A mentoring workshop was held at the Ebony Park branch during the weekend, fascilitated by Nomfuzo Ntolosi, a life coach, of The Coaching Centre, with experience in running mentorship workshops. Aspects covered by the the workshop include:
– career mentoring, the responsibilities of a mentor and mentee
– the mentoring approach, managing expectations, boundaries, relationship building, signing on and smooth dissolution
– looking after (self) the mentor
– communication with Ikamva Youth as well as identifying risks
There are already some Grade 12 learners who have been matched with a mentor. The mentor commits to two hours’ communication every month through various forms of communication networks. The first meeting is facilitated by the IkamvaYouth office, where the mentor will get to meet the mentee, and they will sign a mentorship agreement. Thereafter, the IkamvaYouth office must be informed of any meetings away from the office, to which the mentee’s parent or guardian must consent. Grade 12 learners were part of the participants and this workshop gave them insight on what mentorship is all about.
The current and potential mentors who attended were from African Bank, The Helen Suzman Foundation, MISTRA as well as the tutors from Ivory Park and Ebony Park branches. The turnout for the event was great, regardless of the rainy and chilly weather. The session was interactive which gave participants an opportunity to express their views as well as their experiences throughout the session.
The overall feedback was that it was an informative, very helpful session and was ideal to give a head start for mentoring young people in any given setting. A positive response was received from the evaluations done at the end of the workshop. Thank you to everyone that attended regardless of the weather conditions, your attendance made this workshop a success. The target is to have all grade 12 learners mentored, and thus we look forward to having more mentors coming on board. We are also looking forward to all the fruits that the mentoring will bear in ensuring the learners access tertiary opportunities, and are motivated to achieve in life.
This past Friday finally saw months of preparation and planning for our annual Career Indaba come together in a hugely successful day. Over 1800 students, parents, and community members flooded the Zolani Centre hall in Nyanga to explore their post matric choices and job opportunities.
IkamvaYouth’s founding motto is one of future-oriented thinking and pro-activity. The Careers Indaba is a fundamental step in fostering this mind set in the youth of South Africa. It is challenging to dream of a better future and to aspire to goals without knowing the realities of these goals and the opportunities that are available.
The event was open to high school learners from around Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Masiphumelele and surrounds, who came together to think about their futures and really take their lives into their own hands. They were informed not only about their career options, but also attended workshops on financial literacy by Capitec, and CV writing, interview skills and online CV development through Career Planet.
Over 25 Universities, companies, professionals and NPOs from all over Cape Town attended the Indaba as exhibitors. They did not merely provide factual information about careers and studying opportunities, but they also conversed with these young people and delivered a message of hope and possibility. This message is crucial for youth who are the victims of poor education systems and who live in a community plagued by poverty and all its products: IkamvaYouth focuses on changing the mind-set of youth, to think beyond their immediate circumstances and to believe in themselves and the possibilities that their futures hold.
The day was an inspiring success, with many learners and exhibitors commented at how much they had gained from the experience. Axolile, grade 10 from Sizimisle Technical High School said the most important thing he learnt is, ‘to know what you want to be in life and be dedicated, this will for sure get you to be where you want to be. ‘ While Sizalobuhle from Sinako High School said that, ‘ the Career Indaba helped me learn more about my dream career of being a lawyer, where to study and how to get into the best courses and universities. I also found out about how to apply for bursaries, and how to manage my money through the workshops.’
To organize an event of this size we partnered with Equal Education in helping to organize exhibitors and set up the event, and SAEP and the Department of Social Development joined the crew. We are also hugely appreciative to Mxolisi and his team at the Zolani Centre for the use of the hall and surrounding spaces.
Inspired by the National Planning Commission’s story of Thandi, which Trevor Manuel told as a way to depict the key challenges facing the country, IkamvaYouth has launched Funeka’s Story, which explains IkamvaYouth model and its impact, and sends out a call for volunteers and supporters.
[video:http://youtu.be/NEFflXglk28 align:center]
A BIG UP THANK YOU to:
* Funeka, for sharing your story and being such a professional voice-over artist!
* Capitec for availing Funeka during work hours to go to the sound studio
* Dan Eppel who recorded and mixed the sound
* Freshly Ground for donating the tunes
* the staff and interns who helped behind the scenes,
and especially to:
* Lynne Stuart (@ideainaforest) for applying her design talents to explain what we do so concisely and beautifully!
