{"id":552,"date":"2009-09-15T15:30:13","date_gmt":"2009-09-15T15:30:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yeboyes.org\/?page_id=552"},"modified":"2010-02-28T17:24:59","modified_gmt":"2010-02-28T17:24:59","slug":"volunteer-with-children-and-animals-south-africa-2010","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/www.yeboyes.org\/?page_id=552","title":{"rendered":"Work with children and animals, South Africa 2010"},"content":{"rendered":"

South Africa- 1st-14th August 2010<\/h1>\n

Applications now open<\/span><\/p>\n

Use YOUR skills to support children from a special needs school in a small town in South Africa.\u00a0 This is a boarding school for children who have physical and\/or behavioural difficulties.\u00a0 Many of these children have unfortunately suffered severe traumas in their lives such as abuse and witnessing the murders of family members. You will supporting and working with children with high emotional needs, who are dealing with common family issues such as death, illness,abuse and bereavement on a regular basis.\u00a0 Using primates and wildlife conservation as a therapeutic aid this project is aiming to help many children explore feelings, communication, family situations and traumatic experiences in their lives<\/p>\n

\"Children<\/p>\n

Children from the special needs school we are supporting<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Our aim is to support the children emotionally, getting involved in working hands on with the children in various communication activities which are primate and animal based.<\/p>\n

Volunteers will work as a team, getting involved in planning and creating the activities and then making them work with the children.\u00a0 Certain activities would involve art, drama and music as well as writing, dancing, tree planting, puppet making, costume making, dressing up as animals through play\u00a0 and visiting wildlife and primate sanctuaries.\u00a0 Children will not work hands on with primates but will be given the chance to visit primate sanctuaries and take part in observing chimpanzees, learning about their behaviour, their feelings and their traumatic experiences in life. They will however have the chance to visit and have hands on contact with other wildlife at sanctuaries already used to help children learn and care for animals.<\/p>\n

All of our projects are aimed at giving the children a therapeutic and supportive experience, along with an educational one, learning about wildlife and primates in Africa.<\/p>\n

\"Taking<\/p>\n

Volunteers will be able to spend time and stay over night at a chimpanzee sanctuary where they will be able to learn from the keepers about the behaviour, feelings and life traumas of the chimpanzees.\u00a0 You will be able to take part in the observation and support at the sanctuary, meeting the staff and the chimpanzees that they care for.<\/p>\n

Due to conservation issues and health and safety, volunteers and children are unable to have hands on contact with primates.\u00a0 This is also to make sure the chimpanzees are safe.\u00a0 It is very easy for them to catch a cold, a cough and many other illnesses such as flu, which for them can be life threatening. However ,observing chimpanzees and working with their keepers, is a personally rewarding experience for anyone.<\/p>\n

By relating human behaviour, feelings and traumas to that of primates (our closest relatives) we aim to allow children to disover their feelings and communication through these activities.<\/p>\n

Volunteers will also take part in supporting the teachers and carers of the children, helping them to carry this support on in between our volunteers visits.<\/p>\n

Another of our main aims is to support primate conservation, by running educational activities, but in this therapeutic way. By learning and observing chimpanzees, this will be an amazing and rewarding experience to then transfer this knowledge into the activities you will be running with the children.<\/p>\n

During the trip you will have a chance to be part of the local culture by getting involved with the magic of African dancing and cultural evenings dancing around the camp fire.\u00a0 You will also get time to visit national safari parks and the beautiful scenery near by such as the many waterfalls surrounding the area.<\/p>\n

Your skills and interests will always be matched to what you enjoy or are interested in so we are able to help and support the children and organisations as best we can.<\/p>\n

\n

Training<\/h1>\n

The training that we provide students in Africa focuses on the following;
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n