16 May 2009

The Nation Eisteddfod Academy: What is the role that is played by the Eisteddfod?

An Eisteddfod is a festival of literature, music or dance. The first Eisteddfod was held in Cardigan Castle, Wales in 1176 at which prizes of chairs were awarded to the winners! The next recorded Eisteddfod was held in

Caerwys in 1568. The prizes awarded were a miniature silver chair to the successful poet, a silver tongue to the best singer, and a tiny silver harp to the best harpist. The present day format owes much to an 18th Century revival arising out of a number of informal eisteddfodau.  

FOCUS: What is the role of the National Eisteddfod? 

Dr. Francois van der Berg – CEO National Eisteddfod Academy

082 854 2059

Nicola Habeck- (11) Performer 082 375 9302

Gordon Rikhotso – (20) Performer 082 998 7362

Jude Tsebe – (22) Performer also deals with behind the scenes adjudication admin. 072 877 9407  

02 May 2009

First time employees: Understanding The World of Work.

Young people need to rise up and make a success of their lives. They should not, commit crime, they should not depend on the government or sit back and wait for the “Oh So Generous Fairy”. But how can they do that if they

are tricked and exploited when they find - what they believe to be or what is portrayed to them as - a decent job.

FOCUS: What should young people look out for before accepting a job? Are these young people exploited because they do not have working experience? On which grounds can these young people approach the CCMA? Are the employers doing this out of desperation? Are there any particular programmes that are put in place to ensure that young people get training before they enter the working environment (internship programmes)? What action can these two ladies take against their former employers? What are the biggest mistakes that these ladies made?     

GUESTS in the studio:

Lethabo Tseka – (22) Lost her Job two weeks ago. She had not signed any formal contract with her employer they had a verbal agreement. She was told to leave yet she was not given a reason why. 084 921 6586   

Jacqueline Mashigo – (20) She quit her job on Wednesday after being paid R297.00 for six weeks worth of telemarketing work. This figure is only a small fraction of the basic salary which was on the contract that she signed. 074 821 2566

Sarah Christie - Independent mediator, arbitrator, researcher and writer on employment law. She also has extensive experience as a senior commissioner at the CCMA (Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration).

021 447 8982 // 083 776 6650  

04 April 2009

  Peace and Anti-racism Course for young people  

In the past year we have heard of a number of fatalities that occurred in schools. Schoolmates fought against each other and some ended up being killed. We also witnessed the Xenophobic attacks which occurred in throughout the country.   

Over the past 8 years, peace, human rights, and anti-racism education became a core programme of the Umtapo Centre. Learners from Limpopo Province and KZN participated in the course to go back to their schools and communities to tackle the issue of violence and racism at schools. As part of its ongoing national programme, Umtapo Centre has recently conducted a Peace Human Rights and Anti Racism Training of Trainers Course. The course took place on the 31^st March and ended on the 3^rd of April 2009.

GUESTS in the Durban studio:

Arun Naicker – Offical Project Director at Umtapo Centre (Durban)

Robyn Paul - Umbilo Secondary School

Caleb Joshua - Chatsworth Secondary School Both

Arun Naicker - 082 783 6126

21 March 2009

Nguva Yedu – Our Time – Thuba Lethu The Book Cafe Youth Festival  

This is a celebration of African youth and renewal, creativity and a vision for a future Africa - through music, poetry, comedy, workshops, arts journalism, open discussion and cultural exchange. Their goal in bringing this festival to Zimbabwe is to create impetus to the spirit and creative energy of youth, and recognise that Africa’s hope for future lies in the hands of its young generation. They believe that their time has come. They stand astride the present and future, the global world of internet and home-grown identity and values. Young minds are ever-searching. They are our renewal.  

GUEST on the line:   Antonio Lyons (Actor, Musician and Poet)

Contacts:  082 720 4229

Allan Gray Orbis Fellowship Programme

The Allan Gray Orbis Foundation is calling South Africa’s brightest Grade 12 learners with the chance to make their future dreams come true in April 2009 through writing the Alternative Admissions Research Project (AARP) Test. Allan Gray Orbis Foundation is searching for candidates who it feels have what it takes to become the next Mark Shuttleworth. Winning candidates called Allan Gray Fellows, stand to benefit from a life-changing three year programme (including full financial support) carefully crafted to develop these high-growth entrepreneurs.

Contact: 011 684 2812

GUESTS on the line:Kena Nkoma – Allan Gray Orbis Foundation’s Selection Specialist for Schools.

14 March 2009    

MIAGI YOUTH ORCHESTRA AUDITIONS

MIAGI (Music Is A Great Investment) has commenced the audition phase for the 2009 Youth Orchestra and MIAGI Youth Big Band. Successful applicants from across the country now have the opportunity to take part in one of the most exciting youth music projects in South Africa.   

The successful applicants will become part of the MIAGI Youth Orchestra (MYO) and MIAGI Youth Big Band (MYBB) and be able to take part in a host of exciting training and performing opportunities in South Africa and Europe throughout 2009.

Guest on the line:   Richard Brooks - MIAGI Director

Contacts:  082 332 3398

Mentorship

What is mentoring?