It may have been about 2 months ago since we’ve had our winter school programme at the Masi branch, but yet it feels like 2 weeks ago. We hosted it at the Masiphumelele library, which is also our venue for the homework and tutoring sessions. Despite all the challenges we faced during the preparation of the programme, and with the help of our World Teach, local volunteers and Masi library staff, we managed to deliver an awesome winter school for our 87 learners…filled with tutoring and great workshops, from Creative Writing to Life Science experiments.
Besides the tutoring sessions that took place in the mornings,
The ever so handy Answer Series books for Grade 10 – 12.
This is what also went down during the afternoons
- Nadia Kimmie offered her skills and ran a pottery workshop with some of the learners (below is some of the work the learners did themselves),
Creativity at its best, right?
- A leadership workshop ran by Nico. This helped the learners a lot in boosting their confidence, taking initiative, and to always rise to the occasion.
- Ros and Dorothy from Fundza as well as Kate (a volunteer from World Teach) facilitated Creative Writing workshops for the learners. At the end, the learners were able to write their own poems as well as short stories. You’ll never know maybe the next Harmony High Series book will be written by an Ikamvanite…Watch this space!
Ziyanda Mwanda conducted Life Science and Chemistry experiments with the science learners. Here are some of the experiments conducted: looking at mitosis and understanding the process, testing for the presence of starch, observing osmosis using plant tissue, what are acids and bases – using household products and food. HIP2B2 got the learners thinking on their feet…who said math and science was boring? Learners had to conduct fun experiments and the team with the best results won a prize.
Siobhan Hayes (our Canadian intern) facilitated entrepreneurship workshops where learners knew more about how to start a business, marketing, and on the last day of the winter school programme the learners (Company name: Popcorn Divas) sold popcorns to their fellow Masinites.
Capitec Bank ran a financial literacy workshop whereby learners got to know the importance of saving money and why one should budget.
The UWC HIV/AIDS Peer Education Programme joined us and their peer educators ran a health and life skills workshop. As we know, the youth is involved in risky behavior, so the learners learnt quite a lot and importantly, how to take care of themselves. OIL Sexual Health also ran a sexual education workshop. The Live Mag team also took part and ran a media and arts workshop.
ERM (Environmental Resources Management) teamed up with the learners and got to work on an Environmental Management Plan for our branch, which looks at the environment and sustainability. The learners also got know more about careers in the environmental field, thanks to ERM.
Mathew (from the Cape Leopard Trust) took some of the learners on a hike at Silvermine where they got to know more about nature and the environment and also preserving it.
Thanks to Nick Jones for facilitated a history workshop, Nate and Buhle who ran a debating workshop with the learners…philosophical stuff I tell you. Fatima (a Pilot) ran an aeronautics workshop with the learners, where they got to know more about airplanes.
And all of this was just some of the things that happened. All the hard work put in was really worth it at the end. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO WAS PART OF THIS AMAZING TWO WEEKS!!! Those above-mentioned are just a few of them. The winter school wouldn’t have been that awesome without you.
On the 7th of July 2012, I took a trip to the Equal Education Congress of 2012. The trip was fully funded by Equal Education (Many Thanks for the opportunity). It would be a very interesting 5 days for me. From the viewpoint of an outsider, the congress would be more of a learning experience more than anything.
Arriving on Sunday, the team was introduced to us and registration took place. The registration and off to Thembisa for the opening event, where we were welcomed by Archbishop Thabo Makgoba. After that we heard an address by Cosatu member Zwelinzima Vavi, who showed his support for the movement of Equal Education. Also on the speakers line up were equaliser (the title given to schoolgoing members) Khutso Mmapheto, and Equal Education Coordinator Doron Isaacs. After the event we boarded buses headed to UJ Aukland par campus where we would spend the the next 5 days.
Monday morning was cold in JHB, but maybe it was just the Durban in me. Breakfast was served in the dining hall, as would be the case for the rest of the week. The morning started with a plenary session on youth and politics globally. Mr Rob Peterson spoke about the Arab spring ( The revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on 18 December 2010) . I found this very intersting. How an uprising in one country can spark fury in neighbouring contries with the same conditions. After tea the session continued with more guest speakers of note. The likes of Barbara Hogan and Vuyiseka Dubula-Majola graced the podium. After lunch, the congress was then split into groups.
