STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITYCOMMUNITY INTERACTION SYMPOSIUM

“PORTRAITS OF HOPE THROUGH ENGAGEMENT”STUDENT VOLUNTEERING

2 SEPTEMBER 2010

Michelle PietersenMGD One Stop Service Student Volunteering

Marinda Benade Student volunteer and coordinator perspective

Bianca JosephStudent volunteer, coordinator and research perspective

Presenters

Matie Community Service

‘together we grow’

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

volunteersApproximately 4000 participants benefit

from MGD’s services ‘ together we grow’

Brief History

MGD

ABET

KLP

Primary Health Entrepreneurship

One Stop Service

Current Status

Student Volunteering Initiative One Stop Service started 2008, MGD in partnership with SRC & RAG provide support services to students

‘ together we grow’

What do we do?Sharing of knowledge, experience and

resourcesCo-ordination between student community

projectsAccess information regarding all student

involvement in communityProvide training and guidance for

volunteers Enhance the professionalism of

community projects

‘ together we grow’

Maties RAG Financial contribution towards MGD 60% - One Stop Service Funds student driven projects

‘together we grow’

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”

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’

Beneficiaries & Partners One Stop Service 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

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% - ABETReceived Academic award from Provincial

Minister of Education

MGD committed to maintain

Efficient, Effective and Quality service Working in partnership with community Embracing diversity

Tutoring children in the Pebbles Project After School Clubs

Metanoia Residence Volunteers

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

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

The recruitment involved advertising community interaction within the house meeting which created general awareness

We recruited 50 volunteers for tutoring

Involvement of volunteers

A tutor at Kaapzicht helping about 4 children with their school work

Project Development and PlanningThe 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

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

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

Success of the Project

Toy library project

During RAG Isa and Metanoia raised: R2454.13

“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)

Tutor’s personal success

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)

Recruitment and Retention of student volunteers

VOLUNTEERISM

Ek is ‘n

Matie

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

Challenges around student volunteers

Recruitment

TrainingRetention

Volunteer program grounded in theory

Management

Relationships hold interventions

Relationship above structure Structure is importantClear communicationParticipatory decision making and

ownershipContinuous casting of vision – people want

to be part of something bigger than themselves

Passion – leading by example

Good Management

For my CV Personal growthOut of classroom learning experienceDoorway to career pathSkills developmentFeeling socially responsible

Meeting volunteer expectation Motivation

RecruitmentYour 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

In ConclusionRetention

MGD the house of student volunteers

MGDVideo.avi