KeMoja Social Workers Training

In February and March we had The Train The Trainer KeMoja Workshop For Social Workers and Probation Officers in 4 regions which where Tshwane, Westrand, Sebokeng and Ekurhuleni, All in all 164 participants were trained which meant that we exceeded our target for the year because our yearly target for this training is to train 100 participants per year. The outcomes for the training were the following:
1. Participants to earn 22.5 CPD points in a form of certificates at the end of the training
2. Participants to gain presentation and facilitation skills
3. Participants to gain knowledge of the KeMoja programme and it’s vision
4. Participants to be taken through the monitoring and evaluation of the KeMoja programme
5. Participants to be taken through the two interventions of the KeMoja programme which are Mass based and Modular sessions
6. Participants to be assessed on the KeMoja programme
Before the trainings when securing the venues and organising catering AYDF had to ensure that the covid 19 regulations were adhered to with regards to ensuring that the venues were big enough for social distancing, the venues were disinfected prior to the trainings. Johannesburg training was postponed because there was a covid case detected prior to the training so it had to be postponed for the safety of the participants and to disinfect the building for future use. The duration of the trainings was 5 days with homework’s daily to cover the SACSSP required hours for competence.
The participants were taken through the two assessments that they were going to be assessed on which are the Formative and Summative assessments and what was required for them to be competent. The following are the most common expectations that came out from all trainings:
1. To learn how to engage with the target market
2. To learn how to convey the substance abuse message to children
3. To know what information to share
4. To learn how to work ethically with children
5. To learn more about substance prevention
6. To know more about how substance abuse affects the community as a whole
7. To learn more about aftercare programmes
8. To learn how to deal with service users
9. To learn how to deal with a family member using drugs
10. To learn how to send out substance information to different communities
11. What are the short and long effects of substance abuse?
12. To know what is KeMoja
13. Gain new strategies in terms of prevention in the community
The participants were then taken through the KeMoja background and KeMoja’s vision and Mission. They were also taken through training fundamentals where they were given knowledge on
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facilitation and presentation skills as they were the core of implementing the KeMoja programme, what stood out for the participants was that there’s not perfect presenter or facilitator, everyone can be a good presenter or facilitator they just needed to practice regularly to sharpen their skills which will make them better every time. One of the AYDF facilitator’s demonstrated one of the modules from manual 1 to show the participants how to facilitate KeMoja modules, she facilitated module 1 personal shield which is a boundary breaking motivation session for the participants to learn who they are and remember that intrinsic motivation exists and all they needed was to travel inside of themselves because “if you do not conquer self you will be conquered by self”. After being shown how to demonstrate the manual modules the participants were then paired up, given materials and topics from manual 1 to go prepare to present on day 2 and teach back..
On Day 2 the morning motivation sessions was another module demonstration from manual 1 module 8 The Value of Education by one of the trainers to show participants again how to facilitate modules in the manuals and to sort of prepare them for their presentations. The participants received the module demonstration well because most of the Sebokeng participants mentioned that the session made them want to go back to school as it touched the importance of education. The participants were split into small groups for the teach backs where they were going to facilitate the topics. The participants were stuttering a lot and sometimes wanted to quit, however due to positive trainers and supportive colleagues they were motivated to continue.
– The participants were taught the flip chart rules however some struggled applying the rule because some flip charts the words were written in one color, written in small words and not visible, there were a lot weak points making the flip charts bombarded with words and looked untidy etc.
– Due to the face masks it was hard to hear some of the facilitators as they were struggling to project their voices.
– The participants read a lot from their books and flip charts throughout their presentations forgetting to maintain eye contact and using up their space
Apart from the above mentioned gaps the participants really did well because they were prepared, they knew their subject matters and their content they just needed to improve the above mentioned in order to do better. When they were done facilitating they received constructive feedback from the trainers on their strengths and weaknesses. The participants mentioned at the end of the day that they appreciated the constructive feedback as it was constructive feedback and not destroying feedback. In West rand the social workers from Mogale City expressed that they have attended trainings throughout their career lives however it was their first time receiving feedback that was constructive and they could use even in future when preparing to speak in front of people.
On the third day the participants started off by being assessed on everything that was done on day 2 in a formative assessment then they were taken to their original small groups to be assessed on their presentations. During the teach backs the participants did extremely well because most of them had taken the feedback they were given the previous and applied it, people added interesting stuff to the presentations to add interest, participants were more confident, moving around using up their space, involved their audience more by asking them questions more and making them read from the flip charts which were more visible on the third day. Everyone was competent when assessed during teach back sessions/ presentations.
