About
Surfpop is a registered non-profit organization, founded by Daniel Botha in 2015. Daniel discovered surfing, fell in love, and the rest is history. As he spent most of his free time on his surfboard in the ocean, closely connected to nature, surfing became a life changing experience for him. As a surf enthusiast, he had a strong desire to share his passion for surfing and the ocean with at-risk children and youth from disadvantaged communities who do not have the same opportunities he had during his childhood.
The Issue
Children growing up in disadvantaged communities around Cape Town have little hope of escaping their socio-economic environment: poverty, crime, drugs, gangsterism and a lack of good quality education and job opportunities are rife and real battles these children face. Daniel realized that surfing could be a powerful tool to positively impact the lives of these children.
In 2015, Daniel reached out to the primary school and high school in Masiphumelele Township. He started by taking children, who were vulnerable to the challenges in their township, surfing once a week. Soon this grew out to the comprehensive after-school program that Surfpop offers its beneficiaries today.
Program Structure
The current program consists of two days of education, two days of surfing and one day of life coaching.
Surfing
- Surfing connects the children with the beauty and power of the ocean. It opens their eyes to a new way of life by being active, healthy and closely connected to nature. Surfing has powerful healing effects, promotes the children’s happiness and boosts their resilience, confidence and perseverance.
Education
- After-school education improves the children’s school performance, creating opportunities for further education/future employment. Qualified teachers support the children with their homework and facilitate high quality online, one-on-one and interactive learning focused on Maths and English, aligned with CAPS.
Life coaching
- Life coaching guides the children towards their dream future, by teaching them relevant life skills, by introducing them to a wide variety of vocational skills, and by preparing them for and connecting them to tertiary education and employment.
What You Can Expect
Volunteers play an important role in the success of the Surfpop program. You assist the Surfpop children in the ocean with their surf sessions. When you are not coaching the children in the water, you assist them in the Surfpop classroom with their homework, guide them with their Maths and English courses and help Surfpop prepare and facilitate life skills and vocational workshops for the children.
What We Expect
We expect volunteers to take their role seriously and to remember that they are role model figures to the children. We expect them to act as kind and caring adults and to abide by our rules. Volunteers can expect to become part of our Surfpop family for the duration of their stay with us. We will do an orientation and training around their duties and responsibilities during their first week. No special equipment required.
The Location
Volunteers will live in Muizenberg, a small surf town 45min from Cape Town City centre. Muizenberg has everything you need within a short walking distance, including supermarkets, bars, cafe's, surf shops, restaurants etc
Masiphumelele, where volunteers will work in our classrooms two days a week, is about 25min south of Muizenberg. We are situated in a secure campus alongside other NPO's that operate in the township of Masiphumelele.
