Who says you can’t work and have fun?

I had the great privilege of spending a weekend at my holiday home in Paternoster with 12 special young adults last month. They are employed by government to work in the Khayelitsha district as Early Childhood Development Assistants, and we have been contracted to mentor and train them. We managed to use the few days we had for team building, training and planning and still had time for walks on the beach, sunsets, and fireside bonding. We were also so blessed to see whales very close to the shore enjoying the beautiful spring weather.

We finalised the Draft ECD Plan for the Khayelitsha district which will be presented to the stakeholders this week, and then budgets and action plans will be finalised. Our goals are as follows:

• To complete the registrations and re-registration targets set by the District.
  
• Training of ECD Practioners:
  

1. There must be regular, 1 or 2 day training sessions for all ECD practioners, whether in registered or unregistered sites. Topics covered must include governance, service plans, financial reporting, quality ECD. It is very important that ECD practioners become aware of all other forms of ECD, like playgroups and day mother care.
   
2. We must continue with the NQF training at all costs, and we should have a plan that outlines how many practioners can be trained each 18 month period by all the training providers in Khayelitsha and beyond.
   
3. Sikhula Sonke is committed to continue offering their fortnightly Assistant teacher training program, covering many aspects of child care and development for those practioners who are not able to attend an NQF qualification.
   

• Training of Parents
  

1. There is a growing frustration and disappointment at the lack of involvement and support of many parents in Khayelitsha. We would like to address this problem through regular training and awareness raising.
   
2. We would like to use the UNICEF National Parental Training program as our starting point.
   

• Support of ECD Forums
  

  We are committed to supporting these forums as much as possible, and we will have regular meetings with them to ascertain their needs and follow through wherever possible.
  

• Design and Implement a Child safety campaign for Khayelitsha
  
• Establishment of an ECD Training and Resource Centre in Khayelitsha:
  

1. This centre will include a toy and book library, as well as a place where all forms of ECD are advertised and encouraged- The Family in Focus program of FCW; The Community and Family Motivator Program of ELRU, the playgroups program of Grass Roots.
   
2. This centre could be the central office for the development and implementation of an Emergency plan for children.
   
3. The ultimate goal of such a centre would be to work towards having all children in such form of early childhood development program, as opposed to focusing on only those 30% of children that are in an Educare Centre.
   

 

• The completion of a detailed database of all Educare Centres in Khayelitsha, with a grading system of their needs and quality of provision.
  
• The Design and Implementation of a suitable Numeracy and Literacy campaign for Khayelitsha.
  
• The Design and Implementation of a proper Baby Care Training Program.
  
• Advocacy and Lobbying with the City of Cape Town around issues arising to the registration of ECD sites.
  

Here follows a letter from one of the ECD Assistants:

Firstly, I would like to thank the following people for making this event possible and for making sure that, it is a success.

1. Wendy for letting us stay in your house.

2. The facilitators Mrs Tshaka, Mr Zatu, Mr Mdebuka and Mr Mase.

Being new in this position (ECD assistant) feel that this event was a great introduction for me to this field /position and it has made me realise that "Every child has right to the best possible start in life".Through this experience I have gain much knowledge that will be useful in carrying out my duties at work. It is in my duty to visit the ECD centres to check / monitor their daily operation in line with the relevant legislative framework and minimum standards set out for these ECD centres.

I strongly believe that, with the knowledge and experience that I have gained in workshop /Training /awareness; I will be able to give a clear direction and advice to the centres that I will be working with.

As a new member of the team, I have observed and studied the behaviours and attitudes of each member. Now I can assure you that I will interact well with my team and my contribution will be handy in achieving the team goals and objectives.

From Sixolile Mxhunyelwa (ECD assistant)