On the 6th and 7th of April 2014 the staff, tutors and learner representatives of IkamvaYouth Chesterville branch gathered together to review the purpose of IkamvaYouth as an Organisation, the highlights that IY has seen as it continues to grow from strength to strength and what the branch can do to make sure it (the branch) carries through the vision of the Organisation. Everyone came prepared for what lay ahead as all sat together to voice out what each person expected during the course and the outcomes that they are looking forward to, moving forward, arising from this very significant event. Each person was also given, from the start, an opportunity to contribute to the ground rules that would govern the conduct and relations as the weekend progresses also keeping into account that many of these could be applied in our daily working relations in Chesterville.
This event was especially marked by a collaborative effort to find what each person believed and the ideas they held about IY as a whole. For each segment of the meeting people were divided into smaller groups to discuss certain areas or fields that formed the greater picture of that which being discussed. This allowed for each person as an individual to have a voice and for the bigger group to come up with a united understanding of what was being discussed.
Critical matters which make or break the structure of IY were placed on the table and were under discussion such as the aim of IY, the successes and failures it has encountered, the successes and failures of the branch, the core values of IY, the challenges faced by the branch and how these can be overcome, the portfolios within IY what these have managed to achieve in the previous year and what they have not and what can be done to pursue further success in each portfolio in the current year. This was a highly beneficial process as it allowed people to get answers to questions; to add what they think would assist towards growth and understand what was/is expected of them in their roles.
The programme ended with the election of new Portfolio Heads who with their team had an opportunity to look closely on the plans previously made and also to draw a new plan for the year ahead to guide its function and try to achieve better results contributing to the solidifying of the structure of IY and implementation in and therefore the successes of Chesterville as a branch.
Everyone left with renewed energy ready to take on the year ahead Superhero style!!!
IKAMVAYOUTH RESPONDS TO PROPOSED GRADUATE COMMUNITY SERVICE FOR GRADUATES
IkamvaYouth (IY) is interested to hear that the South African government hopes to implement a mandatory one year programme for all tertiary graduates. All students will be expected to finish twelve months of community service in a field related to their studies, the ANC announced <insert relevant date>.
As an organisation that relies entirely on the volunteerism and goodwill of students to tutor and mentor high school youth, IkamvaYouth believes community service works best when people offer their help freely. IY would like to see many graduates involved in community development, but does not think an extra year after university or college makes as much sense as working while studying. Joy Oliver, IkamvaYouth’s Director, believes flexibility and willingness are crucial when using graduates to carry additional workload. She has noticed that volunteers who are forced to participate have a high dropout rate from programmes and do not have the same impact as students who step up to make a difference through their own volition.
“IkamvaYouth tutors and mentors achieve excellent results because they choose to spend the time that could be used for their own studies, leisure or income generation to instead enable learners to pull themselves and each other out of poverty,” says Joy, who has seen hundreds of students volunteer since IkamvaYouth began in 2003. “It is because they care so much, and are such great role models, that between 85-100% of the learners they tutor and mentor pass matric, and 70% of these go on to access tertiary education.”
Government is expected to introduce community service programmes by 2016, with the belief that students will benefit from the work experience one year of work affords. IkamvaYouth currently runs off the services of hundreds of volunteers, many of whom tutor while studying at university or college, and proposes instead that these community service programmes are integrated into tertiary studies, as an experiential learning opportunity. In addition, IkamvaYouth proposes that the funds allocated to these initiatives are instead used as incentives for committed, effective student volunteerism. Receiving these incentives in the form of funds for registration fees, textbooks, transport and accommodation while studying will be a great support to students in overcoming the financial challenges that can lead to dropout from tertiary studies.
On the 12th of April 2014 all 21 of our grade 12 learners, accompanied by 4 of our tutors, attended an Open Day that was hosted by UCT at the Upper Campus of the University. The purpose of the day was to expose grade 12 learners to the various career opportunities available at the institution, the requirements for each and what one must do in order to access such opportunities.
Upon arrival out Masinites were out and about siezing the moment and opportunity. An interesting part of the day was seeing how the matrics were hungry for knowledge and insight about UCT and all the available opportunities. From stall to stall they moved asking questions and collecting support materials that were available at each faculty booth.
The Open Day was a great opportunity for the learners to equip themselves for the rest of their matric year and for their upcoming application process. Going through the various faculty booths the learners appeared to be having fun and also appeared to be gaining a lot of knowledge about all the opportunities available at UCT. It also became clear how benefitial such events are in creating a sence of onness and morale amongst the learners.
Spw 2014 Umlazi
Saturday and Sunday the 29th and 30th of March saw Umlazi host it’s second ever Strategic planning weekend. The Branch staff was joined by the District coordinator, 4 learner reps and 20 volunteers for the weekend.
Volunteers and Learners reps at SPW
Saturday kicked off with a fun ice-breaker to get everyones blood and minds going. Straight from there we went into the expectations and ground rules for the weekend for everyone to follow.
