DCAS and partners invest in after-school space | Western Cape Government

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DCAS and partners invest in after-school space

26 November 2019

Five after-school practitioners from the Western Cape are set to travel to the United States for training and workshops as part of a programme run by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS) and its partners.

DCAS has run the Extended Education Practitioners’ Training Programme (EEPTP), in partnership with the Community Chest and Stellenbosch University, Since 2018.  The programme is aimed at training after school practitioners to run high quality, impactful programmes.

The names of the five practitioners heading on the trip for 2020 were announced this past Saturday at the 2019 EEPTP Graduation Ceremony, less than a month after five of their predecessors returned from the inaugural 10-day visit to New York City in October.

Bridget Hannah, Deputy Director of the After School Programme Office at DCAS, says the practitioners went through a thorough selection process. 

“They had to attend all of the residential blocks in the training programme and submit all of their assignments in order to qualify,” she said. “Then they had to apply with a written and video motivation before they went through a panel interview process.”

The five practitioners who visited New York in October are Janelle Fielies (from academic and life skills non-profit organisation Go for Gold), Raabia Walljee (from academic non-profit organisation Olico Maths), Melreen de Villiers (from surfing and life-skills organisation Waves for Change), Dinah Ceza (MOD programme and Tashwil May (both from the Western Cape Government-funded MOD programme). 

The Community Chest has worked with DCAS on several projects and both trips are fully funded by them.  

While there, they visited the Laboratory School of Finance and Technology, attended a workshop at the Partnership for After School Education, attended the Boys and Girls Club of America’s regional training conference and visited Rutgers University.

“We hope that practitioners use what they have seen towards strengthening their practice in the Western Cape. Through their exposure, they bring back what they’ve learned, strengthen the sector and build the movement in the Western Cape.” says Hannah.

These experiences complemented what the practitioners had already learned in EEPTP, which focuses on dealing with complexity, problem-solving, decision making, whole child development, working with difference, communication, project management, and administration.

The five practitioners who will travel to the USA in 2020 are Zindi Makayi (from IkamvaYouth), Luvuyo Stuurman (from Amandla), Juanita Jaars (from Rainbow Aftercare), Rudi Jackson and Andile Mgulwa (both from DCAS).

DCAS works to provide quality after-school programmes to learners from under-resourced schools. BETTER TOGETHER.

Media Enquiries: 

Dr Tania Colyn
Head of Communication Service
Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport
Tel: 021 483 9877 / 076 093 4913
E-mail: Tania.Colyn@westerncape.gov.za