• It is a programme that empowers learners (mentee) 
• It involves engaging with a mentee to build their strengths by spending time and talking about issues important to them, e.g. helping with their homework, and encourage their academic development 
• It is about sensitive listening, self exploration and responsible decision making 
• It is one-on-one help in the area of basic life skills 
• Essentially it is helping the learner to reflect on their life experiences 
• It is helping a learner to turn life experiences into knowledge that can be used for growth and action.

Goals of mentoring.

To establish and develop a trusting relationship between mentor and the Mentee

• To provide a safe space to encourage sharing and expressing feelings openly
•   To provide support in coming to terms with and rising above, circumstances and situations
• To assist the mentee in setting goals
• To encourage the development of positive behaviour through positive role modelling
• To contribute to the development of a healthy self esteem.
• To support relationships within the mentee’s own home and/or school environment by developing conflict management.

What it is not!

It is not about bringing tangible assets, e.g. money or personal favours

• Mentors are not advice givers or problem solvers
• Mentors are not psychologists, social workers, remedial teachers or nurses.

Benefits:

The benefits of the programme include:

For the mentee:

• To achieve an increase in empowerment and self-confidence.
• To be a responsible decision maker

For the Mentor:

• To achieve a sense of community purpose, responsibility and possibly personal growth.

GUESTS in the studio: 

Mentor:

Gift Poka – 076 859 9488

Mentee:

 Thabo Monareng – 071 610 6601

Bonke Shipalona – 083 781 0120

07 March 2009

Eating disorders

Very often unresolved trauma and pain play a very important role in eating disorders. People with eating disorders have a lot of pain as well as repressed emotions and needs that have never been addressed. Very often implies grief, stress and disturbed relations for these people and their families.   Eating disorders affect many thousands of people each year, particularly young women. Eating disorders are a subject which parents today cannot study enough.  

FOCUS: Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, compulsive/comfort eating, obsessive dieting/exercise, weight fluctuation, restrictive eating, purging, laxative abuse, dependency on slimming products and distorted body image. These things occur when one has an eating disorder.  

Zahn Otto - Clinical dietician

082 577 2129  

GUEST on the line:

Daisy* - She had anorexia when she was in high school and she’s glad she has recovered.  

082 440 2687 - 011 465 9721 or 011 792 4147. (Brad – 072 224 4089 Daisy’s boyfriend).

* She does not want to disclose her real identity

21 February 2009  

Sowetan Young Communicator’s Awards

This year represents the 16^th annual Anglo American-Sowetan Young Communicators Awards. The competition is only open to high school learners in grades 11 and 12 who do not speak English as a first or home language, or mother tongue. The 2009 YCA programme commences with over 60 workshops – aimed at both learners and educators – being rolled out across the country in all nine provinces during February and March. These workshops then feed into regional competitions where 12 district winners are chosen to compete against each other at the respective provincial contests.

Guest on the line:   Abdullah Verachia - Abdullah represents one of the project partners – MUNSA (Model United of South Africa). MUNSA is responsible for the academic development of YCA, using its network of university students to facilitate training workshops on public speaking and act as contest officials at the contests.

Contacts:  082 767 7700

School children dying while travelling on our roads

• FOCUS: How many children under the age of 18 die on the roads annually? Have numbers increased or decreased? What is the current accident rate? Are there any programmes that the government has initiated to focus on the issue of children that die on the road? Do the families of the deceased children receive any support from government afterwards? (Counselling, financial support for funeral costs) If a child is injured in a road accident, does she/he qualify for the road accident fund? How can a person apply for the road accident fund? How are the children dealt with? (the injured children, the children who survived in an accident but their friends didn’t) Are there any follow up programmes that are put in place to monitor these children?

South African Institute for Traumatic Stress – Martha Chauke 073 360 7420   and Dr Annemmie Scheepers.  

Guest on the line:

Road traffic management corporation – Chief Spokesman for RTMC - Ntau Letebele

Lethabo Tseka – lost her 16 year old cousin in a car accident. She was not close with her cousin but she realised that his death caused a lot of emotional turmoil between her (Lethatbo’s) uncle and aunt. 

It has been three year’s since the death of her cousin yet the subject of his death is a no go topic.

14 February 2009

Why Not Art

It is an educational art exhibition which will take place on the 01 March. The aim of the exhibition is to help guide the learners who are still at school on how to build portfolios and pursue different fields of study such as interior design; layout design; fashion design and architecture

Guest on the line:  Philani Mhlungu - Arts Education Programme Developer

Contacts:  0828751415

Young people who are visually impaired

How do they get by on a daily basis? When did they (they young people) become blind (if they were not born blind)? How do the parents raise a blind child? What are the challenges? Have they ever reached a point where they felt like they could give up on life? Have the parents ever reached a point where they felt that they couldn’t take care of the child anymore? What does an organization like South African National Council for the Blind do? What is it like working with blind people? What are the challenges of being blind? Which other programmes is Blind SA is currently running?  

Heila De Beer - is a volunteer for Blind SA and they have chosen her to represent them. She is also visually impaired

082 358 6573

Yanga Thutshana – 17 years old and visually impaired