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01 July 2021 | Story Dikgapane Makhetha | Photo Supplied

This year, the young people of South Africa celebrated 45 years of the annual commemoration of Youth Day. The University of the Free State (UFS) Community Engagement (CE) office on the Qwaqwa Campus has engaged a number of stakeholders in the call to use football as a means of bringing people together, transforming lives, and enthusing communities. Through partnerships, community organisations have great potential to create opportunities for breaking down barriers and inspiring social cohesion, initiating enablement through the development of social projects, and promoting education and health awareness. 

On 16 June this year, local community organisations collaborated in the hosting of a soccer event for the youth of Qwaqwa at the FIFA Football for Hope Stadium in Tsheseng. The Agape Foundation for Community Development, Love Life, Right to Care, Youth in Action, Qwaqwa FIFA Project, and the Tsheseng Athletics Club were all stakeholders who diligently joined forces to ensure the successful launch of the tournament. Community development practitioners, who are trainees in the UFS Qwaqwa Department of Community Development, were garbed in departmental branded gear and have cautiously facilitated adherence to COVID-19 protocols.  About 250 people, including football fans and participants, attended and enjoyed the entertaining games. Through the partnered recreational project, the Qwaqwa Campus CE office responded to the 2021 Youth Day theme: ‘Growing Youth Employment for an inclusive and transformed society’, by enhancing opportunities for networking among stakeholders. Football is popularly known for promoting transformational social projects in diverse communities across the globe.

News Archive

Competition can assist with transformation
2008-06-04

At the announcement of the winners of the transformation competition were, from the left, front: Ms Khani Seatile, Prof. Helena van Zyl, Director of the School of Management, Ms Charlotte Gallego, Ms Debbie Packwood; back: Mr Valentine Ndhlela and Mr Roger Potgieter.
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs

     

Competition can assist with transformation

The School of Management of the University of the Free State (UFS) held a transformation competition amongst its MBA and BML students. The winners were announced at a function that was held on the Main Campus of the university in Bloemfontein this week.

Prof. Helena van Zyl, Director of the School of Management, said: “The competition gave the students the opportunity to apply their expertise and knowledge and in this way they could add value to the university’s challenge to manage the transformation process effectively and to the benefit of all.” In the competition students had to provide recommendations to the management of the UFS on the effective management of the transformation process at the institution.

The winners in the MBA category were Ms Charlotte Gallego and Mr Roger Potgieter. In the BML category Mr Valentine Ndhlela, Ms Khani Seatile and Ms Debbie Packwood were the winners. The winners can attend either a conference on knowledge, culture and change at organisations in the United Kingdom or a conference on entrepreneurship in Ireland. This prize includes air fare, accommodation and the registration fee for the conference. They also get a 10%-bonus mark in a module of their choice.

Some of the suggestions made by the students include:

The use of the Reitz incident as an empowering tool for skills development for all staff to participate in and not only the previously disadvantaged communities.

Another suggestion was that it is not enough to acknowledge people’s issues involved in organisational change and restructuring in an organisation. Management must be equipped to deal with these challenges. In order to ensure long-term survival, the university must develop skills in strategic transformation.

One of the students also suggested the displaying of notice boards in student residences to enhance unity and shared values, using the slogan “We are all human beings no matter what we are”.

Media Release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel:  051 401 2584
Cell:  083 645 2454
E-mail:  loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
4 June 2008

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