Being a student is a good time to volunteer hours in your week to help others. You’ll find opportunities to do community service through membership of many of UCT’s societies and clubs, but here are a few more organisations that are specifically focused on building awareness and offering community service.

“If our hopes of building a better and safer world are to become more than wishful thinking, we will need the engagement of volunteers more than ever.” – Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the United Nations and a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize

SHAWCO (Students’ Health and Welfare Centres Organisation)

SHAWCO is a non-profit, public benefit organisation that creates a supportive space for experiential learning and teaching, addressing inequality through innovative and sustainable approaches to community engagement. Operating in the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape, SHAWCO Health uses mobile clinics to take primary healthcare to more than 5 000 adults and children. SHAWCO Education provides academic support and homework assistance to 1 300 learners weekly.

Find them here: Braemar Cottage, UCT Faculty of Health Sciences, Anzio Road, Observatory. Call 021 406 6746 or email info@shawco.org.

UCT RAG (Remember And Give)

UCT RAG is the student fundraising arm of SHAWCO. RAG volunteers organise a number of student and corporate fundraising events each year, with all proceeds going to SHAWCO’s many community programmes.

Find them here: Level 5, Steve Biko Students’ Union Building, Upper Campus. Call 021 650 3525 or email uctragexec@gmail.com.

UCT Global Citizenship Programme (GCP)

Providing students with an opportunity to learn about issues of citizenship, social justice and community engagement, the GCP offers several short courses. Any registered UCT student in any faculty can take part in the programme. Although the GCP does not facilitate community service, it builds your knowledge and awareness about the value of citizenship and community service.

Find them here: Level 7, PD Hahn Building, Upper Campus. Call 021 650 3431 or email globalcitizen@uct.ac.za.

Schools Improvement Initiative (SII)

Drawing on the university’s broader resources, the SII assists the Western Cape Education Department to improve the quality of education in the province. It aims to strengthen the capacity of the Schools Development Unit to respond more effectively to the country’s need to advance education. Get in touch with the SII to find out how you can help support school children in the area.

Find them here: Level 4, Neville Alexander Building, University Avenue, Upper Campus. Call 021 650 3570 or email patti.silbert@uct.ac.za.

UCT Plus

Be acknowledged for your extracurricular work on your transcript. UCT Plus is a skills award programme which recognises skills, knowledge and experience students gain through extracurricular activities at UCT. #MakeitCount

Find them here: www.careers.uct.ac.za/cs/uct-plus.

Summer School

UCT’s flagship contribution to making the intellectual resources of the university available to the wider community of Cape Town and beyond, Summer School is a public education programme that offers a range of short courses to all, regardless of educational qualifications. It is produced each year by the Centre for Extra-Mural Studies (EMS), which is part of the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED).

Find them here: EMS Level 3, Kramer Law Building, Upper Campus. Call 021 650 2888 or email ems@uct.ac.za.