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On the fourth and fifth day there participants were taken through the second intervention Mass Based and they were given a chance to do it practically which they enjoyed because they saw that individually they are weak and united they are very strong and powerful. The power of team work was evident and one of the participants from Sebokeng also mentioned that Mass Based teaches departments that everyone has different strengths that when combined into one things turns into magic and great things are achieved. The Ekurhuleni team mentioned that they never did events together because they always had the mind of competing that’s why their events were always not as successful as they would’ve loved them to be however going forward they will use the KeMoja mass based strategy to do events because it is powerful. They were also taken through the monitoring and evaluation of the KeMoja programme.
Below please find the trainings challenges:
Challenges
– Late coming in all the trainings was a huge challenge because it meant on a daily basis the trainings were not starting on time so the schedule had to be adjusted daily and some sessions moved to the other days. This was addressed with the participants however the behavior continued and did not change. People complained of transport issues, some had stats to submit before the attending training etc.
– Absenteeism was also a huge challenge because when someone was absent then it meant on of the trainers was to use their break time to take the participant through what happened the previous day and get them on track with the schedule
– In Westrand on the first day the training had to be stopped at 1 because there was a memorial service of a politician so the training had to finish at 1 for the day to accommodate the memorial service, this was a huge setback because it meant the training team had to cut 2 hours on their schedule and try to squeeze the sessions on the following days which were already packed.
– Load shedding was also load shedding at Sebokeng because the projector operates on electricity so the training coordinator had to come up with a plan for the training to continue. Sessions were facilitated on flip charts and that worked out fine
– In Tshwane the lights in the ladies’ toilet were not working.
Successes
– The AYDF trainers always fully prepared and when a challenge arose like when there was load shedding in Sebokeng the facilitators managed to recover from that without showing the participants any glitches.
– Westrand venue checked prior to the training to ensure everything was in place before the training
– Participants were eager to learn and had positive attitude throughout the 5 days
– Participants really enjoyed small groups and felt comfortable to facilitate because of the constructive feedback. On the second day we had participants fighting to present first because of the constructive feedback they received the previous day, they showed that the feedback given by the trainers to the participants helped boost the participant’s self-esteem. Magic carpet was a huge plus for the participants because it showed how powerful team work is.
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Social Workers Training Feedback
1. What did you enjoy most about the workshop?
 The workshop was very informative
 It doesn’t discriminate people. No one was excluded whether you knew or didn’t know anything
 How knowledge and information was delivered through play and activities
 Personal shield and leadership
 Facilitators were always on time and were always in control of the workshop
2. What did you learn during the workshop sessions that you will use in your life?
 How to utilize co facilitation and teach back method
 I have learnt that as a person you need to balance knowledge with discipline
 How to do mass based presentations
 I have learnt that all of us are responsible for our communities to help them stop using drugs
3. Were the facilitators knowledgeable on the workshop subjects? Did they facilitate well? Please briefly explain.
 They were knowledgeable because when we were talking about FAS they explained very well and gave information that was not on the module
 They were too brilliant and talented. They are true leaders.
 Facilitators were very knowledgeable because I’m much more informed with everything in the manuals.
KeMoja Coordinators Parents and Caregivers Support Training
A total of 43 KeMoja Coordinators were trained on the KeMoja Parents and Caregivers Support programme. At first participants were not so keen to be trained on the programme, however after engaging with the content participants were more open as they saw the value of the programme. Participants shared that the parents programme will be welcomed by parents. Day one main focus. Participants were also given guidelines on how to facilitate to adults. Day one was concluded with the experiential learning activity Personal Shield. This session brought out a lot of behavior and also showed how individuals made decisions which only benefits themselves. During debriefing of the activity participants were encouraged to make decisions which would assist all coordinators the importance of knowing self and taking that journey to travel on the inside. This is crucial in the fight against the scourge of substance abuse.
Day 2 started with one of the parents’ manuals module demonstration Healthy Living. Participants also presented the in small groups the topics they were allocated and were given feedback regarding their presentation on what they did well and areas of improvement. The remainder of the third day was mainly dedicated to planning on how all NPOs are going to achieve the targets, during this session the coordinators were encouraged to think of creative ways to implement the programme. This was pivotal as it assisted coordinators to think out of the box in coming with ways to implement all the KeMoja interventions within the lockdown protocols.
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KeMoja Parenting Training Feedback
What did you enjoy most about the workshop?
 Enjoyed the detailed presentations and facilitation’s presented by the colleagues. They were effective and their voice projection was spot on.
 Meeting new people and the adventure of a new manual.
 The group interactions.
What did you learn during the workshop session that you will use in your life?
 I learnt that there are five levels of leadership
 The importance of knowing on what level of leadership are you on with your team as individuals.
 Importance of healthy living and how to communicate effectively with your child.
Were the facilitators knowledgeable on the workshop subjects? Did they facilitate well? Please briefly explain
 The facilitators were excellent. They should keep up the good work.
 Facilitators shared important facts and was well prepared.
