We have successfully been integrating volunteers from all over the world (Germany, Austria, USA, Canada, Italy, etc.) into our organization for more than 10 years. We truly believe that everyone benefits from the intercultural exchange: Interns, YB and our kids.
Experience Report by Marc
Marc spent January to March 2026 on site with Young Bafana in South Africa as an intern. Learn more about his time there in his personal experience report.
We are always looking for soccer coaches, teachers and marketing experts. But at Young Bafana you’ll not be limited to one area. You’ll get insights into the entirety of our NGO.
You want to actively support the YBSA and get to know South Africa? Go for it! In case of questions, please contact bernd@youngbafana.com.
Fill out the application form.
If there is a fit regarding timing and skills, we will reach out to you by mail in order to arrange a get-to-know call.
You’ll have the time of your life in South Africa!
Young Bafana is a non-profit soccer academy based in Lwandle, Somerset West (South Africa). The organisation combines professional football training, education, and social support to create long-term opportunities for children and young adults. The mission: Changing Lives through sport, consistency, and mentorship.
Interns can work in three main areas:
Coaching (U12–U18, social teams, individual sessions)
Education & Projects (English lessons, workshops, life skills)
Marketing & Sponsorship (content creation, research, presentations)
Interns often support across multiple areas depending on their strengths.
A typical day includes:
Morning: preparing training sessions, documentation, marketing tasks
Afternoon: coaching sessions (4x per week), English classes, team meetings
Weekends: matches or tournaments
Interns also help prepare food for players and take photos/videos for social media. Free days can be taken to explore South Africa.
No. Coaching experience is helpful but not required.
What matters most is motivation, reliability, and willingness to learn. YB coaches will guide and support you throughout your stay.
These qualities help you contribute positively to both football and education activities.
Yes.
Interns stay in the YB Intern House in Somerset West:
3 bedrooms
Bathroom + extra toilet
Kitchen & living room
Small front yard and community pool
Cost: 350 € + electricity & Wi-Fi.
Most interns stay 8–12 weeks, but many choose 3–6 months for deeper experience and impact.
For stays beyond 90 days, a visa extension is required.
Interns contribute directly to:
Professional and structured training sessions
Improved education through English classes
Mentorship and role-modelling for players
Interns are an essential part of YB’s motto: Changing Lives.
Sponsorship helps fund:
Coaching staff
Education programs
Equipment and kits
Meals and nutrition
Transport
Maintenance of the YB Arena
Every contribution has a direct social impact.
Yes.
You can support an individual player, a full team, or join the Young Bafana Family Club.
The Family Club is available in Germany and Switzerland, allowing supporters to contribute monthly and directly fund training, education, equipment, and long-term opportunities for the children.
If you would like to sponsor, join the Family Club, or support in another way, you can contact us anytime — we’re happy to guide you.
Young Bafana is registered as a Non-Profit Company (NPC) in South Africa and ensures full transparency through:
Regular updates and communication to sponsors
Clear reporting and documentation
Close oversight by local coaches and international management
Strong governance and internal structures
Young Bafana provides:
Access to high-quality football training
English lessons and academic support
Safe spaces, mentorship, and positive role models
Long-term personal development
Strong social mobility for families in Lwandle
The academy helps children and teenagers build confidence, discipline, community, and future opportunities.
Young Bafana supports around 250 children across teams, education programs, and community initiatives.
You can apply directly via email: fabian@youngbafana.com
Send us your preferred dates, a short motivation, and your CV (for internships).
For sponsorship or Family Club inquiries, write to the same address — we’ll guide you through the next steps.
15 January 2026 – 20 March 2026.
My role was set up roughly 50/50. In the mornings I was involved in the developmental and operational side of the academy, helping out with all kinds of administrative tasks. The afternoons were dedicated to football, either coaching the youngsters or training and playing with the senior team myself.
From the very first day, the experience felt incredibly positive on every level. Everyone was open, kind, and welcoming, happy to chat and engage. There was no real hierarchy; everything simply flowed. Within the first week I was already coaching, playing, and engaging with other volunteers, and after only one or two days I knew the time ahead was going to be amazing. All in all, this was one of the best experiences I’ve had in a long, long time, arguably unparalleled for me, and it is an experience I will carry with me for a lifetime.
Two things struck me on a personal level. The first was the vulnerability of the surroundings, particularly for the children coming in from Lwandle Township to play football. It is a reality completely different from how I grew up in Germany, and one that is genuinely difficult to witness. At the same time, I have enormous respect for the effort these kids put in just to be in a safe environment and play the game. The second was the locals I worked and coached alongside: despite financial hardship, everyone was incredibly welcoming, open, and positive throughout my entire time there. That contrast with what I’m used to in Germany, where people tend to be wealthier but not necessarily warmer, is something I will carry with me for many years to come.
It is not official yet, but the biggest lesson is that in Europe there really is no such thing as material risk. People in South Africa live under such different conditions that I find it hard to see meaningful risk in things like changing cities, changing jobs, or changing my hobbies. In my mind, the internship has opened up a few new corridors and given me extra flexibility in how I think about life in general, because in a privileged European environment the limits and the supposed risks are far smaller than they look. That is something incredibly valuable for the career to come.
My biggest learning is that being happy, and allowing yourself to be happy, has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with the people around you and what you do throughout the day. It might sound like a platitude, something everyone says, but I have seen it up close. That deeply impressed me and will stick with me for a very long time. The other thing, less a new learning than a confirmation, is just how enormous the power of football is to bring people together and to serve as a foundational building block in the lives of so many people who have very little. Football really is one of the greatest things this earth has to offer.
What comes to mind is one of the happiest stretches of days I’ve had in a long time. Pure freedom. The weather was great, the days were filled with football, football, football, and the people around me lived and breathed the game. It was a chance to dive deep into a complex but incredibly warm and welcoming culture, with people who are extra kind precisely because they are born and raised with football. For me, it was the great freedom period in the middle of my sabbatical from work in Germany.
Yes. I’m still in contact with one or two coaches who are currently with the academy, as well as a number of volunteers who were there during my time. I’m also lucky enough to be taking part in another charity cup with Young Bafana in the coming month, which will give me the chance to see people I came across in South Africa and meet some new faces from the Young Bafana universe.