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 Community Engagement 

 
Click here for Phumani Archive Mill
Click here for Phumani Paper

Community engagement is an integral part of most departments within Humanities, with staff involved in 36 community-engagement projects. These projects included
service learning, community-based research and organised outreach. Other projects included youth development programmes; pro bono family therapy; social work first-year internship programmes; and involvement with organisations such as Worldvision.

There are two flagship CE projects in the Faculty:

  • The Sophiatown project involves both social research and a grassroots initiative aimed at fostering reconciliation between residents of different races in Sophiatown and, by extension, the country. The project was launched in February 2009, the date chosen to coincide with the commemoration of 54 years since the start of forced removals in Sophiatown. The project is managed by Professor Natasha Erlank (Director of the Centre for Culture and Language in Africa). The Sophiatown Project has the potential to transform the relationship between research and community engagement: the project involves the co-creation of knowledge and research agendas, provides agency and identity for complex communities, and is an experiment in news ways of creating knowledge.
  • The Faculty has recently taken on the administration of Phumani Papers, a Johannesburg-based NGO that focuses on the empowerment of women through entrepreneurship in rural areas. Phumani manufactures a variety of paper products, often on the cutting edge of handmade paper technologies, and is the only producer of archival paper in SA.


Please contact Leonardo Snyman lsnyman@uj.ac.za should you require more info.

Staff within the Faculty of Humanities are currently involved in the following Community engagement projects.

 

Scope

(The extent of the area or subject matter that something deals with or to which it is relevant)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Impact

(A marked effect or inlfuence)

 

 

 

 

 

Department

 

 

Title of the Project

 

Project Leader

 

 

 

 

 

Project time frame

 

 

 

 

Number if target project beneficiaries

 

What problems will the project address

 

 

 

 

 

How will the project benefit the target group

 

Project category?

 

 

APPLIED COMMUNICATIVE SKILLS (APB)/Parkside Primary School

Pather, M

Persash, PV

Annual

900 learners from Grade 1 to 7.

English communication

Citizenship and competency in communication for the future

SL

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

Poor communities as corporate stakeholders: Implications for strategic communication

de Klerk, N

Completed in 2010.

Article published and paper delivered (see 3.4.1.2 and 3.4.6)

Business sector

Engaging and optimising communication with  communities as corporate stakeholders

Aimed at improving corporate accountability to poor communities. (Copies of published article already requested by loveLife and other industry corporations)

CBR

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

 

Malinga, PS

August 2010- October 2010

300 orphans

 

 

OO

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION

Work Integrated and Experiential Learning within Applied Course Components

 Verwey, S

Ongoing

Various

Engaging and optimising communication with  communities as institutional stakeholders.

 

Benefiting disadvantaged communities and organisations through experiential learning as part of course curriculums

Aimed at improving accountability and responsiveness to disadvantaged  communities.

OO

COMMUNICATION

Conquest for Life

Benecke, DR

 

Corporate Communication students and community

 

 

 

COMMUNICATION

EMKE

Benecke, DR

 

UJ

 

Marketing opportunities and offered guidelines on some leadership course content

 

COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA STUDIES /Talk Radio

One Africa FM

Deputy Chair: Narunsky-Laden S

Awaiting ICASA License Approval

Migrant listeners throughout South Africa

Xenophobia

Social and cultural problems

Bureaucratic problems

It will contribute to enhancing social well being and give migrant listeners  a platform to air their views

SL

GERMAN

 

van Rooy, CS

ongoing

All teachers of English as non mother tongue

Lack of English skills for academic purposes

Teachers to get access to research on teaching English to non mother tongue speakers

CBR

GREEK AND LATIN STUDIES (with St Columba’s Church, Parkview)

Wednesday Night Live

Wolmarans, JLP

2010 ongoing

Religious community, Jhb

Lack of information regarding modern theological developments. Interreligious dialogue. Lecture series of 28 public lectures at St Columba’s Presbyterian Church (Parkview) on: The Origins of  the Bible; The Bible and the Burning Issues of the  21st Century; The Concept of the Afterlife; The Future of the Christian Relgion.