Each group comprised about 30 members. These would be our groups for the duration. We spent the rest of the afternoon discussing how Equal Education can penetrate more in the community and find a more efficient way forward.
On Tuesday, delegates were divided into six groups and had an opportunity to attend some really cool educational tours. I had an opportunity to visit the constitutional court, which was an amazing experience for me. I had never been to a real court before, let alone South Africas highest court. We took a tour around the entire court, and Justice Edwin Cameron graced us with his presence, briefing us of what the court does and how it works. We were then transported to Soweto, where we would spend the rest of the evening. The equalisers then discussed what kind of leadership they wanted to lead the new Equal Education. Following the discussion, it was time to meet the candidates. The candidates then introduced themselves and this was followed by a voting process.
Wednesday saw more plenary discussions around the challenges in education. Guest speakers of the likes of Nic Spaull and Veronica Mashiyi (parent) graced the podium. Further discussions around issues such as what is an EE member, and the life cycle of an EE member where discussed in groups. Further discussions of the way forward took place in the group session. Later that evening after a short break, the new Leadership was then announced, the constitution was finalised and the congress was then brought a formal close.
Thursday was the big day, the day we would march for our education in the streets of Tembisa. The day started out like every other day. Cold due to the weather, fired up from the spirit of the equaliser. Buses lined up, food packages and equalisers chanting songs of Marching. The busses headed to Tembisa and when we got there, it was time to mobilise. The first order of business was to mobilise the community. I had the biggest challenge amongst my group, Language. I do not know any Sotho at all, and on that day, I felt it. But when the march began, I put on my marching boots. The route we took was the same route that the students of 1976 took. After the march we headed back to UJ for supper and a social event. The entertainment at the social event would be the last activity of the trip.
I wish Equal Education all the best in the future. In conclusion, this was a great opportunity for me to learn to learn from an organisation whose work is directly in line with what we do. Wishing Equal Education the best in their future.
On Saturday, 25 August, Ikamva Youth’s Ebony Park Branch opened it’s own library. It was opened after a ceremony introducing the Ikamvanites to the library and its rules. After watching entertaining videos on the wonder of books, learners made their own bookmarks in anticipation of reading the library’s books. After the ceremony, excited Ikamvanites were allowed to go to the library. For the first time books were taken out of the newly established library. Hopefully this will expose them to the joys of books, establishing a culture of reading at the Ebony Park Branch.
(Ikamvanites deciding which books to take out from the library)
Just over a year ago, Ikamva volunteer Nthabiseng Mokoena realised that the Ikamvanites lacked access to books. After consulting with other volunteers at the Branch, as well as Ikamva employees, she decided to start a library. With a generous donation of book shelves from Robert Barkahuizen, the process of the forming the library began. Nthabiseng, and fellow volunteer Samuel Suttner, collected books from various sources, including family, friends, and fellow Wits’ students. There were considerable donations from Pat Tucker and from the Matla Runners, and assistance from Prof. Bhekizizwe Peterson and the Wits Volunteer Programme.
(The library, still a work in progress)
Once the books were collected, the arduous task of setting up a cataloguing system for the library began. With the help of a former librarian, Lucille Katz, and Lucy Verbeek, this was done over many months. They set out the library, categorising and cataloguing the many books
(Lucy Verbeek (left) and her son helping out with the library.)
There was no funding for the library; all the resources for it were donated by people who believed in the importance of having a library for the Ikamvanites. The views of those who assisted with the establishment of the library were expressed by the novelist Zadie Smith: “A lot of people don’t have books on their shelves. The library was the place I went to find out what there was to know. It was absolutely essential.”
(An Ikamvanite takes out books, with volunteer Nthabiseng Mokoena – right).
We would like to thank the following people for their assistance:
Andrew Barrett; Hlengiwe Radebe; Judy Engela; Karuna Singh; Gill Laburn and the Matla Runners; Lucille Katz; Lucy Verbeek; Nyasha Mutasa; Pat Tucker; Patrick Zimba; Prof. Bhekizizwe Peterson; Robert Barkahuizen; Seth Musker; Stephanie Simpson; Talent Mzili; Thapelo Mokoena; Tiffany Ebrahim; Wits Volunteer Programme, Wits University; Wits Bachelor of Accounting Science, Fourth Year Class of 2012.
Written by Nthabiseng Mokoena and Samuel Suttner
Lloyd Lungu