As part of The After School Game Changer's (AS GC) focus on providing quality After School Programmes for learners in no-and low-fee schools, training and professionalisation of the sector is critical in ensuring its success.
Over 900 After School Sites in the Western Cape are operated by a number of partners, both government and non-government, and despite the size of this sector, it remains largely uncoordinated. With no agreed norms and standard and no recognised generic professional training for practitioners in the field, this opens up many opportunities for increased communication and new partnerships around creating a more professionalised and coordinated after school sector.
The Western Cape Government in partnership with Community Chest, Stellenbosch University and Rutgers University have come together as the Programme Convenors for the After School Practitioners training programme.
Programme Design and Objectives
This is an 18-month part-time programme for in-service After School Practitioners that will equip them to design and execute quality programmes against an agreed set of norms and standards while contributing toward the recognition and professionalisation of the sector.
The programme will cover the following modules:
- Leading from the inside out: Who am I and my emotional intelligence (Skills: Self-awareness; reflection, writing)
- Leading in a complex environment (Skills: Thinking, dealing with complexity, problem solving and decision making)
- Creating a pathway for our youth: Supporting the development pathway of children and the best ways of optimising opportunities for our youth (Positive not negative pathology) (Skills: Working with difference and communication)
- Building quality After School Programmes: Developing shared norms and standards (Skills: Programme design)
- Address psycho-social barriers (Skills: Managing and dealing with trauma)
- Building an efficient After School Programme: Building project management excellence (Skills: Project management and administration)
- Leading in partnership: Harnessing the assets and resources of others (Skills: Partnership and Negotiation)
- Building effective After School Programmes: Building monitoring and evaluation excellence (Skills: Evidence based decision making)
- Pillar specific training – numeracy, literacy, STEM, sport, arts, life skills (Skills: Designing a pillar based programme)
Eligibility
- Applicant must be over 18
- Applicant must have a matric certificate. Alternatively, recognition of prior learning (RPL) will be assessed on a case by case basis.
- Applicant must be employed for duration of the Programme as:
- Western Cape Government staff working in government run After School Programmes
- NGO/NPO staff working in After School Programmes
- Volunteer staff working in After School Programmes
- Applicant must commit to completing the course
- Applicant must be available for four five-day compulsory residential training blocks over the 18-month training period (to be held at Stellenbosch University and in Cape Town)
- Applicant must be supported in participating in the Programme by their host organisation, with a letter of support attached to their application form
Programme details
- The programme will start in November 2017 with graduation in March 2019.
- The programme will be offered every year to a cohort of 50 - 80 practitioners.
- The programme is free of charge to all accepted applicants on the condition of completion. In the case that an individual leaves the programme before completion, the individual will be required to pay back a portion of the costs incurred to the programme Convenors.
- Between the four residential programme components, participants will be supported in district level mentorship and training workshops.
- While the first programme will not be formally accredited, all learnings will be captured, assessed and the programme will undergo the process of accreditation in future years
Please download the application form and apply now! Good luck!