Volunteer: Have Fun Whilst Helping Knysna’s Kids
“You will never stand taller than when you kneel to help a child,” is a grand quote of sacrifice and community that we should all live by. However, when you become a volunteer at Love Knysna Projects, your only goal in kneeling is so that you can see children smile… and they can see you do the same.
Volunteering has never been easier. We don’t expect money donations, just your your time and your positive attitude. The goal is to have fun whilst taking children on excursions to fun places in Knysna. These trips range from beach picnics and hikes to visiting major tourist attractions. Explore this website to see all the joyful trips we’ve had.
The focus, for three years, was on the kids and teens of Judah Square but it was wonderful to expand our last two trips in 2015 to Hornlee.
This year, we’d like to make the trips more regular, a consistent two trips per month with that increasing to three before the year is out.
The focus is on the poorer kids but parents who help out are welcome to bring their own children. After all, a secondary goal is cultural integration, kids from all over Knysna learning from each other. We just ask that you help as many of the poorer kids as your own each trip.
This is what you need to volunteer…
- A desire to help children.
- A desire to meet and enjoy like-minded adults.
- A reliable car with a seat-belt for each kid you give a ride.
- Food e.g. contribute towards a picnic or cover the costs of a restaurant special for the kids in your car.
- BE RELIABLE. Although you only volunteer for what is convenient for you, it is expected that you be on time. Us adults have to set a good example.
Where there are admission fees to tourist attractions, we are either given a discount or free entrance. The goal is to be a community that helps but we don’t ever expect a business to run at a loss e.g. loan us a Kombi and we’ll pay for your driver if need be.
Have fun with us…
You can choose which activities you will enjoy the most. Alternatively, if you’re not a hiker, choose trips such that deliver to destinations such as restaurants, movies and museums.
Our goal for the year depends on how many volunteers we have. The most ambitious is for the teenagers to visit all 10 beaches. Some of these will involve hiking e.g. Goukamma, Estuary beaches and Sinclair Nature Reserve. As it would be handy for all the teens to go on each trip and thus achieve the goal, it would be helpful if volunteers would go on most of these. Not required, but handy.
With the smaller kids, we’ll aim more for picnics and tourist attraction, excursions requiring less exercise for our older volunteers.
Most trips are on Sunday mornings but can vary during school holidays.
Keen to help? Of course you are 🙂
Download the Volunteer Form. Send it or your queries to Mike – mike@loveknysna.com.
If you intend bringing your own children, you will have to fill in their form each trip.
Please explore our website to learn more. More about volunteering here.