Essential Volunteer Info

PROJECTS AND EXPEDITIONS

What’s included

• All accommodation throughout your programme
• All meals
• Orientation upon arrival
• Airport transfer on set arrival and departure days
• Full support and daily guidance from the project coordinator/tour guide
• Project equipment/materials
• Backup support from All Out Africa’s head office and administrative staff

What’s not included

• Personal travel insurance for the duration of your placement
• All flights
• Airport transfers not on set arrival and departure days
• Local transport costs to and from project placements
• Personal laundry
• All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, clothing (work and other)
• Telephone, internet, extra food and drinks, weekend activities
• Visas
• Any excursions over and above your planned itinerary

BOOK NOW TO VOLUNTEER ON ANY OF OUR CAPE TOWN COMMUNITY PROJECTS DURING JUNE-SEPTEMBER OR OUR KRUGER TO CAPE EXPEDITION BEGINNING APRIL-JULY AND RECEIVE A DISCOUNT  OF 400 POUNDS (457 EUROS, 659 USD)!!!!!

NOTE: Where possible, All Out Africa can assist volunteers to arrange extra/optional activities/trips during free time on their projects and expeditions. Please remember that on such occasions, should you decide to take accommodation other than that provided at the project/expedition site, you will be responsible for the costs thereby incurred.

Arrival dates

The standard arrival dates (first Monday of the month) for all projects and expeditions (other than those listed below) are:

• 2012: 2-Jan, 6-Feb, 5-Mar, 2-Apr, 7-May, 4-Jun, 2-Jul, 6-Aug, 3-Sep, 1-Oct, 5-Nov
• 2013: 7-Jan, 4-Feb, 4-Mar, 1- Apr,6-May, 3-Jun, 1-Jul,5-Aug, 2-Sep, 7-Oct, 4-Nov

Exceptions:

Okavango Delta to Victoria Falls Volunteer Expedition

• 2012: 6-Feb, 2-Jul, 6-Aug
• 2013: 3-Jun, 1-Jul, 5-Aug

Kruger to Cape & Swazi to Cape Volunteer Expeditions

• 2012: 2-Jan, 6-Feb, 5-Mar, 2-Apr, 7-May, 4-Jun, 2-Jul, 6-Aug, 3-Sep, 1-Oct
• 2013: 7-Jan, 4-Feb, 4-Mar, 1- Apr,6-May, 3-Jun, 1-Jul,5-Aug, 2-Sep, 7-Oct

Whale Shark Conservation & Kruger Expedition

• 2012: 7-May, 4-Jun, 6-Aug, 3-Sep, 5-Nov
• 2013: 7-Jan, 4-Feb, 4-Mar, 6-May, 3-June, 5-Aug, 7-Oct, 4-Nov

NOTE: All Out Africa reserves the right to change routes and the tour itinerary at any time without prior warning. This situation may occur in cases such as bad weather, illness or any logistical complication. It is very rare that the itinerary will change.

Volunteer commitment

During your stay we ask that you contribute constructively to your project and behave responsibly. We ask that you uphold our organizational values of integrity, vision, teamwork, discipline and passion.  Here are some basic ground rules:

• Behave according to our organisational values
• Be considerate of the local people and environment, help with cooking & cleaning up
• Abide by the laws of the country and rules of the place
• Pay for any services not indicated as included below (e.g. telephone, internet, weekend activities)
• Do not drive any vehicle without the permission of the project co-ordinator

Booking process

Booking a place on a project is a simple 3 step process: 

1. Make a booking request by either visiting the project webpage at www.alloutafrica.com, selecting “book now” then completing the online booking form, or emailing bookings@alloutafrica.com requesting a booking form, complete this and submit it to the same address.
2. Depending on availability, your booking application will then be accepted and you will be sent a deposit invoice which you should pay by bank transfer or by manual credit card payment.
3. Upon receipt of the deposit, your booking will be confirmed and you will be assisted to make the necessary arrangements to start your project.

NOTE: In order for us to finalize your booking please send us a police clearance for yourself, which is required here for Child Protection reasons. Please email your police clearance to bookings@alloutafrica.com as soon as possible, and after receiving it we will then finalise your booking.

