Volunteering at Blessed Gérard's Care Centre (South Africa)

Our program for the help of volunteers from outside South Africa

Applicants must

• have reached the age of 21.
• have good to very good knowledge of English.
• have basic nursing knowledge (for helping out in the hospice).
• have basic pedagogical knowledge (to help in the children's home, e.g. through experience in leading youth groups, teacher training or similar).
• be open and empathetic.
• respect a foreign culture.
• fit into the existing structures.
• have a positive attitude towards the church.

The applicants will be

• prepared for a possible assignment (motivational analysis, personal selection interview, information about the country and its people, culture, behavioral norms, etc.).
• cared for during their deployment.
• reflect on their experiences in a debriefing after their assignment.

There are different areas to help:

Help in the children's home

• through homework supervision and tutoring for children with learning difficulties and
• offering recreational activities, particularly on weekends and during vacations.
• These activities should do justice to the special situation of the children and contribute to their personal development.

Help in the hospice

• in the care and end-of-life care of terminally ill mostly AIDS patients.
• The voluntary helpers are prepared for the special situation of caring for AIDS patients and are assigned to work alongside an experienced carer.