Social Work & Youth Development Internship Programmes

We collaborate with some incredible local organisations including NGO’s, care facilities and schools to provide a variety of meaningful social work and youth development internships. Our social work and youth development programmes are the perfect opportunity for you to build relationships with amazing children who are desperately in need of your support and care, whilst gaining practical experience to help you further your career.

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Social & Youth internships - quick video overview
The best Social Work & Youth Development Internship Programmes in Africa?

Best social work and youth development development internship in Cape Town? We think so. We pride ourselves on delivering customised internship placements and on the ground support that offer life-changing, valuable professional experiences.

Our youth development and social work programmes provide you with the opportunity to use your existing skills and experience to support some of the most disadvantaged members of South African society.  We collaborate with a wide range of inspiring local organisations and care homes focused on providing children from disadvantaged backgrounds with education, safety, fun, counselling, medical care, empowerment and most importantly, love and attention.

Doing a social work or youth development internship will give you the chance to positively impact the lives of those who need it the most, whilst working alongside some of the most experienced professionals in the field, who are trained to deal with challenging situations on a daily basis.

We collaborate with children’s homes, NGO’s, community centres, schools, hospitals and many more inspiring local organisations.

Read on for a full overview of the best social work and youth development internships in Africa

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KEY INSIGHT

Social & Youth Internship Programme Overview

Here's what you can expect from the programme in a nutshell!

Social Work & Youth Development Internship Key Skills:

  • Communication
  • Social skills
  • Problem solving and critical thinking
  • Self-awareness
  • Organisation
  • An understanding of young people
  • Knowledge of law
  • Active listening
  • Respect and cultural awareness

Academic & Career Benefits

  • Learn from highly experienced professionals in your field.
  • Gain valuable exposure to the field of social work in South Africa and apply classroom theory to real world situations.
  • Demonstrate to future employers that you are dedicated, resilient and adaptable by adding valuable, international youth and social work to your CV.
  • Discover where your strengths and passions lie.
  • Gain practical experience and earn academic credit.

Ideal Internship Applicant

  • Proficient in English.
  • Excellent communication skills.
  • Confident and good interpersonal skills.
  • Compassionate and dedicated to working with children.

Programme highlights:

  • Work alongside knowledgeable and highly accomplished professionals in your field.
  • Make a difference in the lives of children who need your care and attention the most.
  • Help to improve the quality of life and the futures of some of South Africa’s most disadvantaged youth.
  • Demonstrate your dedication and passion for working with children and impress future employers.
  • Challenge yourself and work on your self-awareness, patience and empathy.

Minimum Requirements

  • Minimum age: 18
  • Completed (or will have completed) A2-Levels or equivalent
  • Minimum of 4 weeks duration, no maximum
  • Not a resident of South Africa

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Skills you'll hone through your Social & Youth internship

Of course, the list is much longer - but these are the skills our intern alumni reported back that they grew in the most!

Project Management
Leadership
Communication
Social Skills

Ready?

Turbo charge your career in Social & Youth

What are you waiting for - get started now!

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Social & Youth internship programme reviews & ratings

We managed to grab some detailed interviews from previous interns on this programme, you can click on them below.

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I've learned so many things since I've started my internship. I've had the opportunity to work with people from very different backgrounds from me, and I think that this is one of the most important things nowadays.
Sara Ferraiuolo
Post Graduate
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KEY INSIGHT

A hypothetical Social & Youth Internship Programme

What might your programme in this career field look like? Here's how it has typically shaped up for our alumni!

Week One

Arrival & orientation. Introduction to Cape Town, your accommodation and your internship host organisation and colleagues.

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Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 1
Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 2
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Week Two

Get stuck into your social work or youth development internship placement and establish yourself with your organisation. Come to our free social events.

Week Three

Enjoy a great work-life balance, getting out and about to see the sites alongside working hard on your internship.

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Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 3
Internship Programmes South Africa - Hypothetical week 4
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Week Four

Pick up more responsibility in your internship as you prove your capability. Enjoy regular activities in Cape Town outside of work. Come to another social!

Week Five

Now you're flying (metaphorically) at work, you'll be more and more autonomous. Expect to pick up even more challenges!

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Week Six

Internship is going swimmingly, now go and do something crazy like swimming with some great white sharks or abseiling off of a mountain.

Week Seven

Regularly enjoy the benefits of Cape Town and at work, gather materials needed for portfolio (e.g. references from us and provider).

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Week Eight

Putting the finishing touches to your internship and gathering feedback from us and your internship provider for use in your academic / career portfolio. Finalise paperwork for university (if needed)

LEAVE TRANSFORMED
Download and read a free guide.

