During the term, we conducted a few educational workshops for both learners and tutors for their personal and professional development.
On the 25th of March, Zoe Mann (Community Coordinator) facilitated a tutor training workshop with the Ikageng volunteers. The session was also attended by two members from one of our partner organisations – Rutanang Book Club. The workshop was aimed at replicating the IY model in all branches and ascertain the delivery of quality tutoring by IYs volunteers.
- Stress Management and Self-Empowerment Workshop
Facilitated by Mr Rajen Moodley, a member of Life Eternal Trust that practises Sahaja Yoga, our grade 9 to 12 learners attended a Stress Management and Self-Empowerment course. The workshop aimed at motivating the learners to help prepare them for improving their level of performance and to maintain their academic excellence in the next examination period, and beyond.
On Saturday the 1st of April, the Ikageng branch hosted a successful strategic planning day. Joined by the branch’s volunteers, together with the staff members, the branch focused on the specific steps necessary to bring quality tutoring into clear focus. The day started with revisiting the IY tutoring model, a refresher on IY Mission and Value. Thereafter, the participants reflected on the first term’s activities, brainstormed, as a result we developed an action plan on improved way of delivering the programmes to our learners.
- Alumni Profile: Meet Isac Sithole from our 2016 Matric Cohort
Initially enrolled in the IY programme in 2013 as a Grade 9 learner. Isac Sithole was the Ikageng top achieving learner from our 2016 matric cohort. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry Physics at North West University. With his high degree of commitment, Isac has returned to IY as a volunteer. He remarked that the transition from school to university brings a range of new experiences and some of the most exciting social aspects, but most of all it is the moment for one to work harder as it is the start of their career.
- Meet the newest member to the Ikageng team: Lerato Makale
Lerato started as one of our first Ikageng learners in 2013 and returned to the branch as a volunteer Tutor. She joined the team as an intern in [date] as part of her tertiary programme requirements. The organisation remain in awe of Lerato’s dedication and her ongoing commitment towards our programme. Below are words from Lerato sharing why she chose to join IY and her experience so far.
The reason why I chose Ikamva Youth was not only to get experience as my qualification needs me to get my Diploma but to also be able to give back to IY as I was a learner before. My experience with IY has been great, not only have I learned a lot about the company, but most importantly my Internship has effected self-discovery especially my abilities and interests
Overall term 1 was a great success and looking forward to more fun ahead of us!
IkamvaYouth has started the year with a flurry of training activities. So far we have trained:
• 43 Branch and Programme Coordinators in Facilitating Learning Methodologies
• 8 Branch and Programme Coordinators in Meaningful Mentoring in Gauteng;
• 88 tutors in Western Cape (from 5 IkamvaYouth branches, and 6 partner organisations); and
• 92 tutors in Gauteng from 14 organisations (21 Wits, 37 IY Tutor Training, 34 Partner Tutor Training)
This is just the start to strengthening our vision!
The year ahead will be packed with exciting workshops and short courses, such as:
To view the 2017 training schedule and course outlines got to: http://www.ikamvayouthzone.org/resource/
Please note that the dates are subject to change, so please contact us to confirm dates.
If you have any ideas of training that you, your tutors, or learners need, get in touch with Pepe or Zoe at
pepe@ikamvayouth.org (062 097 2805) or zoe@ikamvayouth.org (074 476 7965) respectively.
We are whole-heartedly committed to impact in the after-school sector. We aim to increase the
reach of our activities so that more learners have access to high quality tutoring programmes.
This necessitates the deepening of our impact and ensuring that all interactions that IkamvaYouth,
our partners and the growing numbers of dedicated tutors have with the learners are rich, meaningful
and inspiring.
We should constantly ask ourselves: ‘Are we doing the best that we can for our learners?’
It is through questioning and being open to learning that we can adapt to the real needs of the people
that we serve and ultimately have the lasting impact that we seek.
Achieving Vision 2030 is only possible with this mind-set of evolution and growth!
You are welcome to come and learn with us!
Please join us in our quest to bring learners out of poverty!
On the 5th of March 2016, IkamvaYouth alumni and tutors were invited to attend a workshop aimed at helping them improve their CV writing and interview skills. This was an opportunity for our Ikamvanites to learn some valuable job hunting skills from each other, as well as from our HR manager and Communications Coordinator, who co-facilitated the workshop. We asked one of the workshop attendees, Aphiwe Sobutyu to give us his take on the event. Here’s what he had to say:
It was a day filled with fun and surprises when I attended a CV writing workshop with other IkamvaYouth Alumni. I always thought that my CV was OKAY… but guess what, I was fooling myself, because on that day I discovered that my CV is [not that great] and it needed to be pimped.
