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SUMMARY FACTFILE |
| Start Dates |
All year round - you choose your start and finish
dates. |
| Duration |
From
4 weeks to 6 months or longer, subject to visa requirements |
| ReRequirements |
You should either be studying veterinary science or
be going into veterinary science/nursing studies or be
in the animal technician field. The degree of your
level of experience will affect your degree of
involvement in the clinic. Minimum age 18. |
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Priceb> |
Full Price List |
| What's included |
►Arranging
your program,
►Full pre-departure support and assistance,
►Payment Protection insurance
►Accommodation
►Food
►Meeting you at the nearest airport
►Transfer to your accommodation
►Transport to and from your project
►Local in-country team support and backup
►24-hr emergency support.
►Certificate of Completion |
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What's not included |
Flights,
Insurance, Cost of Visas (if a visa is required), Return
transfer to airport. |
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Who can do
this Project? |
This project
is open to all nationalities and all ages over 18.
Suitable for gap years or those taking a year out,
grown-up gappers, career breakers, anyone interested in
gaining overseas work experience or an internship for
university credit or requirement.
Also suitable for anyone just wanting to study abroad
and learn about Veterinary practice and Animal Care
overseas.
Please see "Requirements" above.. |
WHAT YOU'LL GAIN FROM DOING THIS PROJECT:
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An exciting, never-to-be-forgotten adventure into Africa and the many
diverse cultures in South Africa
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The enormous satisfaction of helping
the local community and their animals and
knowing that you made a difference to them.
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New skills, more confidence, a greater understanding
of a different culture, invaluable personal and professional
development.
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An entry on your CV or résumé that will put you head
and shoulders above most others in the job market.
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And best of all ... anan unforgettable experience!
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WORK CONTENT
This
Clinic is the only animal rescue center in Knysna and they are
inundated with work. Interns can assist with field work, which can
include anything from rescues to flea dipping. At the center, there are
also many dogs and cats which, after a quarantine period, de-worming,
dipping, feeding, and health checks, will (hopefully) be up for adoption
and rehomed.Knysna has a huge problem with
neglected and abused animals in the townships that also need to be
sterilised. The clinic has a qualified veterinarian so any volunteer
that is either a qualified vet or studying to be a vet would be a HUGE
help. Interns will have the opportunity to have a wide range of
experiences on this project, all depending on their level of
experience. Interns will:
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Assist in the veterinary clinic
stitching sutures, cleaning wounds, assisting with animal
sterilisation and other surgeries
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Assist with flea dipping and de-worming
when the clinic is quiet
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Assist in health checks on animals
If
you are nearing the end of your Veterinary Science degree or you are
qualified, we can write to the South African Veterinary Council
(SAVC) to get consent for you to do operations on your own.
You'll assist in
the several clinics
that are run on a daily
basis, where dipping, de-worming, vaccinations and general duties
relating to the well being of animals are addressed. At these clinics,
the needy public is also provided with healthy food packages for their
dogs and cats.
The clinics are operated from the back of vans, and
although rudimentary in terms of "mobile hospitals", the job nonetheless
is professionally executed, regardless of limitations.
The project is also constantly fundraising
from tin collections to large events, such as dog walks and charity
events. Any volunteer who has marketing or fundraising skills would be
a great help in this area. Help in the office with emails, mail merging
etc. is also be greatly appreciated. Therefore, interns will be
able to go out in the morning and assist with the field workers and then,
once back at the Center, assist with the dogs and cats AND put in a bit
of help in the office.
ABOUT THE CLINIC:
The animal welfare
clinic is a privately funded, non-profit organization,
solely working for the benefit of animals found mostly in
townships and underprivileged areas. Acting and speaking for those who have no voice,
the society engages in rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing where
possible.
They also provide education programmes and daily clinics, as well as operating a
weekly
sterilization program.
Besides
responding to distressed call-outs from the public, the society is often
also driven to engage in the welfare of larger animals, that although
not falling within their jurisdiction, cannot likewise be ignored.
