On the 29th of June 2015 IkamvaYouth held their Winter School Programs across all branches nationwide, and IkamvaYouth KZN was honored to have the co-founder and Director of IkamvaYouth, Joy Olivier, in their presence. The learners work hard from the beginning of the year and make sure that they attend sessions regularly in order to be legible to attend Winter School. Previously the two KZN branches held a combined Winter School but this year things changed. The UMlazi branch and the Chesterville branch had their Winter School separately, although they were in the same building, they were separated by sections. The Durban University of Technology, Steve Biko campus, was generous enough to allow us to use their space for the whole two weeks of Winter School.
The first day of Winter School had everyone in mixed emotions, not knowing what to expect and wondering if everything will go well, due to the changes that had been made. Although most were not so happy about the separation, by midday everyone had gotten used to the new arrangement, which led to the success of day one. The rest of the week was also a success despite transport issues due to a bus strike. It became difficult to transport learners to and from the venue, but because our branches were well equipped to hold Winter School, each branch remained at their respective venues for the duration of the bus strike, this also proved to work in their favor because the time that would’ve been spent traveling was used constructively.
On day four of Winter School workshop sessions commenced, speakers and visitors from different Organizations and walks of life were invited to share their knowledge and expertise with the learners. To name a few, the learners were spoilt with a life skills workshop by World Changers Academy, team building by Mr. Nkosikhona Mpungose from Youth Inter-Active, bursary workshop with Nedbank, An entrepreneurial skills workshop for the matrics with Sbo, KC from LoveLife (self-development workshop), a photography workshop by King Nzumbi photography as well as a Financial Literacy Training workshop run by Capitec bank.
Week two of Winter School was a lot more exciting because the bus strike was over and that meant we could go back to DUT. The learners always find it exciting and refreshing to attend Winter School in a different environment this was also good for their productivity. By Day six sessions were running smoothly, tutor and learner commitment was excellent and a lot of learning was happening. Lunch time was always exciting because everyone got a chance to enjoy the delicious meals prepared by our caterer Shino Mashinini from Shino’s Kitchen, while mingling and getting to know the other learners better.
Whilst half of the day was dedicated to tutoring, the other half consisted of workshops and excursions. On day eight the KZN Winter School was visited by Varsity College for a career guidance workshop, a tertiary applications workshop for the Matrics with Philile Dlamini, and a business startup with SD Media. The following day started off with excursions all around. Our tutors got a chance to go on a trip alone without the learners to NPC. They got to learn about the ins and outs of what goes into making cement. The learners and staff members visited the sugar terminal, while others went to ABI and explored how beverages are made and how they end up in stores.
Finally the most anticipated yet saddest day of Winter School came, day ten. Although it was the last day, it was also the day everyone got to let down their hair and participate in sports and other activities under the health and life skills Portfolio. The learners separated into four teams which were going to compete against each other during the sports day. The event was sponsored by ABI who generously supplied us with a variety of drinks and delicious food made by their caterers as well an awesome entertainment truck and DJ. IkamvaYouth KZN also partnered with Thembalabantu Clinic who provided us with free HIV testing and counseling as well as an educational talk about HIV/Aids awareness.
The different teams competed in their sporting activities very well but there could only be one overall winner. Team Danger, otherwise known as the red team took first place. The day could not end without a bit of entertainment from Sambrosa Salsa everyone was taught how to dance the Salsa, and a few songs from one of the UMlazi branch Tutors Brandon Leo.
We thank All IkamvaYouth Sponsors, learners, staff, dedicated tutors and workshop hosts/partners for making the 2015 Winter School a success.
On the 29th of June 2015 Ikamvayouth held their winter school programs across all branches nationwide and Ikamvayouth KZN was honoured to have the co-founder snd director of Ikamvayouth Joy Olivier in their presence. The learners work hard from the beginning of the year to make sure they attend sessions regularly in order to be legible to attend winter school. Previously the two KZN branches held a combined winter school but this year things have changed. The Umlazi branch and the Chesterville branch had their winter school separately, although they were in the same building, they were separated by sections. The Durban University of Technology, Steve Biko campus was generous enough to allow us to use their space for the whole two weeks of winter school.
The first day of winter school had everyone in mixed emotions, not knowing what to expect and wondering if everything will go well due to the changes that had been made. Although most were not so happy about the separation, by midday everyone had gotten used to the new arrangement which led to the success of day 1 of winter school. The rest of the week was also a success despite the transport issues due to a bus strike. It became difficult to transport learners to and from the venue, but because our branches were well equipped to hold winter school, each branch remained at their respective venues for the duration of bus strike which also proved to work in their favor because the time that would’ve been spent traveling was used constructively.
On day 4 of winter school workshop sessions commenced, speakers and visitors from different organizations and walks of life were invited to share their knowledge and expertise with the learners. To name a few, the learners were spoilt with a life skills workshop by World changers academy, team building by Mr Nkosikhona Mpungose from Youth Inter-Active, bursary workshop with Nedbank, An entrepreneurial skills workshop for the matrics with Sbo, KC from lovelife (self development workshop), a photography workshop by King Nzumbi photography as well as a Financial Literacy Training workshop Capitec bank.
