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Volunteering

Volunteering

In partnership with social worker and co-founder of People Living With Cancer, Linda Greeff, we will return to Cape Town for our second program dedicated to oncology based volunteering and a new approach to grassroots awareness in the community. During the first week, our volunteer assignments will either be skills based volunteering (like offering a social media workshop or helping with marketing/fundraising efforts) to support local cancer non profits and/or community based volunteering where we will support people in treatment for cancer whether by providing activities in public hospitals and/or volunteering in respite homes. During the second week, AFC will pilot a workshop to help you learn how to tell your cancer story in a way that can serve as an anti-stigma and awareness campaign. Then, we plan to offer the opportunity for you to spend your final days in the Cape Town area volunteering to support local NGOs in the communities of Oceanview or Masiphumelele – while also sharing your story in an impactful way with the people you meet. We will also begin to explore how we might adapt AFC’s tools and resources in ways that can serve South Africans impacted by cancer.

Our time in South Africa will be focused on giving back as well as building global cancer connections and supporting anti-stigma and advocacy campaigns. There are currently 53 million people in South Africa and only 16% have private medical insurance. The other 84% of the population relies on state sector oncology services – and often face abysmal care and inequalities in treatment. In addition to our time spent volunteering, our group will spend an afternoon with patients/survivors/caregivers from a local cancer support group and create dialogue about cancer beyond borders

All selected participants will have the opportunity to speak to A Fresh Chapter alumni about their volunteering experiences. This will be a great opportunity to hear more about the types of volunteering activities, the growth that can be experienced during volunteering, and the unique cross-cultural bonds that ensue.