The Clinic has worked
hard to expand and is now able to house 300 to 350 animals in a
year. They have managed to sterilize 2,800 animals over 2 years. With the help of
interns and volunteers, they hope to increase these numbers in order to
decrease the number of homeless strays and increase the quality of life
of other animals, thus really
benefiting the communities around Knysna.
If you're qualified and have experience, the Animal
Welfare Center would be especially delighted to have you as they have a
massive shortage of qualified vets and assistants, so your
assistance would be very valuable indeed! But, as they
often stress, any help at all is always appreciated!
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A sick calf in the Clinic
Flea-dipping in the local township
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ACCOMMODATION: THE VOLUNTEER HOUSE:
The volunteer house in Knysna is within walking distance of the town,
yet set against a natural green belt. The bird life is prolific and
often the local Vervet monkey troop comes to visit to entertain the
volunteers with their antics. The sunset views from the top balcony of
the volunteer house of the Knysna lagoon are beautiful and great way to
relax after a day working at your placement or to catch up on your tan
in the summer. See photo on right-hand side.
The house is large and spacious and also has a self-contained
flat downstairs for couples and families. The bedding in the two same sex dorms and the towels
in their ensuite bathrooms are changed regularly every Friday by
our much loved cleaner, Pretty, and there is plenty of cupboard
space to store your clothing.
Facilities include a kitchen kitted out for cooking, dining
area, a few bathrooms, TV, DVD
player, free Wi-Fi, garden and several wooden verandahs.
There
is an outside courtyard and garden in the secure grounds where you can have
a typical South African barbeque known there as a ‘braai’.
Make sure you try the local spicy sausage known as ‘boerewors’
and the Karoo lamb chops are to die for on a ‘braai’, but if fish
is more to your taste then a fish ‘braai’ with South African
‘snoek’ is a must.
FOOD:
You'll be given a food budget which will cover your basic
essentials (but not extras like alcohol, snacks and eating
out). The kitchen has all the cooking amenities that you might
need to take advantage of preparing meals with some of the great
seafood, meat, fresh fruit and vegetables South Africa has to
offer.
There are supermarkets and local shops where you'll do your food
shopping.
There are plenty of excellent restaurants within walking
distance that offer the most incredible local and international
cuisine which our volunteers rave about. Knysna is also famous
for its oysters and even has an annual Oyster Festival where
everyone eats and drinks far too much!
The waterfront and marine is beautiful and full of restaurants
and cafes with cuisine that ranges from breakfast, coffees,
cakes and snacks, through to sumptuous meals and various
different nationality menus.
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Volunteer house in Knysna
View from the house overlooking
the lagoon
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Got any questions? Please email us:
info@travelersworldwide.org
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
YOU BOOK YOUR PLACEMENT:
Once you have applied for a placement, we'll
contact you and send you our Welcome Pack. You'll also receive Log-on
details and password for our Volunteer Extranet where you'll have
access to all the documentation and information which we've put
together to facilitate preparations for your adventure! Your
Project Co-ordinator for your country will liaise with you
throughout the arrangements process, as well as while you're on
your placement and on your return home.
The documents you'll have access to also include a Country
Factfile, Safety Guide and any manuals that may assist you on
your particular program (e.g. Teaching Guide, Sports Manuals, Enrichment
Suggestions for Animal Care, etc.). We do all we
can to make your stay one that you'll never forget. This is a truly awesome, elegant and beautiful country.
AsAs with all our destinations, the culture and heritage is
different to what you're used to ... which, although one of the
most exciting aspects of travelling, should be borne in
mind.
Self-reliance and independence are highly appreciated in
all our destinations and will help you to make the most of this
wonderful opportunity!
On Arrival, your Introduction to the Country: span>WhWhen you arrive you will be welcomed by a member of our South African staff who
will take you to your accommodation and introduce you to everyone. During your first few days you'll be given an induction so that you can learn
about the country and its culture, as well as other useful information, like how
to use the transport system, banks, safety issues, tipping, and lots more.
"The area is beautiful and travelling is easy. The house we stay in is lovely
and the Travellers workers are such kind, loving people which really makes it
feel like a home away from home. What with all the other volunteers and the
Travellers staff, it really does feel like our own little family ... well, our
own very big family, I suppose!!"
