University of Cape Town (South Africa)
Inkanyezi is a student-founded and -run organization that provides career and higher education mentoring to high school learners from predominantly previously black and coloured disadvantaged peri-urban communities in Cape Town. University students not only provide information and resources, but also offer critical support and encouragement to young people who do not traditionally have access to higher education. Inkanyezi organizers have developed their own curriculum, which they have made open source in order to allow other organizations to use and build upon it. Program participants have gone on to enroll in universities and some are even attending UCT and working with Inkanyezi as volunteers. Inkanyezi is a member of Ubunye, an umbrella organization at UCT consisting of several student-run community engagement groups. Learn more on Inkanyezi's website>>
TeachOut
University of Cape Town (South Africa)
TeachOut was founded in 2003 with the goal of helping increase the number of learners from disadvantaged schools passing entrance examinations and attending tertiary education institutions. University students tutor 10th, 11th, and 12th graders in key subjects and act as role models. The program also instituted a Functional English project to help improve younger learners' spoken English skills. TeachOut is entirely student-run, and some former program participants are now volunteers. It is a member of Ubunye, an umbrella organization at UCT consisting of several student-run community engagement groups. Learn more on
Township Debating League
University of Cape Town (South Africa)
The Township Debating League is a student-run organization launched in 2003 to provide opportunities for the youth of South Africa to develop critical thinking and debating skills through regular workshops, training days, and tournaments, which encourage the youth to become confident, independent-thinking, young leaders who are socially aware. UCT students with backgrounds in debating work with learners from under-resourced high schools in the townships who would not otherwise have any extra-curricular enrichment opportunities. These learners often have limited English and literacy skills, and the TDL helps them improve both their oral and written English, increasing their educational and employment prospects. TDL also provides a forum for participants to learn about and critically analyze current affairs issues, and to realize that their voice is important. UCT student volunteers often develop lasting friendships with the learners from the program, and keep in touch with them after they graduate. Learn more on the TDL's website>>
Scientifiques Sans Frontières Australia: Water Rehabilitation Program
The University of Melbourne (Australia)
Scientifiques Sans Frontières (SSF) was founded by students and aims to transfer scientific knowledge to communities to assist with community-identified environmental needs. One of the most pressing issues in southeastern Australia is water management, due in part to severe droughts in the region. SSF's Water Rehabilitation Program provides the knowledge, expertise, and manpower to help communities care for their waterways. Activities have included clean-ups and rehabilitation efforts aimed at ensuring that the waterways are safe for human recreation. SSF has included local secondary school students in these efforts, helping to ensure that young people will take interest in and care for waterways in the future. Learn more on
Students' Health and Welfare Centres Organisation (SHAWCO)
University of Cape Town (South Africa)
Established by a medical student in 1943, SHAWCO has remained a student-led organization and has grown to over 1700 student volunteers. It started as a welfare-type health program, but with the transition to democracy in 1994 SHAWCO moved from welfare to a development model - still running primary health care clinics, but moving to skills development and education programs. SHAWCO is divided into two main service sectors: SHAWCO Education and SHAWCO Health. SHAWCO Education addresses significant gaps in the current schooling system by offering after-school and weekend tutoring in a range of subjects to Grade 3-12 learners from disadvantaged areas across the Cape Metropole. SHAWCO Health addresses lack of access to primary health care in our communities by providing mobile medical, health and rehabilitation, health promotion and HIV counseling and testing services to 6 different communities on a weekly basis, and a specialized pediatric clinic on a monthly basis. Learn more at SHAWCO's website>>
