Much has been happening at FLP in the past 3 months. We have seen how the inspired Team has continued to reach out to their communities, supporting families by recognising and celebrating the vital role that parents, grandparents, and other caregivers play in their children’s education. We have seen how this desire to become engaged in their children’s schoolwork, motivates these parents and caregivers to reengage in learning themselves and improve their own literacy, numeracy, language and other basic skills. We continuously look at strategies to bring “learning and living” closer together by bridging the gaps between formal schooling, non-formal education programmes and informal learning opportunities in homes and community environments.
Below is a list of some of the highlights:
- Lego Duplo Level 2 – Zimbili and Phumy attended this training in Johannesburg. For Level 1, they had an interesting time with FLP facilitators where they trained them to use DUPLO`s in their reading clubs. They trained 16 staff members that are working with foundation phase in different schools. After the training, they had follow up sessions to see how they are doing in their groups. Children enjoy the DUPLO`s so much and we noticed that it also calms them if they have bad day.Teachers from the schools we support also asked if they can get training as they saw the benefits. We trained local pre -school teachers, two teachers from foundation phase and two mothers that home school their children. The training emphasised the impact of LEGO in Early Childhood Development and the importance of early education in shaping the child, particularly how children learn through play.We also share how they can incorporate DUPLO in their daily activities within the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and on Curriculum and Assessment Policy (CAPS). For further training, we are planning to train more teachers from primary schools and FLP learners who do home visiting, to promote learning readiness using the DUPLO elements in the classroom. We use our Legos in libraries, FLP groups, play therapy and in the Khulisa Home Visiting Programme.
- Young Parent Persona Dolls – Snoxolo and Xolani attended this training at the Midlands Community College. They were trained how to use the Persona dolls to communicate the fears, dreams, interests and hope of young parents. The emphasis was that Young Parent Persona Dolls are used as a tool to introduce topics which are relevant to young parents, for example “the challenges faced by a teen mother”. The dolls are used to encourage communication among the group, focusing on their realities of transitioning from being a child to becoming a young parent.There was much discussion where they had to give feedback on various topics such as how they feel about giving young girls contraceptives at the age 12, such topics brought about different opinions and differences as they realised that there are different values and perceptions. They were encouraged not to judge, but rather to support other people’s decisions and respect their uniqueness.One activity really made an impact on the group. For this activity, each participant received a sheet of paper to be divided into 4 parts – 1. Childhood life, 2. Teenage years, 3. Young adulthood, and 4. The future. In each section one had to write or draw a picture of something that was significant in that life phase. This activity aroused deep emotions, but the environment was warm and supportive for everyone to deal with those emotions. The entire FLP Team will be trained at the next Team Week.
- Digital Media and Child Protection – We live in a world where even our isolated rural communities are battling to define safe use of digital media. We have begun an active programme where we educate and train our Facilitators, Group Members and Youth about the safe use of this digital technology. (Research shows that about 70% of parents admit to consulting their children for technical advice. It was also shows that 6-year-olds understand more about digital technology than many 45 year olds.)The Training includes:
- Making youth aware of dangers of social media;
- Online bullying and how to manage these situations;
- Grooming children using social media;
- Teaching children about bad effects of social media;
- Encouraging their children to tell them about the sites they like to visit and
what they like to do online; - Online safety;
- How to represent themselves online;
- Where to go if they need help;
- Asifunde Sonke – Teacher’s Training College – On Saturday 27 October our Asifunde Teacher’s Training College will be hosting our 4 Graduation Ceremony. Twenty-nine students will be graduating with an NQF Level 5, Nationally Recognised qualification. Ninety-six students have graduated from Asifunde since its inception four years ago.What has been the most rewarding is seeing Pre-School Teachers that have gained not only a qualification, but have actively implemented their newly acquired skillsets in their respective Crèches. It is encouraging to visit sites where children that were previously being babysat, are now actively learning. We have assisted all graduates with educational supplies and libraries to improve ECD practice in isolated rural areas.
- FLP, Rotary Umhlanga and Bridgewater Boston Vocational Training Team initiative – Under the guidance of Andre Hatting and Vasu Moodley, FLP has engaged Rotary Bridgewater in Boston USA to develop a business plan to support training and development for the ECD sector of FLP’s Community work. We are planning on putting together a team of 3 members from FLP’s qualified staff complement, that will travel to the USA to learn from ECD specialists at top Universities in Boston. The idea is that the specialists will also travel to SA to learn from FLP in this field too. We hope to send the first team in early 2019.
- FLP Special Days – Numerous special days were held in all FLP Sites. We had National Literacy Week, Mental Health Awareness Day and Library Activities in all sites. We have found that these Community Events provide a wonderful opportunity to reach out and embrace those that need support in their
Families as well as give an opportunity to spread the word about Family Literacy Practices that celebrate inter-generational interactions and their benefits. It also provides an opportunity for Group Members and Teachers to share testimonies about the benefits their Literacy Practice has had within their own homes and Schools respectively. - Hanging Libraries – We are happy to be providing 120 homes spread across all FLP sites with a hanging library each. These will contain African Storybook Zulu Books 80 (75 titles), Little Hands Board Books, Nal’ibali Supplements, Uthando Dolls and other toys. The Home Visitor will take items from FLP Libraries in each of the sites, to rotate in these homes when they conduct their bi-weekly home visit. We are excited about this pilot initiative that hopes to reinforce reading and play activities in each home – over 90% of the homes visited have no books or toys at all!
- Visitors:
- Dr. Jennifer Calvert-Evers – Teacher’s Learning Centre
- Andrew Pitt – Clouds of Hope;
- Leigh Lippert – Klanderhoek Children’s Home;
- Nicki Von Der Heyde – Author and Historian;
- Erik Van Den Top – The Love Trust
Thank you
All we do would not be possible without the invaluable contribution of numerous people whom actively engage us by sharing, analyzing, discussing and funding our work. Your advice, support and visits are what keep us inspired and motivated to carry on so passionately.
— Pierre Horn