Luke Brennan
EXTRA ACTIVITIES YOU MAY BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE INTO YOUR PROJECT
You may also have the opportunity
to provide help and support to the local community through the various
afternoon activities we have to offer. This is an excellent way to immerse
yourself in the African culture, but most importantly to give a caring
hand to the local community. The activities could range from helping out at;
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The Children's Home:Make the afternoons fun and exciting for these lovely
children by playing games, helping them with home work and just being
there to give them the attention that they so appreciate.
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After-school drama or sports - Take some time out after school to set up after
school sports or drama clubs, the children love it and it's a great way
to get to know them better in a relaxed and fun environment. If
you'd like to set up a drama or sports club, please let us know when you
apply so that we can arrange it with the school before you arrive.)
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Other
community projects - Past volunteers have helped to paint the
outside of a crèche that was in desperate need of a lift. The crèche is
now looking very cheerful with brightly coloured walls. A jungle gym was
donated to this orphanage and volunteers also helped to put it together
for the crèche too! There may be other similar projects available at the
time you're there that you might want to participate in.
If you're are interested in arranging a dance workshop, then please visit
the Street Kids project for more details on a dance workshop that an
ex-volunteer set-up there.
The project may possibly be
extended to involve local unemployed people, or street kids, or even elderly
people or children's orphanages. These are just a few ideas and it may be that
some volunteers will have more ideas that will help to make this project a
worthwhile one that will benefit the community for a long time to come.
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LOCATION, EXPLORING AND SIGHTSEEING:
The best advice you'll get from us
is to try to see some of the country while you're in South
Africa. It's big (huge!) and each different region is exciting
and very, very beautiful. Cape Town is probably
the most beautiful city in the world (I can say that, I grew up
there :-) KwaZulu-Natal comes a very
close second, albeit very different. Knysna is
where South Africans go on vacation, which gives you some idea of
how lovely the region is. When you lie on the beach and watch
dolphins jumping the waves, you'll think you're in Paradise.
LOCATION:
Knysna
is approximately 500km from
the beautiful capital city of Cape Town and voted South Africa’s
favourite town 4 years in a row! Its mountainous backdrop, impressively
sized estuary and indigenous forests really give the town a natural feel
to it. Although it still has that ‘small-town’ feel, Knysna is growing
rapidly, and has all the amenities you could ask for such as banks,
hotels, internet café’s, cinemas and shopping malls.
About 20-30 minutes' drive away from Knysna you'll find
Plettenberg Bay
(better known simply as Plett), which is a bit smaller
than Knysna, but equally stunning. Its' pure white beaches stretch
as far as the eye can see and there is a lot to do, from whale and dolphin
watching, to hiking trails and awesome nightlife.
The Garden Route is famous for all sorts of activities from adrenalin
sports such as bungee jumping, skydiving and shark cage diving to more
relaxed pursuits such as hiking, quad biking in the forest or visiting one
of the many animal sanctuaries in the area. Your local Travellers liaison
will be happy to assist you in finding interesting things to do and places
to see so make the most of it!
Knysna nestles on the banks of a
beautiful lagoon in the heart of the ‘Garden Route’ of South Africa. It is
surrounded by a natural paradise of lush indigenous forests, tranquil
lakes and golden beaches, making it a real natural wonderland.
Knysna is a vibrant town, buzzing
with creativity and energy, and the pulse of good
music. It's a place where the you can enjoy the mellow
atmosphere of street cafes, watching the world go by. The
main street is very leafy with trees along the pavements and it has a wonderful
vacation atmosphere with sun umbrellas everywhere.
Most cafes have outdoors
seating areas overlooking the street or on the pavements, with colourful sun
umbrellas - a perfect place to sit with the sun on
your face, watching passers-by ambling along, sipping a steamy cappucino or
staving off the heat with a cold drink.
Read more about Knysna and its
attractions
TRAVEL:
To read about Travel arrangements and what happens when you
arrive in your new country, please
click here.
Support & Backup:
To read about the excellent
Support
& Backup we provide before you leave and during
your program,
please click here. |
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