Week 2 of winter school was much more exciting because the bus strike was over and that meant we could go back to DUT. The learners found it exciting and refreshing attending winter school in a different environment which was also good for their productivity. By Day 6 sessions were running smoothly, tutor and learner attendance was excellent and a lot of learning was happening. Lunch time was always exciting because everyone got a chance to enjoy the delicious meals prepared by our caterer Shino Mashinini from Shino’s Kitchen, while mingling and making and getting to know the other learners better
Whilst half of the day was dedicated to tutoring, the other half consisted of workshops and excursions. On day 8 the KZN winter school was visited by Varsity college for a career guidance workshop, a tertiary applications workshop for the matrics with Philile Dlamini, and a business start up with SD Media. The following day started off with excursions all around. Our tutors got a chance to go on a trip alone without the learners to NPC the cement company, they got to learn about the in’s and out’s of what goes into making cement. The learners and staff members visited the sugar terminal near the Durban Harbor, while others went to ABI and explored how beverages are made and end up in stores.
Finally the most anticipated yet saddest day of winter school came, day 10. Although it was the last day, it was also the day everyone got to let down their hair, participate in sports and other activities under health and life skills. The learners separated into four teams which were going to compete against each other during the sports day. The event was sponsored by ABI who generously supplied us with a variety of drinks and delicious food made by their caterers as well an awesome entertainment truck and DJ. Ikamvayouth KZN also partnered with Thembalabantu Clinic who provided us with free HIV testing and counseling as well as an educational talk about HIV/Aids awareness
The different teams competed in their sporting activities very well but there could only be one overall winner. Team Danger, otherwise known as the red team took first place. The day could not end without a but of entertainment from Sambrosa Salsa who taught everyone how to dance the Salsa, as well as a few songs from one of the Umlazi branch Tutors Brandon Leo
We thank All Ikamvayouth Sponsors, learners, staff, dedicated tutors and workshop hosts/partners for making the 2015 winter school a success
In January, along with hi-fives and star jumps, the ikamvanites were proud to announce an 82% pass for the class of 2014. Now, after finally gathering in the results for those writing supplementary exams, we’re thrilled to announce an overall 84% pass, with 85% eligible for tertiary institutions (50% bachelor and 34% diploma).
However, while a matric pass is difficult to obtain (especially for those attending schools where more than half of learners drop out before reaching matric), it is just the first of many hurdles that need to be cleared in the race towards a career that can catapult a family out of poverty.
Research has shown (Van der Berg & Broekhuizen, 2013) that unemployment for those with less than 12 years of schooling is 42%, while for matriculants it’s 29%. Those with non-degree tertiary education have an unemployment level of about 16%, while for people with a degree, unemployment is under 5%. The numbers of youth not in education, employment or training (NEETs) have increased over the last few years and currently sit at almost 34% of 15 – 24-year-olds in South Africa.
IkamvaYouth is thrilled to report that 85% of the 2014 matrics ARE in education, employment, or training (and not NEETs). Of the 244 learners who wrote matric in 2014:
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49% are in tertiary institutions (30% at university and 19% at colleges)
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18% have learnerships or jobs
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18% are working to upgrade their matric results
These results are remarkable, especially given the norms and expectations of township youth. Beauty Komone , who attended the Ivory Park branch, says “I grew up in a disadvantaged family of seven where none of my three siblings (who are out of high school) have managed to get into tertiary. Tutoring and other programmes that are run by IkamvaYouth have boosted my performance and the way I perceive life. I am now at University studying information technology (IT)!”
Ikamvanites have chosen to study towards careers that will advance the country’s development. Of those enrolled in tertiary institutions (112 learners), 12% are studying engineering, 14% are studying IT, 18% are studying health sciences, and 34% are studying finance, business or entrepreneurship. We’re encouraged to see that 6% are studying education; our hope is for many more ikamvanites to build their careers by transforming South Africa’s education system.
Katlego Octivious is studying architecture, and Boitumelo Mahladisa is training to become a policeman and keep his community safe. We are particularly proud of Tiyiselani Mpangane, who was really struggling with her academics when she joined the Ebony Park branch in grade 10. After joining IkamvaYouth, her results have shot up remarkably; she achieved 6 distinctions for matric, and is studying actuarial science at UCT.
Most heartwarming and encouraging of all, 65% of the class of 2014 has indicated that they’ll be returning to volunteer as tutors at IkamvaYouth. They will ensure that the next cohorts of learners reach similar heights; and propel the virtuous cycle of ikamvanites paying-it-forward, pulling themselves and each other out of poverty.
We need your help to make the circle bigger: Get involved as a volunteer, or donate!
SPW Blog Umlazi
On the 1st and 2nd of April 2015 Umlazi held its 4th annual Strategic Planning. The two day event is used to come up with strategic plans for the rest of the year at the branch. The event was attended by 17 tutors and learner reps.