13 Essential Insights for a Fulfilling and Safe Internship in Cape Town

TAKE ME TO THE GUIDE
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Why others apply for Social & Youth internship programmes

Here's what others said when they applied. Some of these people came just for this career area, some mixed it with other career fields too...

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KEY INSIGHT

Social & Youth internship programme features

What makes our internship programmes a worthwhile investment? Here's a swift overview of what you can expect!

Choice of two programmes

We have two primary programmes to suit your needs. In some instances we also offer virtual placements.

Unlimited duration as standard

You can come for as long as you need without paying any extra fees.You'll receive the same level of support.

Backed by concrete promises

We are 100% on your side. We guarantee every aspect of your trip with unrivalled promises.

Career
Focus

Need to focus on a precise niche or two? No problem! Your programme can focus on your specialist areas.

Immersive cultural experience

We'll help you engage with the culture and personal benefits of being in a foreign country.

Virtual placements

Save on travel and accommodation costs, pay a far lower fee. All while building your professional network.

Academia friendly

We will handle all aspects of academic accreditation, including direct liaison with your tutors and academic staff.

Future career friendly

We will write full reference letters for your placement(s) to optimise future employers' first impression of you.

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Current Social & Youth Job Openings

Here are some current or recent internship job opportunities in this career area. We do not publish all openings - so please contact us to hear about others.

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Explore your custom Social & Youth programme now

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A straightforward process

We have worked very hard to streamline our process to make your experience easy, fun and highly rewarding personally and professionally. Flick through the steps below, or read about our process in more detail.

Introduce yourself to our friendly team

Getting your dream internship all starts with you saying hello! Just pop your details into our enquiry form and we'll reach out to schedule a conversation with you that we call a 'discovery call'.

Ask questions & learn how we can help

In your discovery call, you can ask us any questions you still have. We'll talk about your options in the career fields you've told us you're interested in to help you imagine your placement and decide if our service is right for you.

Complete your programme application

If everything sounds good to you, complete your application to put into words your dream programme. This forms the basis of the 'design' of your customised placement and will be the primary framework against which we validate potentially suitable opportunities.

We'll source you the best opportunities

We maintain a large and varied network of the best organisations in Cape Town. We will identify the best potential fits for your programme goals and preferences and reach out on your behalf to assess those organisations for suitability (learn about their current projects and initiatives).

Prepare and plan for your experience

Once you've confirmed which placement offer you prefer, we'll start helping you plan the rest of your trip. We'll book your accommodation, help with your travel arrangements and provide extensive advice and information on how to get ready for your time in Cape Town. Your Bridging Gaps mentor will be on hand to make sure you're fully prepared for your placement.

Maximise your experience & learning

Finally, every member of our team will move mountains to make sure you get what you came for and MORE! It's essential to us that you're safe, you're learning and growing in confidence and developing the most important skills for your future career.

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Social & Youth internship programme cost

Our programme fees are shown below, for a full description of our service offering please click to view the programme or a side-to-side comparison.

Bootstrap

£
795
one-off, fixed

Bespoke programme

Backed by 4
concrete promises

VIEW BOOTSTRAP

Concierge

£
1195
one-off, fixed

Comprehensive support

Visa & travel assist

Accommodation assistance

Social events & excursions

... and lots more

VIEW CONCIERGE

Virtual

£
395
one-off, fixed

Tailored Search

Ongoing support
& mentoring

VIEW VIRTUAL
Click to see detailed programme feature comparison.
FAQ
Social Work & Youth Development Internship Programmes FAQs

We've answered some specific questions about this internship programme below.

What is the need for volunteers in South Africa?

In South Africa, there is a great demand for volunteers of all types, especially those in the social work and youth development sector. As many government and nonprofit programs are underfunded, they lack the staff and material resources they so desperately require.


How can I get experience as a social worker?

All types of social work require some practical hours of experience before obtaining a license. Examples of placements you could get involved with include, educational institutes, family and children clinics, counseling centers and youth or adult service centers. The amount of hours required depends on the type of social work role you are interested in pursuing.


What do I need to study to become a social worker?

The most common degree to become a social worker is a bachelor's degree in social work. Some of these courses will include psychology, humanities, public health among others. Depending on the role, one might require a masters degree and a license in social work, however this is dependent on the country you chose to practise in. 


What type of work will I be involved in during my social work/youth development internship?

This depends on your internship organisation and your existing experience.  Some of the tasks you could be involved in as a social work or youth development intern include; facilitating workshops in schools, assisting with group and individual counselling sessions, arranging activity days and fundraising events, accompanying children on hospital visits, community outreach, liaising with other care workers, creating treatment plans, playing with and reading to children, conducting research and writing proposals.

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Social Work & Youth Development Internship Programmes

Hi, we're really sorry but we are no longer offering internship opportunities in this career field. However, we wish you the best with your search.