Inspiring and equipping disadvantaged young people to discover and attain their life’s purpose.

Come and have a once in a life time experience by volunteering at Eagles Rising – a centre that inspires and equips young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds.Eagles Rising are looking for volunteers to come and spend time with young adults (18-25) who come from difficult backgrounds. These students take part in a 2 year training programme to equip them with skills for purposeful lives.

For many of these young people, the Eagles Rising training programme quite literally changes their lives. The training programme includes learning basic lifeskills, farming, I.T. training and bible teaching.

The training programme offers students many first time experiences such as visiting the beach, celebrating their birthday and going to prom. By spending time with students not only will you have many new experiences but provide encouragement and friendship to these wonderful young people in arguably one of the most beautiful places on earth.

As a volunteer your role will include:

• 

  Getting alongside the young people and providing friendship and encouragement

• Helping in the day to day running of the centre
• Working with the students running activities for children in the local townships
• Helping at Mercy Day Care Centre – a nursery for children aged 0-5
• Working with the students at Intercape which is a project that runs activities for children in a very deprived area.

A profile of an average student at Eagles Rising Training Centre

They live in extreme poverty. Although some students come from slightly better circumstances, most live in informal corrugated iron shacks or in government subsidized housing. Most share their accommodation with up to ten people, in a single roomed house.

They have finished school, or are in the process of doing so, but due to circumstances, the chance of getting employment are virtually nil.

Their matric results are extremely poor. They have no space to study and no money for school fees, after school activities or stationary.

They are largely parentless. Most do not know their fathers, and often do not live with their own mothers as they have been passed on for family members to raise them. The situations at their homes are abusive. Some students have been gang raped.

Families of up to ten people often live on the salary of one person, which is often less than R700 (US$100) per month.

Yet our students have a will to survive and improve their lives. They respond to a loving environment and wholesome parenting in an extraordinary way. We have testimony upon testimony from current employers of past students on the amazing capacity and potential of students that have gone through the full-time bridging program.

BRIDGING PROGRAMME – Curriculum 1

Basic Life skills

Hygiene
First Aid
Education in HIV/Aids and other sexually transmitted deceases
Budgeting and handling of finances
Environmental responsibility and trench (vegetable) gardening
Life experiences – restaurant; mountaineering and wildlife; visits to work environments (factories etc)
Basic etiquette

Motor skill development

Dancing classes
Swimming lessons
Craft classes
Musical skills
Voice training for those with special singing abilities
Basic skills development – puzzle building, problem solving, party games, team building at wilderness camps

Career Oriented Development

Employment Skills
English communication skills
Career testing and counseling
Computer skills
Tutoring in subjects they will be in need of i.e. math’s, bookkeeping, etc
Drawing up of CV’s
Communication
Business Ethics
Learner’s Licenses

 BRIDGING PROGRAMME – Curriculum 2

Spiritual Development

“Thinking God’s thoughts” series
Discipleship and biblical studies
Prayer and worship related subjects
Knowing God
Biblical moral values
Godly character
Sonship School – understanding the Father’s heart
Covenant
Biblical Studies

Psychological Development

Leadership development
Social and cultural integration
Counseling and emotional wellness
Parenting
Boundaries

Parenting – Not Institutional Care

Our students, age 18-25, live with us on a farm, full-time. We share and learn in this context. We are a surrogate or foster family. Those who have completed the bridging program often return to visit, or to find help in difficult choices ahead of them. Those who need more than one year to absorb the material are invited to stay for a second year or more.

Practically we provide what you would provide for your own children. We try to fast-track our students, in one year giving them the life experiences privileged kids accumulate in 20 years. For most of them, we provide a host of first-time experiences: First birthday party, first time at the movies and restaurant, first opportunity to learn to swim or to drive a car, first time at an adventure camp. Most of our students have never taken a walk in a nature reserve. Climbing a mountain is a major achievement.

Accomplishing what we have set out to do can not happen in the context of a “service year for Christ” or Bible School where students have to fend for themselves once the prescribed course is finished. We have to finish the task of establishing these youngsters in a new lifestyle, with real opportunities before them, and the ability to sustainably use the open doors before them.

Activities for Volunteers

Sir Lowry’s Pass Village

Helping at the day care centre for under privileged children
Helping the Eagles Rising students plant vegetable gardens for people living in shacks
Renovating shacks

Eagles Rising premises

Renovating of buildings, painting
Assisting the students with tunnel farming
Helping with the outreach to children from squatter area
Eagles Rising is also an ideal opportunity for the horse lover to get valuable practical experience with horses while supporting this worthwhile cause

Intercape

Upkeep of gardens
Assist with preparation of meals

What to Bring

• suitable clothing, footwear, sunhats and sunscreen
• spending money (expenses such as gifts and other entertainment)
• camera

Participant Requirements

Volunteers need to be 18 years and older.

Compulsory medical and travel insurance to cover every aspect of your stay

Price Includes

• Accommodation
• Three Meals a day
• All transport according to the program

Price Excludes

• Any activities and transport outside the program
• Pocket money for all travelers
• All Drinks
• Email/internet and telephone calls
• Flights to South Africa and back
• Travel and medical insurance

 

Eagles Rising is a Non-Profit Organisation. NPO registration No : 050-228-NPO;
Section 21 Company registration #: 2005/032412/08; VAT number: 4810234155