Location
  • South Africa
    • Cape Town

Program Details

Language
English
Jul 06, 2018
Dec 18, 2015
3 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

SASTS believes that international voluntary services help empower local communities by developing self reliance and sustainability, whilst providing guidance and support on global issues such as poverty alleviation, skills training and development. We aim to help improve the quality of life of many local South Africans, whilst uniting groups of people with a common cause, and empowering them to make a difference in society.

Program Reviews

4.69 Rating
based on 16 reviews
  • 5 rating 68.75%
  • 4 rating 31.25%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Impact 4.65
  • Support 4.45
  • Fun 4.5
  • Value 4.9
  • Safety 4.6
Showing 9 - 16 of 16 reviews
Default avatar
AndreaVA
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Even a short trip can make a difference

I went through SASTS to volunteer at a preschool in Athlone for two weeks last summer. Everyone at my school embraced me and we stay in touch still. I had a bit of a problem with my host family, but SASTS responded immediately and pulled out my roommate who was supposed to stay there longer. They also informed us that our family would not be used again, because of our complaints.

The SASTS staff was always willing to help us out and on the weekends, staying at the volunteer house was perfection. We were surrounded by other volunteers, who were easy to trust and created a safety net so that I would not have to go anywhere by myself. I have recommended this program to a bunch of friends already and encourage everyone to look into it.

27 people found this review helpful.
Read my full story
Default avatar
CM
4/5
No, I don't recommend this program

Misleading, Unorganized and Did not feel my time was a Valuable Experience

I volunteered through Volunteer HQ who placed me in South Africa with the SASTS organization Jan-March 2011. Although I was told I would be doing a surfing outreach after-school program, a week before departure I was informed this program no longer existed and could choose between a teaching program or to work at an orphanage. I chose to do orphanage work and didn't find out the details of my program until I arrived in South Africa. I was placed at a daycare where the children spoke no English and the teachers were annoyed by my presence. I asked to switch to the community school where I had a much better experience due to a lovely teacher, however I was not really needed and felt they were doing me a favor rather than actually contributing in any constructive way. The SASTS office did not seem to care/nor aware that I had not been placed at an orphanage and I wanted to switch programs and did nothing to try to assist a change in program. I also found out that my host family only received a very small portion of my costs to stay with them, and think its ridiculous that SASTS makes so much profit from "organization". Their job is to place volunteers in a program that they want to do and feel is valuable and that is the service they failed to provide. Fortunately I was placed with a great group with other volunteers and decided to make the best of the experience, however I do not credit SASTS with this.

Please note that I am not simply an angry participant, I have volunteered with many programs overseas and have taken a masters in International Development, I am very aware of what I am talking about and the complex issues of volunteer work. Although good intentions may be there, this company does not provide what it says it does. However it is much cheaper (or was) than many other programs and perhaps you get what you pay for. I would recommend staying at a hostel (even the SASTS hostel which is great) and trying to contact a program yourself that you would like to work at. Its not as hard as you might think.

31 people found this review helpful.
Response from South African Students Travel Service (SASTS)

Hello CM
Thank you for taking time to review our organisation.
Unfortunately we identified a safety concern with the Surf program and decided to temporary suspend that program until our concerns were addressed, we apologies for this inconvenience, we always put safely of the volunteers first.
Volunteering is not a guaranteed out of the box good experience, great experiences are rewarded to those that take the time to make themselves valued at their placements, flexibility patience and understanding are values that contribute to a positive experience.
For your 6 week program we received $825.00 or $19.50 per day, this includes,airport collection, 1st night at a city hostel, an orientation, walking tour of Cape Town, Transport to your project, a 24 emergency number, accommodation and three meals a day,7 days a week, the largest portion of this money goes to the host parent.

Regards
The SASTS TEAM

Default avatar
anonplease
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

SASTS Cape Town

I had a fantastic time volunteering for SASTS and am planning a revisit to South Africa to catch up with friends i have met whilst volunteering.

I was picked up from the airport by a minibus, which came just for me and had more than enough room for my bags. The SASTS house is in a fantastic location, less than a minute’s walk from the sea, a 7/11 and half a dozen pubs and restaurants.

The SASTS house is always full of volunteers, newly arriving as well as those who return to the SASTS house for the weekends. There is always something to do, whether it is hiking Lions Head, chillin out at camps bay or organising a tour to the garden route.

My second day was spent making friends with other volunteers, organising future trips and getting ready to hit Long Street.

The following day the volunteers were transported to the SASTS HQ to attend an induction talk, before being taken to our host families.

I had so much fun on my placement. I feel that the work i did in the schools really benefited the children, i got to live with a real family, not in a fancy hotel and really emerge myself in their culture. If you get the chance just go it barely costs anything as well...

38 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
AC
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

SASTS Volunteer

My volunteer experience in Africa was way beyond what I expected. I enjoyed my placement with the kids at the school and cottage. I also was placed with a really nice and welcoming host family. MaSimba and Howard from SASTS were also helpful. Overall I really enjoyed my time there. I would recommend this program to anyone thinking of volunteering in South Africa.

40 people found this review helpful.
Read my full story
Default avatar
Wielath,
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A great and challenging time!

I'm a primary school teacher back home and I made great experiences teaching abroad. It was quite a challenging though.

I worked in a school where many stundents in my class had major problems in counting, writing and reading. I think it would have been more helpful to give a systematic coaching to them. expl: one to four stundest per hour or extra lessons for them. Unfortunatelly I wasn't that long in the school to develope this kind of coaching. Eventhough I had the feeling that some of them really improved a bit and finally got the basics.

Living in a hostfamily was a great experience and the food was good. Well I gained a bit of weight because it was oftern quite greecy.
The area where i was living (Athlone) was quite calm. I didn't felt save all the time, but it was really ok. If you have a bit money with you and no bags etc, I think you are quite save. Its just different from the place where I am from...

30 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Moritz
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Cape Town Thornton Road Primary

During my stay in SA I worked for 9 weeks at a small primary school in the cape flats and stayed at a host family close to my project. My host family was outstandingly nice and really integrated me into their family. The work at school was demanding but interensting.

SASTS really cares about its volunteers and if there's a problem you'll receive immediate and professional help from them. At least, that's what i heard from other SASTS volunteers in Cape Town. I, personally never had the need to contact them, since i was absolutely happy with my host family and my work at school.

Many people at home were a little worried when I told them that I was gonna go to Cape Town because of criminality and stuff. But, quite honestly, if you act a little "street wise" you won't have any problems. Try to stick to the locals. In my case, I learned a lot from my host brother who introduced me to the capetonian night life ;)

38 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Sidmouth
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Program good value, met heaps of people

an overall good time, learned alot about myself and enjoyed the diversity of the City and the people.

Always lots to do over the weekend and the sites where great, I had a wonderfull host parent, and the kids at the school where amazing.
Thanks to all the hostel Staff and Howard and his Wife, I miss you guys

39 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Gabriel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A truly memorable emersion experience.

"Thank you SASTS for making this experience even better than I had expected. I wanted an immersion experience. I was looking to truly become a member of the community that I was volunteering in. You set me up with the most amazing host family who took me in as one of their family and taught me to live as a South African. Nuri stopped in every other week and checked in on me at my project to make sure that things were going smoothly and would coach me when they were not. On the weekends, Howard and Simba were amazing at advising me on the best ways to see this beautiful country and even helping me do it in the most economical ways possible. I can honestly say that SASTS under-promised and over-delivered. Thank you."

30 people found this review helpful.

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