Support young people in Cape Town for a sustainable future through handball

Empower young people through handball and give them skills they need to build a sustainable future.

Handball in Schools in Cape Town

Play Handball ZA

Sport Coach

2 to 12 months

For 2 months from

2025€

Sports activities ²

Handball

Social Change Focus

Gender equality, Environmental awareness, Health and well-being, Life skills

Open details

Project ID

SA-PH-HSCT

Project provider

Play Handball ZA

Type of organisation ⁷

NGO / NPO

Country

South Africa

Location

Cape Town

Places offered

Age (min)

Gender preference ³

None

Available months

Feb to Nov

Starting time

Jan 15th / Feb / Sep / Oct

Work schedule ⁴

Mon, Tue, Wed, Thurs, Fri

Hours per day ⁴

Approx. 5

Transfers

Airport to host family

Home « » project

Walking distance, Public transport

Place to stay

Host family

Meals ⁵

3 meals a day

Spoken languages

English, Afrikaans, Xhosa

Laundry

At home or nearby

Wifi home ⁶

Wifi project ⁶

Details about the project

Ongoing Activities

Handball

Future Activities

k.A.

PlayHandball’s school project in Cape Town and surrounding areas focuses on developing the sport of handball and providing a platform for young people to grow personally.

Founder Nicola Scholl has been organising educational handball tournaments and school programmes with PlayHandball ZA (PHZA) since 2013. PHZA is a sports and youth development organisation in South Africa, focusing on the team sport of handball. PHZA supports community-based organisations and schools in mainly disadvantaged areas with social development through sport. Handball is our tool to empower youth.

Our vision is to promote a diverse and multi-inclusive sporting environment through the team sport of handball and to instil self-esteem, skills and knowledge in the next generation.

The practice of handball is used as a vehicle to link socio-cultural experiences such as environmental awareness, fair play and cohesion. Through handball we are able to give young people the opportunity to experience team spirit and healthy competition.

The aim of PlayHandball’s school programme in Cape Town is to provide sporting opportunities in schools, especially in disadvantaged areas and public schools.

Children in these schools miss out on structured sporting experiences due to a lack of resources. By training teachers and coaches in the PlayHandball methodology, running workshops, organising school competitions such as the PlayHandball SuperCup and supporting volunteer coaches, PHZA aims to build capacity within these schools.

PlayHandball also aims to build bridges across social, racial and gender divides. By linking public and private schools, playing in mixed teams and working in different social areas of Cape Town.

Teaching young people in schools during school hours and as an extracurricular activity
Organising intra-school competitions
Helping to run coaching workshops for teachers (if required)
Assisting with school meetings and organising inter-school competitions

Monday to Friday (4 days out of 5)

8 am to 1 pm: general sports and handball coaching in schools.
2 pm to 3 pm: extra-curricular activities (training of school handball teams)
after 4pm: community handball training

Weekends: handball matches, school tournaments or free time (as appropriate)

Please note that days and times may vary depending on the project and task.

Accommodation

PlayHandball looks for local host families close to the school and project location. The host family usually provides a furnished private room.

General

Cape Town is a very diverse city with many different cultural backgrounds, so culture and customs will vary depending on the area you are in. For example, in Muslim areas you should dress appropriately and not eat pork or drink alcohol with your host family. In other areas you may enjoy a braai (South African barbecue) and a drink. However, we expect volunteers to respect local rules and customs. You should also always set an example of good social behaviour.

Minibus taxis are good for getting around the city, but not on the outskirts of the Cape Flats or in the townships. The MyCiTi bus operates within the city and to some suburbs. E-hailing services such as Uber, Bolt or Drive are available in and around Cape Town and are a reliable means of transport. You can also cycle around the city.

Activities nearby

Table Mountain National Park, West Coast National Park, Cape Point National Park
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, Boulders Beach (penguins)
Simon’s Town and Kalk Bay: picturesque coastal towns
Muizenberg for surfing
Various (trail) running clubs, gyms etc.
Many restaurants, clubs and bars to go out to
BBQs with friends at local people’s houses
Swimming in the cold water or just enjoying the sunset on the beaches of Clifton

These options are just a fraction of what you can do in Cape Town and are intended to encourage you to explore the city. These activities may only be available at weekends. If you live in a disadvantaged area on the outskirts of Cape Town, you may have fewer options. Nevertheless, enjoy time with your neighbours at family gatherings, braais, etc. There may also be a gym, running club or similar nearby.

Health and safety

Depending on the region, you should always listen to your host family, colleagues or friends.
Do not walk at night, always be alert.
Do not walk around with your mobile phone in your hand.
Keep valuables with you, do not carry too much cash.
General vaccinations required, Malaria not required
HIV/AIDS problem in South Africa, protect yourself (you can get a health and HIV test at any hospital)
Tap water can be drunk, but it is safer to boil it.
Wash hands and follow general hygiene rules

External information Cape Town:

Requirements

Police Clearance

Required

Age (min)

Language skills

English

Duration (min/max)

2 to 12 months

COACH ABROAD

Form completed

Useful skills / documents

coaching experiences with children
playing handball (a letter of reference from your handball club is a nice to have)
hands-on, organised
good communication skills, don’t be afraid to talk
coaching certificate not required, but good to have

Costs

Included

Transfers

Airport to host family

Place to stay

Host family

Meals

3 meals a day

Price for 2 months from ^1a

2025€

Additional month ^1b

505€

Own responsibility

These items are not included in the project cost and are your responsibility:

Flights, visas and all necessary documents and associated fees
Travel and medical insurance, vaccinations
Personal activities/travel and related expenses

Do you have any questions about the "Handball in Schools in Cape Town" project?

Just send us a message and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Please make sure you ask as specifically as possible. Thank you very much!

Project mentor

Nicola Scholl

"For me, handball is more than just a sport, it's an opportunity to connect with people, to learn from each other and to grow on a personal level."

Other useful information

South Africa: Stunning scenery, fascinating wilderness and a vibrant lifestyle

Volunteering as a sports coach in the Rainbow Nation of South Africa is a fascinating time full of cultural diversity, traditions and idiosyncrasies. Enjoy the incredibly delicious cuisine and be visually amazed by the 'wow' landscapes of beaches, mountains and savannah.

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(a) The price is based on the minimum length of stay in the project. (b) Additional stay: Please note that the price quoted is for a full month. If you just would like to stay a few weeks longer than the minimum stay, please let us know.
Activities already on offer or to be introduced in the future.
At COACH ABROAD there are no restrictions on who can volunteer apart from a minimum age, sporting ability and a police clearance certificate. Read our FAQ “Are there any restrictions in choosing my project?” to find out why we have included the gender information here.
Please note that the days and times of the activities are flexible. Some (optional) activities as well as tournaments or events may take place outside the specified days.
All meals are prepared to local standards. Special dietary requirements, such as vegetarian or vegan food, should be discussed directly with the host family. COACH ABROAD, the project and the host family cannot guarantee that all dietary requirements will be met. In this case, volunteers are asked to provide additional food at their own expense.
In many countries and rural areas it’s not common to have Wi-Fi or internet at home. Mobile internet is usually available. Even if a project has specified ‘WLAN at home’, this cannot be guaranteed due to external circumstances such as a power cut or similar.
NGO: Non-Governmental Organisation / NPO: Non-Profit Organisation / CBO: Community Based Organisations / CLG: Company Limited by Guarantee / Change Maker: Private activist