Interactive Life Skills Programme Introduced to Education MEC

Artscape and Grandwest will be introducing an exciting programme aimed at learners from Grades 8-10, to the Western Cape MEC for Education Cameron Dugmore, tomorrow (Tuesday 7 September), at 12h30 in the Good Hope Suiters, GrandWest Casino.

The interactive Life Skills Programme entitled "GrandWest Sound Track 4 Life" aims to empower teenagers to stand up for themselves when confronted with problems such as relationships and HIV/AIDS.

This programme came about when GrandWest learned that two of its staff members had AIDS. This was when the Corporate Social Investment committee considered requests for financial assistance from various groupings.

According to GrandWest, this realisation suggested to them that proactive AIDS education aimed at the young age group would be a valuable project as part of its social responsibility commitment.

The focus is HIV/AIDS, but it embraces all decisions and difficult situations that learners could find themselves in, encouraging them to think for themselves and seek effective and lifesaving solutions.

Artscape, together with GrandWest and Cape Heart Community & Educational Theatre Company is presenting the life skills workshops to Grade 8 - 10 learners, initially in Goodwood, Langa, Delft and Belhar.

The style of the workshops is called Boal Forum Theatre and invites strategies from the learners themselves as they battle the workshop team to find their own solutions.

Each session lasts about an hour-and-a-half and the workshop team consists of a facilitator, three players and a health counsellor, who are trained to elicit and invite participation and sharing on the part of the learners.

The "Sound Track 4 Life" Life Skills workshops format consists of a warm-up for all participants to break the ice, situations that are played out and challenged, strategies that are sought and decisions to take forward. These are presented in a fun, non-threatening manner and in a space where the learners feel safe and comfortable.

The workshops are not open to the general public as they deal with issues sensitive to the learners and their specific problems.

The producers of the programme hope to build on this first phase and take the "Sound Track 4 Life" workshops to more schools. In addition, they want to ensure that the teachers at the schools visited are empowered to run the workshops themselves.

For more information call Artscape's Simone Herandien on 021-410 9958 or GrandWest's Mary-Ann Prinsloo on 021-505 7777.

For enquiries, contact Gert Witbooi: 082 577 6551, or gwitbooi@pgwc.gov.za.

Gert Witbooi
Media Liaison Officer
Office of the MEC for Education
Western Cape
Tel: 021 467 2523
Fax: 021 425 5689
Visit our website: http://wced.wcape.gov.za

The Western Cape - A Home for All
INtshona Koloni - iKhaya loMntu wonke
Die Wes-Kaap - 'n Tuiste vir Almal