure of a lifetime. This project is ideally suited for a pre-university student who wishes to study veterinary science and would like to gain valuable real world experience. It is not a prerequisite for you to have qualifications, specialist skills or work experience but a passion to promote wildlife through knowledge transfer and behavioral change.
Donation of Educational Resources
A portion of your funding contributes towards educational resources, various teaching aides and the renovation of classrooms and wildlife centres enhancing the educational environment for the children. Our under-resourced partner schools certainly do welcome any additional contributions or resources.
Location
You will be based in the South African coastal city of Port Elizabeth which is affectionately known as the friendly city. As a volunteer you will have the famous Garden Route on your doorstep as well as some of the world's most beautiful golden beaches, dunes and wilderness.
Port Elizabeth enjoys warm sunny days most of the year with average temperatures ranging from 17°C - 30°C and sea temperatures ranging from 16°C - 23°C.
Port Elizabeth is an ideal location to travel and experience all that South Africa has to offer. Situated 10 hours from the majority of gap year world traveller destinations, Gap Year South Africa is an ideal stop on your global adventure travel.
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Accommodation, Food and Transport
You are personally hosted by the Team of Gap Year South Africa in our comfortable accommodation for all our volunteers. The volunteer house is a very safe and friendly environment within Port Elizabeth and is located a short distance from all the golden beaches and the warm Indian Ocean. The house is nearby to a wide range of amenities for all your additional needs.
Volunteers receive three balanced meals each day prepared by our local chefs. The food prepared is very similar to that of which you enjoy in your home country. However volunteers will also have an opportunity to experience some local dishes.
On arrival you will be welcomed by our Gap Year South Africa Team and be transferred from the airport to the volunteer house where each volunteer receives a welcome pack including a pack of biltong and bottle of South African wine. All transport to and from the projects is provided as well as a selection of the volunteer group excursions.
Travel and Adventure
Port Elizabeth is known as the watersports capital of South Africa and it's surrounding areas offer a wide range of activities and excursions including malaria free game viewing, walking with elephants, horse riding safari's, bungy jumping, mountain biking, sea kayaking, tree top canopy tours as well as a vibrant night life.
To the west of Port Elizabeth, you are within a short flights distance from the mother city of Cape Town including famous attractions such as Table Mountain, Robben Island and the world renowned Winelands. To the east of Port Elizabeth you have magnificent Wild Coast, leading to the tropical region of Kwazulu-Natal featuring the Drakensberg Mountains and the Greater St Lucia Wetlands.
Playing Sport and Qualifications
In addition to your veterinary project, you will have an opportunity to learn to surf and gain certificates in scuba diving and surf-lifesaving which take place along PE's golden beaches. You will also have the option of playing sport for local community sports clubs. The club teams range from social to premier league teams.
Social Life
A very important part of your experience is the social interaction with your fellow volunteers, team members of Gap Year South Africa and the local community. Port Elizabeth offers a wide selection of restaurants, pubs, bars and clubs. The Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment Complex is located on the Port Elizabeth beach front and provides volunteers with a further selection of retail outlets, trendy cafés and cinemas all situated around a man-made lake
Our Shebeen (Local Tavern) tour always proves to be a highlight on our list of social events. The tour provides volunteers with an opportunity to enjoy a uniquely South African experience. Shebeens are the heartbeat of the local community where locals meet for a drink, music and dancing.
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