Beatrix Bouwman

Director: Community Engagement.

Bibi.Bouwman@nwu.ac.za

NWU Institutional Office Building C1: 217.

Tel: (018)2994935

Engaging with the

community to ensure long

term sustainability

What the university does as CSI

"Community engagement refers to the PROCESS by which a

community (and individuals that form part of the community) build

an (ongoing, permanent) RELATIONSHIPS for the purpose

of APPLYING A COLLECTIVE VISION for the

BENEFIT of THEIR COMMUNITY"

“The practice of moving communities toward

change…”

Adapted from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_engagement

DHET Reporting Requirements

• Vice-Chancellor’s report

• Include information on Community Engagement and

Sustainability- moving towards an integrated report….

• Audit Committee Report

• The Audit Committee should recommend the integrated report for

approval by the Council. This report must be signed by both the

Chairperson of the Audit Committee and the Chairperson of Council.

• Institutional Advancement Report:

• Internal and External Communication

• Stakeholder Relations

FUTURE THINKING

Engagement dictated by a new type of community

Their agendas, their needs

Contribution to new knowledge generation-

democratization of knowledge

Openness- integrated intelligence

True enablement

Importance of community engagement

Community Engagement is about working

WITH the community

to find sustainable solutions to problems

NOT doing things TO or FOR the community!

New data-CE activities per faculty (all

three campuses) -incomplete

Agriculture, science and technology

2%

Commerce and administration

1%

Human and social science 1%

Law 1%

Arts 2%

Natural sciences 16%

Theology 4%

Educational sciences 5%

Economic and management sciences

6%

Law 1%

Engineering 5%

Health sciences 18%

Humanities 5%

Economic sciences and information technology

3%

Suport services 1%

Potch Students (RAG) 31%

CE Activities according to location (Who is

our community?)

In and around campus town 69%

Other in North West Province

4%

National 5%

International 6%

Other (not linked to geo. Loc.)

16%

CE Activities according to "communities"

(Beneficiaries)

Local communities (grassroots)

73%

Government (local, provincial and

national) 1%

Private sector (industry and formal

business sector) 4%

Pure academic research

15%

NFP/NGO sector 2%

NWU (one-sided) 5%

Types of CE Activities

Research only 18%

Teaching-learning only 9%

Outreach (discipline based and non

discipline based) 43%

Combination of research and T/L

3%

Combination of research and

outreach 6%

Combination of T/L and outreach

2%

Combination of 1-3 5% Other

14%

What does the data tell us?

“The majority of CE activities by the NWU are being

done by the Potchefstroom Campus. The majority of

these activities are being done by the student

volunteers. They focus mainly on pre-primary schools

in Ikageng and Promosa areas. The type of activity

involve mainly non-discipline-based outreach – as a

single activity”

The "SJGD" or SRCS story

Started in 1977

Spending R1m-R1.5m /a ( 2013/14 =R1.4m)

3000 volunteers involved

Projects: 84

31 000 tins of food,

40 computers donated

Trips to Potchefstroom, Mohadin, Ikageng

& Promosa

Nearly 14 000 pieces of clothing donated

Academic articles in accredited journals

Projects

Residence committees decide on projects with SRC

Examples :

• Princes project, Fundraising activities ( Jail & bail, Nappy run,

Barefoot day etc) Cansa relay for life

• Schools -Promosa High School, Jane Lesapo, Tuto Buswo ,President

Pretorius, PADI, B.A. Seobi Thabologo Primary

• Pick-a-Leader programme

• Tshwaraganang Day care for peole with disabilities, Witrand Hospital

• Early Childhood Development: Little Saints, Reagola Pegal, Goitsone,

KIDZ Paradise, New Foundation, Kgatelopelo, New Life, etc. 30% =ECD

• Working with the elderly : Samuel Broadbent, SAVF Ons Hulde

• Sport development

• Swop Shop,Horse riding, Sea sand and shells

Management of SRCS

Advisory council -14 members

11 HC members (1 does SRCS+

committee)

In SRC there are several portfolios and

a SRCS portfolio plus members with a

committee to support the activities-

Exco.

2 Part-time support personnel

SRC and Campus Management

Concerns: Fundraising and support

staff, sustainability and learning (

citizenship & student attributes)

What we did- linked it to our core business

Review

Brought in the experts - discipline based outreach

Research

Training

Video

Sustainable development and community

engagement- Principles

• Long term relationship- Sustainability predefined with

predetermined and agreed exit strategy

• Leverage resources ( over time inputs & costs)

• Maximise existing infrastructure and knowledge

• Capacity building ( enablement) over time

• Continuous M&E

• Income over time

• Quality NWU products ( students- practical

experience, learning & research)

• Insights into society

• Influencing policy

Important

Ethics….

Who do you include/ exclude?

Do the people really want development?

Are we adding the kind of value needed?

Creating flagships

Multi-disciplinary outreach, partnerships including volunteers NPC & private sector example:

http://www.mosaicsa.org/

Basic community engagement process

THANK YOU

www.sahecef.ac.za