We offered a two-day workshop with the different forums from the greater Retreat area. The purpose of the workshop was to give clarity on their roles, responsibilities, as well as looking at their needs and challenges the forums face that deter them from being successful. One of our main objectives was for them to see the importance of working together towards positive change and to eventually see the growth in their ECD centres.
We started the workshop by asking them introduce themselves as well as the rules and expectations of the workshop. A lot of expectations came out, and it was mentioned that it will not be discussed, but at the end of the programme we will look at the expectations and see if it was met. Everyone was open to participate within the various groups we divided them into. The things that came out was clear, they had burning issues amongst their own groups, and why they couldn’t move forward as a forum. Some mentioned that they work well together and organize a lot of events in order to make their own forum a success, to other’s it was all foreign.
The groups discussed various issues which halted them from moving forward as a whole. Lack of communication, egos and no leadership amongst members of the forum some of the reasons for this disconnection. What was evident was that committees of the forum do not understand their roles as individuals as well as a collective group.
The workshop was full of questions as well as answers; the group work showed them how they could work in a team. They discussed in the groups how to fundraise as well as making sure that they share resources. They also mentioned in the groups about the challenges they face as ECD structures and what role the City can play and one of the officials present explained clearly what the role of the City is all about and the support that can be given to the various forums. We went in depth and spoke about the Constitution and registration process, which guides them on how they should manage their forums. We spoke about the fundraising efforts they make as forums and what needs to happen with the funds and what can happen with the funds. They way of communicating with their groups within their own forums plays a vital role in the success of their forums and we could see how they appreciate each other’s opinion. We have also discussed what happens within their ECD centres and how it is being managed by the principals, because the questions came up in the workshop, what was also mentioned was problems the principals experience within their ECD centres. Leadership was addressed, the how and what they do in order to stimulate the teachers. At the end of the workshop the participants were very happy in what they have learnt and experienced through the training. The feedback was amazing about things that are daily lessons. The new knowledge gained were tremendously appreciated. A message was sent to us via the WhatsApp group chat of the forum in Vrygrond where the message read: The group thanked us for an amazing workshop which was the first time that they experience such an amazing workshop and all the knowledge gained.
We as a foundation would like to thank the City of Cape Town for approaching us as a foundation for the wonderful opportunity given to us to be part of the nurturing and growing process of the forums people who intern develop our children with this new found skills and knowledge gained, and in order for them to be more efficient and effective in the forum and workplace of their ECD centres, they needed to develop themselves and to look at themselves first and then take it back to their groups to become more effective forums.