Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours per day/week will I work at the volunteer project?

This varies from project to project, but the average working day is about 8 hours. 

Will I have at least one day off per week? 

Yes, you will. Most of the projects require volunteers to work Monday to Friday and the volunteers have the weekends to themselves. Others require them to work 5 days and they have 2 days off. This all depends on the specific project.

I’m a vegetarian – will there be vegetarian food available at the project?

If you inform us on the enrolment form that you are vegetarian, your project will have vegetarian meal options available.

How many volunteers are there at the project?

The numbers vary depending on the project and the time of year – it’s not possible to give an exact figure as they often change. Most Cape Town projects have more than 1 or 2 volunteers at a time and some of the projects in rural areas can have up to 10 volunteers at a time.

What nationalities are at the project?

Volunteers come from all over the world.

Why do I need to pay to volunteer?

The fee you pay covers the costs incurred by the project, the administrative costs incurred by Good Hope Volunteers, and, in some cases, a donation to the project. Though it varies from project to project, the fee may go towards the costs of accommodation, food, clothes, transport and excursions as well as volunteer training, preparation and supervision. Some of our conservation projects, such as the Shark Project, include specialised training with a certificate from the project (as well as the certificate from Good Hope Volunteers), and these projects are therefore more expensive than the social and community projects. For more information about what is included, please see our price list and our detailed project descriptions.

What kind of activities can I do during my free time at a project outside Cape Town?

The projects offer activities that are related to the area they are based in; this can be anything from visiting the Addo Elephant Park and Monkey Sanctuary in Plettenberg Bay or Bungy jumping at the Stormsriver. It all depends on the project and where it is located. The projects offer assistance in booking these activities.