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Kovsie ACT volunteer programme promotes leadership and skills development

28 October 2024 | Story Zingaphi Mdletshe | Photo Supplied

Kovsie Act Volunteer Programme 2024 — Kovsie ACT volunteers undergo leadership and skills training, preparing them to engage in community service and develop sustainable solutions to societal challenges beyond university life.

The University of the Free State’s (UFS) Kovsie ACT office continues to foster a spirit of humanity among students through a leadership and skills development training initiative that is aimed at not only developing them as volunteers but also as conscientious individuals who understand the value of helping others.

“The leadership and skills development training is a platform that the ACT office utilises to ensure that volunteers are equipped with the necessary skills needed to fulfil their duties as Central ACT Committee members, thereby facilitating a smooth term,” said Teddy Sibiya, Senior Assistant Officer at Kovsie Support Services. “We aim to impart knowledge that will be beneficial during their term and beyond their involvement with the ACT office.”

Touching on how the training aligns with the broader goals of the Kovsie ACT Volunteer Programme for the term 2024/2025, Sibiya emphasised that sustainability has always been at the heart of Kovsie ACT and that their activities provide opportunities for students to engage in community service and participate in environmental initiatives to assist civil society organisations. The programme also encourages students to become active global citizens by addressing transnational issues such as food insecurity and socio-economic challenges.

“I am excited about the opportunity to be part of a movement that influences not just the lives of students but also reaches beyond the university, promoting innovative and sustainable solutions on a larger scale,” said Raylene Bussack, a Central ACT Committee volunteer. “My goal is to inspire and empower others to join us in this vital work to make a lasting difference together.”

In addition to leadership training, Kovsie ACT offers various programmes designed to enhance students' skills in areas such as communication, teamwork and project management. These skills are essential for their roles within Kovsie ACT and for their future careers. By participating in community service projects, students build valuable relationships and gain practical experience that will benefit them upon graduation. The initiative ultimately aims to create a culture of giving back among students while enriching their university experience.

News Archive

Kovsie student translates and interprets between English and Mandarin

2012-11-14

Chen-Shu
14 November 2012

When television channel e.tv recently interviewed successful Chinese businesspersons in South Africa and Tanzania, they turned to Kovsie student Chen-Shu Fang to translate from English into Mandarin. Chen-Shu, who has completed a BA Honours in Linguistics, is the first student in the Department of Linguistics and Language Practice translating and interpreting between English and Mandarin.

Born in Taiwan, Chen-Shu started her high-school education in South Africa in 1997 and matriculated in 2001. She completed a Bachelor’s degree in Taiwan, but returned to South Africa in 2011, enrolling for studies in the Department of Linguistics and Language Practice. After completing her honours degree in June 2012, Chen-Shu decided to also enrol for the practical honours module in Translation Studies in preparation of her Master’s degree next year.

“I have some background knowledge in linguistics, but during my studies at the UFS, I discovered an interest in interpreting and translation. Therefore, I changed my main focus from Linguistics to Language Practice,”says Chen-Shu.

This year, Chen-Shu also started offering translation and interpretation services. Her first interpreting brief from the Unit for Language Facilitation and Empowerment (ELFE) at the UFS was for Dairy Belle where she had to interpret for a technician from China. She furthermore assists in the translation of the website of Hsiang Chun Orchid Garden, a Bloemfontein-based company (www.hcorchids.co.za).

“I have a great interest in translation, and would also like to offer my language skills and knowledge gained in this course to the Mandarin-speaking community in Bloemfontein. This degree has given me the opportunity to practise and enhance the necessary language practice skills. ”

On assessing Chen-Shu’s translations, an external marker for Mandarin from Rhodes University commented as follows on our department’s course: “I am impressed by your generous and relaxed attitude towards such a diverse group of students, so that they can actually follow a translation course and develop translation skills within their own, unique context”.

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