It was not long before we had covered the timeline of the organisation and got into the more strategic work we had set out to do on the weekend.
Volunteers and learners in groups during Values discussion
The team broke off into 5 groups and each group discussed one of the 5 values of IkamvaYouth. Time was spent in the group to discuss and following that, we then discussed the values as a big group. Once we all finished the values discussion we moved on to reflect on the previous year.
We looked at some of the successes that the branch celebrated and some the challenges that we faced as a branch in the year 2013.
Group discussion
What followed was an introduction to each of the 5 portfolios that IkamvaYouth offers to learners. During the time the groups discussed what the aim of each portfolio is, what were the challenges and successes in 2013 and also the roles of branch com at the branch. After that we had a presentation from each group on what they had discussed. The last part of the day were nominations for the portfolio heads voting to take place on day 2.
Circle of trust
Day 2 began with the branch coordinator giving feedback on portfolio activities from 2013. What the targets were and which were met which were not, also why some of the targets were not met. A brief budget talk was also on the cards before the team split into groups once again to do planning for 2014 targets. Once the targets were done, the groups then presented to us what each portfolio had come up with for the year.
Phumla Nyaba (Head of Life Skills and health)
This was the last part of the day. The day came to a close after we had all agreed to discuss any further matters at the next branch com meeting to be held at the branch. A big thank you to everyone who was able to attend the SPW.
An amazing and inspiring weekend Makhaza branch had. It was an excellent opportunity for volunteers, tutors and learner reps to participate in core operational planning and goal setting for the year 2014. . Present were more than 30 participants from different grades and tutors and they all had a chance to discuss the decision making, planning and electing the branch committee.
On Friday we looked back from the year 2013. The morning started off with an introduction and the group explaining what their expectations of the weekend are, we then discussed what happened in 2013 and then we ended with looking at what Makhaza branch is doing well, what challenges we are facing, what IkamvaYouth Makhaza branch is offering learners and the community and what we can do to improve the programme.
On Saturday the election took place and everyone had a chance to vote for the different nominees. The nomination and election process were very democratic and the nominees had to explain to the group why they were best suited for the different portfolios. The different portfolios were Tutoring, Volunteer Coordination, Career Guidance, Media, Image and Expression, Khan Academy and Computer Literacy, Health and Life Skills, Mentoring and Alumni. Read more about it: makhaza_strategic_planning_2014.pdf
All the head of different portfolio had the chance to discuss the key issues and solutions for each portfolio. An action plan was drafted for each portfolio and when the goals should be reached and by whom. Mandisi Gladile, a tutor who is serving for the second time in Makhaza branch committee says, “The weekend was really informative and made me realise the value IkamvaYouth adds not only to the learners but also the community and I feel really inspired for the things that we have planned for 2014.”
Athandile, a grade 9 learner, says that “I have learnt that you don’t have to hold back any ideas or views that you have, you must voice them out. I have taken away with me the spirit of working together as a team, through that spirit, nothing can bring IkamvaYouth down.”
The sky is not the limit for Khayelitsha astrophysicists
The matric class of 2013 was IkamvaYouth’s 9th and by far our largest ever, with over 150 Ikamvanites. These dedicated young men and women come from 7 different townships in 3 provinces, and they have overcome extraordinary adversity to reach and pass matric. From extreme poverty to gang violence, disintegrating families to drug and alcohol abuse, townships like Nyanga and Umlazi, the places the Ikamvanites call home, struggle with terrible social problems.
Despite those problems, the Ikamvanites of 2013 not only achieved an 89% matric pass rate, but 73% of have already gone on to access the post-school opportunities they need to set them on the path to earning a dignified living.
Even more impressively, 46% of the matriculants accessed either Universities or Universities of Technology – proving that where you come from is no barrier to where you can get to in life. Ikamvanites are entering fields of study from Chemical Engineering to Law, Accounting to Education, Information Technology to Nursing. A record 10 Ikamvanites began their first year at the prestigious University of Cape Town this year, including top Makhaza students Sipho Ngqayimbana and Abongile Jojozi, who are both studying Astrophysics. Perhaps the next Stephen Hawking will be from Khayelitsha!
Overall, 63% of the Ikamvanites who passed matric in 2013 accessed some form of tertiary studies, including at FETs and private colleges. A further 8% accessed learnerships, and 10% have returned to school to supplement or upgrade their matric marks. We will continue to work with those Ikamvanites who have not yet found a post-school opportunity, and help set them, too, on the path to a dignified living.
IkamvaYouth wishes to thank our committed partners and sponsors for all the support they’ve given us and the brilliant Ikamvanites of 2013.
We would also like to call on any other interested organisations or individuals who can partner with us to help place the class of 2014, and work towards our Vision 2030 for South Africa. We would especially like to hear from bursary providers and organisations able to provide learnerships, internships and apprenticeships.
Lloyd Lungu