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02 November 2018 | Story Charlene Stanley | Photo Johan Roux
Grassroots Champions Rising Above Challenges
Prof Richard Teare, President of the Global University of Lifelong Learning (GULL) (far left), Karen Venter, Head of Service Learning (second from left) and Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, Director of Community Engagement (second from right) with graduates of GULL’s non-academic programme.

Reciprocity. That’s what it’s all about when it comes to engaged teaching and learning in a community context.  Everyone must benefit – which includes getting recognition for what you’ve achieved,” says Karen Venter, Head of Service Learning in the Directorate: Community Engagement.
   
This conviction was put into practice at the recent Grassroots Community Engagement Awards. It was an opportunity to thank and award all the role players who made a success of this year’s Learning Festival, presented in partnership with Bloem Shelter on the Bloemfontein Campus earlier this year. During the festival, 55 skills development workshops were offered in a collaborative effort to create sustainable income-generating micro enterprises.

Global University for Lifelong Learning graduates

The awards function also doubled as a proper ‘Cap and Gown’ ceremony for 18 participants in the Global University for Lifelong Learning (GULL) programme. For the past three years, they’ve been involved in action learning on a uniquely designed Professional Bachelor Pathway to Holistic Development. This pathway is rooted in spiritual, personal, and professional development, where the learning of skills for entrepreneurship is key to gain personal and professional viability, moving from dependence to independence.

“GULL’s approach is to give people in the community a chance to advance themselves. Our focus is professional and not academic. It’s about life skills and professional skills where people don’t have the funds or qualifications to follow an academic route,” explained Prof Richard Teare, President of GULL, who came all the way form the UK to officiate the ceremony.
  
Academics and Life Skills running parallel

“What makes the UFS involvement in our programme so great, is that it’s run parallel with an excellent academic programme offered by the university.”

He emphasised the importance of graduation ceremonies, as it instilled a sense of pride and gave graduates an opportunity to reflect on how far they’ve come in improving their own circumstances. 

“This is a deep form of learning, because we are enabling people to move from their difficult circumstances and release their own inner potential.”

News Archive

Social cohesion tops the agenda at arts week
2015-08-31


What’s the Difference deur Tanya Britz
Photo: Lelanie de Wet

Launching the annual Arts 4 Social Justice (A4SJ) week, taking place from 12-19 August 2015 at the Institute for Reconciliation and Social Justice (IRSJ) the Bloemfontein Campus was alive with artworks placed in various buildings and open spaces.

Angelo Mockie said, “This is an opportunity to share knowledge.” Mockie is the coordinator of the annual Arts 4 Social Justice week which gives artists a platform to convey their experiences, and engage students and the public on social issues of national significance.


Meaningful Places deur Adelheid von Maltitz, bygestaan deur Nicolene Jonker en Xoliswa Msimango
Photo: Michelle Nothling

Coinciding with the week’s events, the IRSJ launched the National Flagship Project in the Visual Arts, funded by the National Arts Council. The theme of the project is ‘Emancipating the African voice in the visual arts for social cohesion purposes’. According to Mockie, “this endeavour is crucial to confronting the histories, policies, and practices that have shaped and constrained the intellectual and social mandates of higher education institutions.”

Adelheid von Maltitz, Klas Thibeletsa, Richard Bollers, and Jaco Spies were some of the artists exhibiting their creative work. A host of students from the university’s Fine Arts Department also presented their works across the campus.

The focus on social justice aims to inspire audiences toward developing engaged citizenship and cohesive communities.

 



What’s the Difference deur Tanya Britz
Photo: Michelle Nothling


History is the Required Process by Motseokae Klas Thibeletsa

 

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