STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY INTERACTION SYMPOSIUM “PORTRAITS OF HOPE THROUGH ENGAGEMENT ”

1. STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY INTERACTION SYMPOSIUM “PORTRAITS OF HOPE THROUGH ENGAGEMENT” STUDENT VOLUNTEERING 2 SEPTEMBER 2010

2. Presenters • Michelle Pietersen MGD One Stop Service Student Volunteering • Marinda Benade Student volunteer and coordinator perspective • Bianca Joseph Student volunteer, coordinator and research perspective

3. Matie Community Service ‘together we grow’

4. Brief History • Founded in 1964 –USKOR Tygerberg campus • Registered as NPO (003-249) • GOUS –Stellenbosch campus • 1973 joined forces renamed MGD • Presently: 7 full time staff, 650 student volunteers • Approximately 4000 participants benefit from MGD’s services ‘ together we grow’

5. Current Status

6. Student Volunteering Initiative • One Stop Service started 2008, • MGD in partnership with SRC & RAG provide support services to students ‘ together we grow’

7. What do we do? • Sharing of knowledge, experience and resources • Co-ordination between student community projects • Access information regarding all student involvement in community • Provide training and guidance for volunteers • Enhance the professionalism of community projects ‘ together we grow’

8. Maties RAG • Financial contribution towards MGD • 60% - One Stop Service • Funds student driven projects ‘together we grow’

9. Achievements • An amount of R570.000.00 have been allocated to 40 registered student driven projects on both Stellenbosch Campus and Tygerberg Campus • 574 US students are involved in community projects in an around Stellenbosch • Initiated a 100 hour challenge • Supported the SRC CI who hosted a successful “Change exchange student conference”

10. Continue…… • Student Volunteers of US became involved in the National Initiative of SAHECEF in celebrating Mandela Day 2010 • One stop Service: Semi finalist for the International Mac Jannet competition for student volunteering. • NYS Student Volunteer Programme launched May 2009 engaging 550 student volunteers on campus ‘ together we grow’

11. Cloetesville Secondary School Kuyasa Horizon Empowerment Vlaeberg Community Weber Gedenk Primary School Vision K Ikhaya Primary Ikhaya Trust Makapula High Pebbles Stellenbosch Safehouse Stellenbosch Gemeente & Vlaeberg Kleinvlei High School Babin Pre school Centre PC Petersen Primary Bruckner De Villiers Devon Valley Primary Ravensmead Community New Life Centre Boston Alta Du Toit Bathandwa House Delft South Primary Delft Clinic Emergency Medical Services Kayamandi High School Mfuleni Community Tygerberg Hospital school Cloetesville after care centre Vlottenberg Primary Beneficiaries & Partners One Stop Service

12. MGD Success • Celebrating 46 years as student volunteer NPO • Acknowledged as one of US CI Flagship projects-MGD • Best Practice site - Dept of Social Services • Receives National award as best ABET centre 2009 • Pass rate level 4 average of 86% - ABET • Received Academic award from Provincial Minister of Education

13. MGDcommitted to maintain • Efficient, Effective and Quality service • Working in partnership with community • Embracing diversity

14. Metanoia Residence Volunteers • Tutoring children in the Pebbles Project After School Clubs

15. Need for the project Children had special educational needs and required one-on-one support in their homework. Kaapzicht After School Club A tutor with two children at Kaapzicht

16. Aim of the tutoring project The primary aim: Tutoring of the children from March until October 2010. The tutoring occurred twice a week on a Tuesday and Thursday (15:00-17:00 ) The five identified Pebbles After Care Clubs: Villiera, Hartenberg, Bellevue, Kaapzicht and Eikendal. A Tutor with a child at Villiera After school Club

17. Involvement of volunteers • The recruitment involved advertising community interaction within the house meeting which created general awareness • We recruited 50 volunteers for tutoring A tutor at Kaapzicht helping about 4 children with their school work

18. Project Development and Planning • The HK’s of community interaction received training from Maties Community Service at the beginning of our term. • The training taught us the following skills: • Partnering with an organisation • Recruiting volunteers • Writing a funding Proposal • Budgeting

19. What I found most challenging with regards to student volunteering • Managing a volunteer group of 50 volunteers • The long June holiday and exam period • The lack of commitment in some tutors • Changes in time tables of University. • Language barrier in the tutor-child relationship • Tutors was not assigned to one specific child

20. Success of the Project MY PERSONAL SUCCESS: • The planning of the project was finished by February 2010 • Working around exam dates and holidays • The 50 tutors were divided into 4 groups which allowed for consistency • Each tutor: time table with tutoring dates until October • Reflection of my personal experience

21. Toy library project During RAG Isa and Metanoia raised: R2454.13

22. Tutor’s personal success “I have enjoyed experimenting with a variety of different things: like looking at a child with a desire to learn even through daunting circumstances, bringing a smile to a sad face, giving love and care to a child when they most need it, most importantly being the motivational factor behind a child’s success.” – Asanda (Pebbles Tutor) “I definitely made the difference in helping the one little on with her self esteem. And I think together with my one tutoring partner we helped a few grade 6's with there math, because they kept coming back to us. We could see the difference.” – Ane (Pebbles Tutor)

23. Tutor’s personal success “Tutoring the children has been a highlight to my week. Being able to be selfless for a few hours has been a great privilege. I see more value in my life than I did before I met the children” – Roxanne (Pebbles Tutor) “The success I experienced with the children was getting to know them better, and seeing them become more comfortable around me. At first they do not even want to ask for help when they are struggling, but lately they have started asking questions and allowing me to help them with their homework.” – Michelle (Pebbles Tutor)

24. VOLUNTEERISM Recruitment and Retention of student volunteers Ek is ‘n Matie

25. Challenges around student volunteers • High turn over rate –due to University time and rosters changing per semester • Zeal and passion that is not directed to a specific goal • Test and holiday schedules

26. Recruitment Management Training Volunteers Retention Volunteer program grounded in theory

27. Relationships hold interventions

28. Good Management • Relationship above structure • Structure is important • Clear communication • Participatory decision making and ownership • Continuous casting of vision – people want to be part of something bigger than themselves • Passion – leading by example

29. Meeting volunteer expectation Motivation For my CV  Personal growth Out of classroom learning experience Doorway to career path Skills development Feeling socially responsible

30. In Conclusion Recruitment Retention • Your volunteers are your best recruitment agents • Identify your volunteer group (psychology students)- be deliberate • Liaise with other key informants – share volunteers • Create a family environment • Meet volunteer expectations • Participation and ownership • Clear communication and task description • Set goals and continuously cast vision-bigger picture

31. MGD the house of student volunteers

32. MGDVideo.avi