Raising awarenes of common humanity between different religions / Awarenes of social and ecological issues

CBR

PSYCHOLOGY

Headway Supervision

Basson, P

ongoing

Depending on the number lay counsellors and student psychologists per year at Headway

Supervision of lay counsellors and student psychologists who work with attendees and family members of attendees at Headway

The project enables the student counsellors to do therapy with Headway attendees etc

SL

PSYCHOLOGY

Psychometry Internships

de Bruin, K

Jan 2010 – Dec 2010

Various internship organisations

Development of students’ psychometry skills

Providing of psychometry-related services to community/industry

SL

PSYCHOLOGY

Career development for children at Teboho Trust

de Bruin, K

Jan 2010 – Dec 2010

Teboho Trust (approx 60 learners)

Career unpreparedness

Career development

SL

PSYCHOLOGY

Volunteer counselling and involved in the development and implementation of a youth group for vulnerable teenagers.

 

Waldeck C

Ongoing

20 Vulnerable youth

The aim is to teach and assist the youth in the learning and application of constructive life skills.  It also provides an opportunity for the youth to build and foster trusting relationships with caregivers at hospice.

The project is geared toward vulnerable teenagers identified by staff members at Hospice in the West.  The project is an ongoing one.  The teenagers are invited to participate in the project which takes place approximately once a month.  The team at hospice which consists of care workers, nursing staff and counselors are responsible for determining project content, which focuses on assisting the teenagers in learning and applying life skills to their everyday life.  Consent from the parents/guardians is obtained before commencement of group work. 

 

OO

PSYCHOLOGY

 

From invisible to invincible: Headway community project

Kaldine, F, Radebe, B (Community Psychology module facilitators)

 

Erasmus, A

Cumming, J

(MA students)

 

7 months

16 Individuals with Acquired Brain Injury and the Headway Staff

The difficulties associated with having an acquired brain injury (ABI), including: problems with emotion recognition and regulation, self-identity and attitudes of the general public towards this group.

The project conceptualisation, planning and implementation were underpinned by the values and goals of Community Psychology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to striving to address the problems experienced by ABI individuals (through imparting relevant life-skills), the project aimed at creating a paradigm shift for the entire Headway Rehabilitation system. This included addressing the destructive power imbalances that may exist between Headway staff and ABI individuals, and focusing on and enhancing the strengths of ABI individuals and their caregivers.

SL

PSYCHOLOGY

 

A Discursive Liberation of Liberati: Coming out of UJ

Kaldine, F, Radebe, B (Community Psychology module facilitators)

 

Laing, B

Hill, S

(MA Students)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 months

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersexed students  (LGBTI) on campus

The project was initiated to act as a support structure for the newly formed (LGBTI) student society on campus (Liberati).A homophobic article written in the student newspaper, the UJ Observer was brought to the attention of the Project Facilitators by Liberati who requested assistance in dealing with this discrimination. The project conceptualisation, planning and implementation were underpinned by the values and goals of Community Psychology.

 

The goal of the project was to raise awareness of discriminatory believes on campus and to assist Liberati in engaging in meaningful dialogue about their right to be recognised and affirmed.

 

 

SL

PSYCHOLOGY

 

 

 

 

 

Life skills training among UJ athletes

Kaldine, F, Radebe, B (Community Psychology module facilitators)

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 months

45 UJ Athletes at-risk for academic failure

The Project catered for athletes who are on sports bursaries and are not achieving well academically. The life skills target time management, social and communication skills, anger management skills and nutritional adherence skills. The project conceptualisation, planning and implementation were underpinned by the values and goals of Community Psychology.

 

 

The athletes were equipped with skills that could assist them in reaching their potential both academically and socially and in terms of their athletics. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SL

POLITICS / Self

Various

Geldenhuys DJ, Prof

Open – ended

Varying

Cultural rights

History will judge 

CBR

POLITICS / Ceptsa

Modern Political Dictionary

le Clus, P

Ongoing

 

Translation of Political terms as well as defining 2500 key terms in Politics

A service to the whole academic community of political science, including all levels of students

CBR

PUBLIC GOVERNANCE/ Early Childhood Development/

SEED Trust

-

Ongoing

G S Cloete, 720004628

Early school goers and their parents in Stellenbosch

Personal funds

CBR

PUBLIC GOVERNANCE / Chair: Governing Board, Centre for Policy Studies (CPS)

Cloete, GS

Independent policy think tank and research NGO in Johannesburg

Oversee management of CPS

G S Cloete

Chair: Governing Board, Centre for Policy Studies (CPS)

Independent policy think tank and research NGO in Johannesburg Oversee management of CPS

CBR

PUBLIC GOVERNANCE

National Certificate in Municipal Governance

Auriacombe, CJ

January to November 2011

47 Municipalities and 2 Provincial governments, Salga (Total of 481 Students/Learners)

Municipal Management and Governance

Better service delivery in municipal governance

SL

SOCIAL WORK

UTHINGO

Matumba, S

 

50 plus

Apathy in schools and life experienced by the community of Wesbury.

