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UFS partners with local radio stations to address community issues

08 December 2020 | Story Dikgapane Makhetha | Photo Supplied

In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Directorate: Community Engagement (CE) has initiated an innovative platform on which students can continue to engage with university community partners, and at the same time be assessed for their service-learning and community engagement projects.

The E-Engagement approach also meets the University of the Free State’s (UFS) strategic mandate to be a caring, responsive, and engaged university. Coordinated by the UFS CE office, academic staff and students are scheduled to engage with the community partners through radio broadcasts and virtual mode platforms. Informative content that has been researched, prepared, and presented by students in a pre-recorded format, will address significant issues brought about by the surge of COVID-19, creating a breeding ground for some of the societal ills, such as gender-based violence (GBV).

In order to establish sustainable relationships with community radio stations, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with two local community radio stations was signed on the UFS Bloemfontein Campus on 10 October 2020. Prof Puleng LenkaBula, the Vice-Rector: Institutional Change, Student Affairs, and Community Engagement, and Bishop Billyboy Ramahlele, CE Director, participated in the commitment to formalise the relationship between the UFS and the two radio stations, Mosupatsela FM and Motheo FM.

Master’s students from the Department of Psychology have produced and pre-recorded podcasts on community psychology. Their topics covered grief and self-compassion. The Department of Nutrition and Dietetics presented topics on a healthy lifestyle and diet. Fourth-year students from the School of Nursing have engaged new mothers concerning post-natal care. The School of Clinical Medicine has addressed the warning signs of burnout and preventative measures.

Bishop Ramahlele emphasised the importance of sustained relationship, which is expected to create further opportunities for interaction through partnerships in skills training (ICT) and the sharing of resources, including consultations through conference platforms. Prof LenkaBula highlighted the significance of the MOA by applauding the initiative, which has unlimited potential to ensure national development through student engagement, since universities create development sites that can be transferred further into the community.

News Archive

Mandela Day to be celebrated by giving back to vulnerable communities

2015-07-16

Photo: Anita Venter

The office of Community Engagement at the University of the Free State will celebrate Mandela Day in a joint partnership project with the Faculty of Medicine’s Community Service Learning Committee, supporting the launch of Lesedi Multi-purpose Community Development Village.

The Mandela Day event will be hosted by Anita Venter and Sebabatso Mofama, co-founders of the Start Living Green Change Agents. On-going community projects will assist vulnerable communities in the Free State such as youth, women and children, the disabled, and the elderly. In promoting ‘green’ living, the project promotes the use of recycled old tyres, bottles, straw bricks, and adobe bricks as building materials.

The project is supported by the University of the Free State, Clean and Green Free State Campaign, and Redisa, the Government of Flanders, Belgium. Co-sponsors are KovsieFM and St Peter’s Methodist Church.

Donations are welcome for building and hardware equipment. For more information on how to participate, contact: Dikgapane Makhetha on +27(0)76 020 9423 or Anita Venter +27(0)51 401 3731

Date: 18 July 2015
Place: 129 Vlei Avenue, Roodewal Smallholdings, Airport/Maselspoort Road
Time: 09:00 - 16:00

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