On the day of the workshop I learned that no matter what job or industry you’re applying for, you will need a CV in the process of the application, we were also told about which information to include in our CVs and why it is important to tell it as it is, for it represent who you are and the other things that you have engaged in, in the past.
That was a very great workshop and I hope it can spread from the alumni group to the learners, for they can benefit from it and be equipped with the right skills – learning CV writing while they still in high school.
Aphiwe matriculated in 2012, and is currently studying Public Management at CPUT. He is also a dedicated tutor at the Nyanga branch.
IkamvaYouth is committed to supporting its alumni and tutor community through providing access to various opportunities for self-development. The next workshop is coming up on the 20th of May (Yip, that’s TOMORROW!), check out the details here.
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.
Towards the end of last year, IkamvaYouth embarked on an exciting and learning filled pilot programme with the Western Cape Government to implement the IY model in 2 high schools in the province with 8 volunteers. It is through the experiences and learnings in this pilot that the reach has expanded to 8 high schools, just under 800 learners and implemented with 35 volunteers to deliver high-impact after-school tutoring programmes in secondary schools in the Western Cape while developing the skills and proficiencies of young leaders.
The Year Beyond programme is adding value to the school’s MOD Centres by increasing the range of after-school activities to include an academic arm. The programme, working with grades 8-10 in each school includes IkamvaYouth model tutoring and tech-assisted English and Maths tuition through FunDza and Olico respectively.
The project will attract just under 800 learners who are all eager to take their futures into their own hands. They are supported in this after-school space by a fantastic bunch of change makers who come from all walks of life but share a passion for youth and development. These young graduates are paying-it-forward by volunteering their time to serve as role models for these aspiring learners.
These volunteers have just completed 2 weeks of intensive IkamvaYouth training where they received in depth tutor and tech assisted programme training, visited branches, participated in conflict resolution workshops, spent time in their schools and met MOD centre coaches, all while developing their teams; identifying and honing the leadership skills needed to work in their school and with their learners. They are now recruiting learners and building strong relationships in their schools to ensure the success of the programme through school and parent buy-in.
The involvement of numerous organisations, departments and people has produced an exciting collaborative approach to youth development. IkamvaYouth is a value based organisation and one of the core principles is peer-to-peer support and collaboration. To see this happening on a large scale with governmental involvement is a huge step for IkamvaYouth in reaching its 2030 vision. It is hoped that this form of government – non-government partnership can become a model for operation in order to reach more learners with high-quality after-school programmes across the country.
Vision 2030 was conceived by IkamvaYouth in 2012, which is the vision to see every grade 1 learner who starts school in 2018 to matriculate or the equivalent by 2030, and to access a post-school opportunity of their choice that sets them on the path to earn a dignified living. This is an audacious goal and one that requires many hands and minds.
The Year Beyond programme offers an opportunity to engage in true collaboration towards a common goal. It is hoped that this is the first of many partnerships that will open the doors of after-school programmes to young people all across the country.
For more information about Year Beyond, IkamvaYouth and how we can work together to enable more learners to achieve their dreams please contact liesel@ikamvayouth.org or zukile@ikamvayouth.org
The 2013 IkamvaYouth Annual Report highlights the remarkable achievements that we have made in 2013 by enabling disadvantaged youth to pull themselves and each other out of poverty with education.You can view the full annual report here but here are some of the highlights from 2013:
- 92% of our learners passed their matric (including supplementary exams); 62% achieved a bachelor pass (compared to 30.6% nationally) and 90% of our learners accessed a post school opportunity (tertiary, learnership or employment);
- The first survey of IkamvaYouth’s alumni was conducted. The findings were more encouraging than we could have hoped: IkamvaYouth learners are almost half as likely to drop out of tertiary studies, four times more likely to graduate and are three times less likely to not be in education or employment than the average South African young person.
- IkamvaYouth WON the Stars Award which exists to reward outstanding local organisations improving the lives of children in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. IkamvaYouth WON in the category of Education in Africa and the Middle East.
Thank you for taking the future into your hands, and to holding ours. Let’s keep reaching for the stars together.
©Neo Ntsoma/Majority World
If you are having trouble with the link please click on the below link:
ikamvayouth_annual_report_2013.pdf
Lloyd Lungu