Clouddog is a committed twelve month programme of activities
Each selected student is assigned a mentor for a minimum period of twelve months from leading city institutions. (UK mentors are currently provided by the JPMorgan Mentoring Programme). Whilst assisting them in their University and work experience choices, mentors will also provide support through their local community projects. We hope to incorporate mentors for SA participants from JPMorgan Johannesburg in the coming year.
Both students from the UK and southern Africa must propose and complete an environmental project in the community where they live or study. They will have around six months to implement their project that will make a difference, raising awareness amongst family and friends, colleagues and peers, as well as the broader local community. This project gives them the opportunity to shine in their ‘own backyard’ and show us how they want to make a difference in the world. They will have the support of their mentor and their school to complete the project proposed.
Preparation for a three week trip to southern Africa. Each group will be comprised of fifty percent UK and fifty percent southern African students. Both UK and SA students will have completed local community projects.
Whilst in southern Africa the activities will include; One week in a Game Reserve working behind the scenes with vets, ecologists and accredited guides, completing hands on conservation work, tracking and identifying animals, game counts, botany & vegetation impacts, field guiding and conservation ethics.
One week in an authentic Zulu rural village where their main focus will be to complete a series of local community projects at Mklatuhluzana School. We are currently working on the building of classrooms and sanitary facilites. Students will be exposed to daily Zulu life in a genuine village, partaking in educational forest walks with a medicine Doctor and a visit to a Sangoma as well as the opportunity to attend privileged cultural events such as a Zulu wedding or coming of age ceremony.
One week spent on a Wilderness Trail . Based on total simplicity and carrying all life’s necessities on your back beneficiaries will sleep under the stars, escorted by skilled and qualified trail guides experienced in working with young people. Participants use their time on the trail for self reflection and personal growth. The solitude provides the opportunity to embark on a journey of self-discovery and connection with the earth. The trail is eligible for Duke of Edinburgh Award Gold Accreditation.
Wrap camp. All participants are brought together to assimilate, evaluate and digest the experience in order to prepare for their return home and next steps in life.
Post-trip support and mentoring continues for the remainder of the twelve-month experience.
Alumni activities continue upon their return home. Beneficiaries will contribute to comments and feedback sessions specifically aimed to assist in the development of future programmes of clouddog.
Students may remain involved to assist in the selection of future outgoing students on the clouddog programme.
Students can be considered for leader positions on future experiences.
You can read more about our past and present students experiences with clouddog via our media menu.
A typical itinerary of a clouddog experience in southern Africa might be  Sample Itinerary
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