Packing List

In addition to your everyday clothing, it is recommended that you include the following:

General

• Sleeping bag (suitable for the season in which you are travelling – Summer (September – April) / Winter (May - August)
• Sleeping bag liner: for hot nights or as an extra layer to your sleeping bag
• Small torch (head torch is preferable)
• Toiletries (you can easily buy toiletries on arrival)
• Personal hygiene kit
• Sunglasses
• Sun cream (a range of factors)
• Sun hat/bandana
• Protective gloves (for volunteers whose projects will involve building, gardening or savannah conservation)
• Camera and accessories (if you will be diving/snorkelling we recommend a camera with underwater housing)
• Water bottle
• Day pack/rucksack for everyday use
• Mobile phone with roaming (or buy local network SIM on arrival)
• Pocket knife
• Sewing kit
• Sandwich box
• Mosquito net
• Diary and writing pens
• Binoculars (optional for expeditions and conservation projects i.e. wildlife viewing)
• Optional - stationery donations (e.g. exercise books, pens, pencils, etc.) for children at orphanages/schools

Clothing

• Sets of outdoor loose fitting cotton clothes with full arm and leg cover for cooler mornings and evenings (Winter)
• Outdoor cotton clothes for warm days and cold night (winter)
• Long trousers (light cotton)
• Lightweight fleece or jumper
• Warm clothes for winter and early mornings
• Clothes for project work, including shorts and trousers
• Boots and/or sturdy trainers for project work
• Flip flops/sandals
• Casual clothes for the weekends
• Underwear
• Pyjamas/nightwear
• Swimwear
• Light waterproof jacket (rainy season Nov – April)
• Neutral clothing for bush walk in Kruger (only if participating in Kruger expedition)
• Appropriate clothing (i.e. long trousers and shirts) for work in the bush to protect against ticks and thorns (for Swaziland Conservation volunteers only)

NOTE: If your project involves working with rural communities and/or chidlren/youth, then females, please pack knee-length skirts, dresses and shorts and nothing revealing for tops. You may purchase an All Out Africa volunteer t-shirt when you get onsite and wear it to your project as well. Please also note that in all country sites except for Mozambique, it is cold during the winter (May through August) and it rains periodically during the summer (September through April). Check out the weather of the country you’ll be in before you pack.

First Aid Kit

• Insect repellent
• Anti-malarial tablets (if you plan to travel to malaria areas)
• Personal first aid kit 
• Hand sanitizer and wet wipes
• Personal medication – including prescription drug/inhalers etc.
• Painkillers
• Plasters
• Lip Balm with SPF
• Ear Plugs
• Anti-sea sickness tablets (only if you suffer from seasickness and will be on the water)

NOTE: Please pack as lightly and compactly as possible as space and weight is limited. Ideally you should not have more than 22kg of luggage and should be able to fit everything into a 60 litre backpack plus one small day pack. It is easy to buy toiletries once you have arrived in Southern Africa and this can reduce the amount of weight you have to travel with.

Ratings and feedback

Please click on the following link to read volunteer feedback: http://www.alloutafrica.com/about/feedback/3

Stay connected through social media!

Please “like” our Facebook fan page and follow us on Twitter to stay in touch and to receive the latest news. The updates for both sites are different, so make sure to check out both!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=2369142750&ref=ts

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/alloutafrica.com 

Additional information for volunteers booking on Mozambique Marine Conservation Projects/Expeditions

• As part of the project activities, volunteers will participate in 8 ocean safaris and 4 research dives (in addition to the PADI dive course) for a normal 4-week program. Numbers of ocean safaris and research dives are calculated accordingly for shorter/longer programs.

• In order to carry out the activities required of you in the Marine Conservation Project you will need to be a capable swimmer (able to swim 100m unassisted) and snorkeler; being able to hold your breath to dive down would be an advantage.

• Volunteers who sign up for a 2-week project must have either their open or advanced water dive certification.

• Volunteers who have pre-existing medical conditions or are over 45 years of age must also bring a medical clearance letter permitting them to dive.

• Any volunteers taking Lariam/Mefloquine/Mephliam/Tropicure (or any other derivatives) as anti-malarial treatment (prophylaxis) will not be permitted to dive, as it causes increased risks when diving. Please advise your doctor that you are going on a dive holiday, and request another suitable anti-malarial treatment.

• Accredited divers must bring their dive cards (listing their last logged dive) with them to the project site as proof.

• Dive accredited volunteers not requiring/wanting a dive course but who have NOT logged a dive within 6 months of beginning their project MUST complete a SCUBA REVIEW before they can participate in their research dives. The Scuba Review consists of a theory pool session and a practical dive. This can be done before the start of the All Out Africa programme or in Tofo with the dive centre. The cost of a Scuba Review is 3400 Meticals (payable to the dive centre) or one All Out Africa dive plus 1900 Meticals (again, payable to the dive centre). This cost is NOT included in the program fee, and volunteers are liable to pay this amount to the dive operator (Peri-Peri Divers) on completion of the Scuba Review.

• The open water certificate only qualifies volunteers to dive up to 18 meters. For deep diving (up to 30 meters) you must either do the advanced course or one deep dive (the deep dive costs one All Out Africa dive plus 1700 Meticals [NOT included in the program fee] when done outside of the advanced course).

• Please note that the prices mentioned above are subject to change.
• Ask for our fishlist if you would like a head start on coming to grips with all the different species that you will be seeing on your dives.