For those wanting to give back but not knowing where to start, Better SA takes all the hassle out of volunteering. All the volunteer has to do is book their spot on one of the buses and arrive at the bus hub. The service is free of charge and coordinated from start to finish so that volunteers can make the most impact in the time they have available.
From May 2017, MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet sponsors a specific Better SA mini-bus that enables MySchool supporters to volunteer at a range of NPOs, which are also beneficiaries of the fund-raising programme. Volunteer activities may include playing numeracy and literacy games with the youth from The Boys and Girls Club of SA; brightening up the day for sick children in the care of The Smile Foundation; taking walks or playing cards with the elderly residents of the Park Care Home or grooming and playing with the dogs at Husky Rescue. New beneficiary organisations and volunteer opportunities are added to the Better SA event calendar on a regular basis.
“Don’t just swipe your card – now you can get hands on. The very special MySchool volunteer bus gives our supporters the chance to go beyond their fundraising as shoppers and to get hands on, visiting and volunteering at our Village and Planet beneficiaries,” says Pieter Twine, Woolworths’ general manager of Loyalty and MySchool. “Our sponsorship will enable MySchool supporters to spend their time and share their knowledge with children and individuals in very needy communities in Soweto, Alexandra, and Thembisa, to name a few.”
Anyone wanting to volunteer can log on to Better SA, review the upcoming calendar of events and then complete the booking form for the event that most appeals to them. The only other action they need to take is to arrive at the bus hub and hop on the bus.
The Hop-on-Hop-Off volunteer bus service runs every Saturday morning, between 8am and 12pm from the following hubs:
• From Illovo heading into Alexandra and surrounds
• From Broadacres heading into Diepsloot
• From Roodepoort heading into Soweto
• From Midrand heading into Olievenhoutbosch
When volunteers arrive at a BetterSA hub they are met by team leaders who brief them on the community and organisation they are visiting and the volunteer activity they have booked for. Each volunteer receives a pack complete with a step-by-step guide on how to complete the activity and all supplies they may need. Volunteers spend 90 minutes at the organisation before boarding the bus and returning to the hub.
Roberta Donovan, founder of Better SA, says: “Many people would like to give their time and expertise to improving lives but volunteering in South Africa can seem challenging. By eliminating the barriers to volunteering, and making the experience easy and fulfilling, we aim to ignite a volunteerism movement in the country.”