On day one the group covered the timeline of the organisation and the Umlazi branch. This activity serves to show tutors and learners how the organisation and branch has grown over the years into what we see today.
Following this we did an exercise to highlight we exist and what the burning issues are at the branch. This was done in groups and followed by feedback discussions with the rest of the group, then a short break.
The values of the organisation were then discussed in separate groups. Each group had to feedback on what the value means and how it should show up at the branch. Before lunch we further discussed the values as a big group to flesh them out.
After the break each portfolio was then introduced and discussed by the small groups. This time they went in more details to talk about what works and doesn’t work at the branch (as per portfolio). Portfolio groups then asked to present the issues the branch had and on day the issues were tackled and ideas came up with solutions.
The proposed ideas were then presented to the group and targets were set from them. The group closed off the day with elaborate discussion of the targets and the people responsible for each one. The portfolio heads were then selected for the various portfolios and Lunch was delivered to end of the session. That brought our Strategic planning to a close.
World Read Aloud Day
The 4th of March 2015 was World read aloud day. IkamvaYouth Umlazi held a small ceremony to celebrate this day (on Saturday the 14th of March as a late commemoration) with the learners as reading is a fundamental habit to the growth of a learner’s abilities to learn.
From early in the first term learners where encouraged to submit book reviews of books they have read in their spare time. This was a way that the organisation was ensuring that learners engage in reading activities outside of the school curriculum. These book reviews were to be submitted to the branch staff by the 14th of March
The best book review was announced on the day. The prize went to Sibongile Mazeka, a grade 11 learner at the branch.
Sibongile Mazeka accepting her prize from N’thabiseng Zwane (Umlazi Branch Assistant)
The next part of the small ceremony was to have random learners stand up and read aloud, as it was read aloud day. We had 3 brave young girls stand up and read in front of the whole branch.
The 3 young girls (Sinobuhle Gasa Grade 11, Thobeka Holngwa Grade9 and Snenhlanhla Nzaca Grade 11) will be awarded with merit points for their efforts. Each of them was asked to read one page from teenage novels which were donated to the branch by Fundza. One of the things that stood out was a learner name Snenhlanhla. She was fluent and seemed to enjoy reading the short story novel to the point where we had to stop her due to time constraints.
A special thanks to Fundza for donating the books to IkamvaYouth and also thank you to the learners for participating in the activities for the day.
N’thabiseng Zwane addressing learners
It’s not often that our volunteer tutors get the opportunity to attend skills workshops that have been arranged exclusively for them. The Shell Volunteer Day, on the 4th of March 2015, was therefore a much appreciated occasion, where employees from the company took time out from their day, to spend with our Ikamvanites, sharing vital skills for entering the job market. This event was organized and made possible by the Charities Aid Foundation Southern Africa (CAF SA). During the workshop, facilitated by Nandi Ngubeni from CAF SA, Ikamvanites gained important knowledge about how to write CVs and cover letters, how to conduct oneself in an interview, and basic professionalism tips such as telephone etiquette.
Here’s what some of them had to say about the experience:
“Thank you very much for a great educational fun filled morning guys. I really enjoyed being around you, learning about you and what you do and hearing different views of the world at work really enjoyed the company and the advice of my team Prudence ,Snazo, and Shakira had lots of fun. I learnt a lot as well and got some tips too. I received good feedback and constructive criticism which will help me when I write my cover letter and CV. I loved the mock interview the most as it kept me on my toes and I got to expand the knowledge I already know. Thank you for taking time out of your busy days to come I received a great deal of motivation.”
~Nokukhanya Ngcobo
“Firstly, I would like to appreciate Shell for the workshop we benefited a lot,we have learnt the tips of how to apply using emails, Sunday Times, employment agencies and how to write a cv and cover letter. And what is expected of us when we go to an interview. They also did mock-interviews with us practically, and learnt that when I am at the interview, I must get straight to the point, and to be myself.”
~Gciniwe Zulu
“I would like to send a special Thank You to the CAF and SHELL people for uniting and spending some quality time with us. I appreciated each and every moment, we had fun with those 30 second cards, i learned a lot especially on how to to a Cover Letter, (An Enormous THANK YOU to the kind and beautiful lady who was helping me with it). Thanks to the IKAMVA YOUTH for having me, Thanks to the lady who organised and Thanks to everyone who made yesterday special.”
~Sfundo Mthembu
“To the CAF and SHELL thank you very much 4 such amazing thing u did for me, I never thought of the importance of a covering letter before. Today I have a better understanding of the important of covering letter and a CV. Guys what you did for me is good, keep it up and pass it to other because a lot of people lose their dream jobs because of the covering letter. To you all of the people from CAF and SHELL I THANK YOU N I SALUTE YOU”
~Gugu Shabalala
It wasn’t just important skills that were shared on this day, Shell also donated some much needed stationery and learning materials to the Chesterville branch! I would like to take this opportunity to thank CAF SA and Shell for the generous support. It really is through partnerships with dedicated, like-minded organisations and companies that we can make Vision 2030 a reality.
Lloyd Lungu