Becoming a SCORE volunteer

Criteria for volunteer recruitment

Professional background and experience of participant:

• Have a minimum of 1 years experience working in sports development (e.g. coaching, training, administration, management, marketing, club leadership etc) and/or physical education

• Secondary school education (Southern Africa)

• Minimum 18 years of age
  
  
  Duration of Service

Volunteers commit to either a six month or preferably a one year term. Terms begin in either January or July. Volunteers take part in an initial 2-3 week orientation program, which includes local language learning, cross-cultural awareness, community development theory and teaching and coaching methods.


Financial Considerations

Volunteers are required to pay a Participation Fee. This fee is updated regularly and differs according to the volunteers home country and the duration of service. The participation fee covers room and board, work-related travel, orientation, a nominal monthly stipend and volunteer support throughout your stay. The Volunteer Participation Fee excludes flights and insurance.

Volunteer Participation Fees:
Please contact SCORE for the current volunteer participation fees.

Email: info@score.org.za . Please remember to provide the following details with your enquiry:
- Your home country
- The country in which you wish to work
- The period you wish to volunteer for
- The duration you wish to volunteer for

Please Note: Financial assistance is available to applicants who qualify.

The Application Process

Step 1
If you are interested, you need to submit:
1. A completed YSEP Volunteer Application Form (all applicants are currently using the YSEP application format)
2. Your curriculum vitae
3. 2 reference letters
4. 2 passport photos.

Applications to join the team in January are due by the 1st of October, applications for a July position are due by the 1st of April.

Anyone interested in becoming a SCORE volunteer can request an information pack and application form from one of the recruiting offices at the address below.

Applicants should fill in the volunteer application form and send it to:

Southern African Volunteer Applications
SCORE, PO Box 4989, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa
Email: info@score.org.za

Foreign Volunteer Applications
Stichting SCORE, P.O. Box 82, 3500 AB Utrecht, The Netherlands
Email: info.nl@score.org.za
Enquiries: Please contact Arjan Weijburg on: arjan@score.org.za

Step 2
You will receive confirmation that your application has been received within 21 days, if not please contact the Head Office. If it is found that your application does not meet our minimum requirements, you will be notified that your application was not successful.

Step 3
Successful applicants will be invited to attend a selection day in their home country where their coaching and facilitation skills are evaluated and they are interviewed by SCORE staff.

Step 4
If selected following the selection day, applicants will receive a letter of appointment alternatively they will be informed that their application was not successful. Successful applicants will be requested to pay a 10% deposit of their Volunteer Participation Fee.

Step 5
Newly appointed volunteers will then receive confirmation of receipt of the participation fee deposit along with all volunteer handbooks, documentation and forms required for their preparation for General Orientation.

Step 6
Foreign volunteers attend a pre-departure course about one month after selection and 6 weeks before departure. African volunteers attend a pre-orientation course just prior to the General Orientation.

The balance of the participation fee, 90%, must be paid in full no less than one month prior to departure for General Orientation at a venue close to Cape Town, South Africa.
Volunteers will receive confirmation of receipt of payment of the balance of the participation fee.

Volunteer training and support

TRAINING

Pre-orientation
A training program for Southern African volunteers held just prior to the general orientation, preparing them for their role as SCORE volunteers.

Pre-departure workshops
A training program for volunteers from Europe is held prior to their departure for the country they will be working in, preparing them for their stay and work in Africa

General Orientation
A comprehensive twelve day training program for all volunteers is held on arrival in South Africa. The purpose of this comprehensive training programme is to prepare volunteers for their role as Sports for Development volunteers and their stay with a host family in the community to which they are assigned.

Specific Orientation
A one-week training program for provincial or regional teams of volunteers, held on arrival in the countries they have been assigned to. The purpose of this training is to prepare the volunteers for their specific roles in each of the communities to which they have been assigned.

Mid-term reviews
An evaluation and planning program for volunteers held in the middle of each six month term. The purpose of these review sessions are to: evaluate the outcomes of the volunteers work thus far; address challenges and issues the volunteers may be facing in their respective communities; provide additional training as required and to revise project goals where necessary.

End of Service
An evaluation program for volunteers held towards the end of their service period preparing them for their return back home and for their departure from the community and from SCORE.

Post return
A training program for European volunteers taking place after volunteers have returned home. Focusing on their re-integration to life in their home country and on how they can build on and grow with their SCORE experience in their future lives and careers.

SUPPORT

The Volunteer Programme Coordinator, based in the SCORE International office in Cape Town, aids and supports the respective Team Leaders in the management and support of the volunteers in each country. The Volunteer Programme Coordinator is also responsible for providing and implementing processes and structures that better facilitate volunteer support within the various SCORE country offices.

Country Staff

The SCORE teams in each National office comprise the following portfolios:

• A National Manager

• Up to three provincial Team Leaders or Provincial Coordinators

• Up to three Trainers

• One Office Assistant

Alumni

As the provincial teams support the volunteers during their period of working in the community, SCORE alumni supports the volunteers once they have left the organisation.

SCORE Alumni also seeks to maximise the opportunities for ex-volunteers and staff to assist the organisation wherever possible.