Counselling

 

SOCIAL WORK

Sithand'izingane Care Project 

Tuck, M

Ongoing

500 children

Preschool education

After school care

School feeding scheme

Food parcels to those caring for OVCs

Holistic care of orphaned and vulnerable children:

Education

Nutrition

Medical care

Recreation

 

OO

SOCIAL WORK

Bohareng Board Member

Wigley, A

Ongoing

1000 people per annum

Integrated human development:

Physical

Spiritual

Emotional

 

Service users are sustained in their service to people in their care

OO

SOCIAL WORK

Dominican International Volunteer Project

Tuck, M

Ongoing

+- 5 foreign students per year

+- 5 local NGOs

Global partnerships

Global service

Global social justice

Exposure to diverse cultures

Global dialogue

Fostering understanding

Acceptance of diversity

 

 

OO

SOCIAL WORK

Kopanang women’s empowerment project

Flynn, S

Ongoing

Approximately 60 women

Skills development

Poverty

Personal human development

Increased human capacity

Poverty alleviation

Personal development

 

OO

SOCIAL WORK

Sparrow Siblings

Lisha Stevens

Feb-Nov

50

Learning disorders

Peer pressure

Sexuality & teenage pregnancy

School supervision

Low self esteem

School human resources

Drugs & alcohol

At risk behaviour 

First year social work students, mentor children in school who have learning disorders and come from disadvantaged backgrounds. The first year students mentor at risk learners at the school and present life skills workshops aimed at relieving sexual risk behaviour, HIV/Aids, peer pressure, decision making, and self esteem.

SL

SOCIAL WORK

 Not a project name but course that serves various communities through learning-Social Work Internship 1000

Stevens,  L

Feb-Nov

Estimated amount according to students registered for the course +- 200

Community health care

Community services

At risk teenage behaviour

Elderly care

School supervision

Home Based Care

HIV/Aids

Mental disorders

Administration assistance

Service to Police Stations

Service to Children’s Homes

Learning disorders

Peer pressure

Sexuality & teenage pregnancy

School supervision

Low self esteem

School human resources

Drugs & alcohol

At risk behaviour 

As mentioned the service provided by the students benefit individuals, families, groups and communities with the mentioned activities (see previous column). Communities are empowered and served through learning.

SL

SOCIAL WORK UJ and Social Work Wits

Kliptown Youth Project (KYP)

Nel, JBS

2010 - 2011

Direct impact: 16 committee members

Indirect impact: 250 youth members

Not sure at this stage

Capacity building of management committee members and NGO

CBR

SOCIAL WORK and Centre for small business enterprises

 Certificate in Community Leadership

Nel, JBS

2009 -

45

Funding for students who cannot afford tuition fees

Capacity building of students in knowledge and skills in Community Development

SL

SOCIAL WORK

Girls & Boys Town SA

van Breda, AD

ONGOING

3 DIRECT

RESEARCH AND M&E FUNCTIONS

CAPACITATING RESEARCH AND M&E FUNCTIONS

CBR

CENTRE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMETN IN AFRICA/ Member of committee as an individual representing

CSDA

Judith Harrisburg Memorial Trust

 

Indefinite

1 – 4 per year direct beneficiaries via student funding; far more indirectly in the long term in relation to services rendered by students

Domestic violence in the Jewish community in South Africa

Trust provides funding for post-graduate students and contracted researchers to research various aspects of domestic violence in the Jewish community thus the project will ultimately benefit the target group via application of research results to policy and programmes

CBR

CENTRE FOR THE STUDY OF CULTURE AND LANGUAGE IN AFRICA

Sophiatown

N. Erlank and D. Thelen

2010-2012

Unknown

Civil capacity building

community based involvement in oral-history centred initiatives/ deployment of community organiser from Idasa into Sophiatown

CBR