KeMoja Alternatives Coaches training
A total of 139 participants were trained on the KeMoja Alternatives across the five regions. The training focused on the following KeMoja Alternatives i.e. KeMoja Poetry, KeMoja Beat, KeMoja Hearts and Minds and the newly added KeMoja Music. External facilitators who are expects in the field of Music and Drama to facilitate the two interventions of the KeMoja programme. The participants enjoyed the training as all sessions consisted of more interactive activities. It was often emphasized throughout the kemoja alternatives that the aim is not to know how to sing or dance however one needs to be passionate about arts. The sessions were not about teaching the participants on how to sing or dance however participants were rather equipped with basic skills to assist on how to train vocal cords and how to create a play without writing a script. The participants had fun partaking in these activities as this challenged them to be creative in delivering an entertaining yet impactful session.
Some of the notable challenges that were faced by the training team such as load shedding in Sedibeng region however the team used the generator which was provided by the NPO as back up. It was also encouraging to have a high number of coordinators in attendance so that they are equipped with kemoja alternatives.
KeMoja Alternatives Training Participants Feedback
1. What did you enjoy most about the workshop?
 M & E clarity and practical work
 I enjoyed the activities and I gained more knowledge on poetry, music and dance. I also gained confidence and ready to implement.
 It was informative, fruitful, broad to everybody and very effective basic skills
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 Facilitators were super good, they made the sessions fun and enthusiastic for everyone.
2. What did you learn during the workshop sessions that you will use in your life?
 I’ve learnt that you must set goals in your life and have a plan about your tomorrow
 How to facilitate the KeMoja alternatives programme
 How to project the planning arrow
 I learnt that in life you have to take good care of yourself and that you have to enjoy your life being sober.
3. Were the facilitators knowledgeable on the workshop subjects? Did they facilitate well? Please briefly explain.
 Yes, they were able to give the information that we needed to hear, that will help us in implementing the alternatives programme
 Yes, they were knowledgeable, facilitated well because they provided manuals with interesting information and able to give clear examples
 Yes, they were full of information, audible and had relevant material. I rate them 5 out of 5
Ke Moja Provincial Talent Show Report
Alternatives are part of the Ke Moja programme, aimed at encouraging youth and children to participate in recreational activities. The alternatives events are part of the Ke Moja alternatives rollout.
On the 29th of September 2020, during a Ke Moja alternatives poetry training session, NPO’s were tasked with the responsibility of coordinating and hosting their very own local community talent shows. 2 winners from each category of dance, drama, poetry, and music were selected and went on to compete in the regional’s competition within their specific regions; organized by the AYDF alternatives team comprising of Siyanda Makiwane, Zanele Malaza and Nkululeko Mkhwanazi. Only 1 winner was selected for each category from the 5 regions. In total, that equaled 20 contestants. 1 more dance team was added as a special invite, which made it 21 contestants. These were to compete for the prize money of R1000 for each category, trophy and bragging rights as the provincial champ. On the 27th of March 2021, the first provincial Ke Moja alternatives event took place.
Set-up
By 5am in the morning, the outreach team was on-site with the truck, ready to set up. The process took longer than expected and by 8am, the truck was still being set up. Set up and sound check was done by 10 am. The set-up of the truck was not as smooth as it took longer than they had planned and anticipated, considering the contestants sound equipment being connected and checked.
Arrivals
NPO sites coming with contestants ran late, many citing traffic as the issue and taxi association denying taxi access to Ekurhuleni however all the challenges were resolved.
Pre-event briefing
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With regards to team briefing, team leaders for specific tasks were responsible for briefing with their teams on how to handle their designated tasks. An area of improvement is that roles and groupings should have been sent the day before so that everyone involved with the event came knowing what their role was.
Registration
The registration of participants and contestants went well. Some individuals were able to register online, prior to the day, by filling in the registration form created by Joshua Rubidge, M&E coordinator. However, others registered on the morning of the event. Due to Covid-19, registration was set to cut off at 250 people. Tsohang NPO could collect stats by registering participants separately from AYDF. Participants kept on arriving and wanting to enter the tents and be part of the event, however due to Covid-19 and the set number already reached, they could only be allowed to watch from the sidelines. With regards to this we received a lot of complaints from the community, many citing that they were unaware of the event, on top of that they were being denied entry due to Covid-19. One group of young people from an organization called “Reakgona Mo Tsomv” wanted to render an item of dance, however they were not allowed due to an already set and rigid programme. They requested that they be alerted to events such as this one next time so that they can be given the opportunity to showcase their talents as well.
Another challenge we came across whilst dealing with registration was that once we reached the cutoff numbers, we simply closed registration of participants and forgot to close off areas of entry. By the time this was realized, some unregistered participants had already walked through and had to be requested to exit the demarcated area and watch from the sidelines. A suggestion for future events is that once a red tape is put up with the purpose of blocking entrance, people or rather security needs to be assigned to the blocked entrances so that people do not slip in unnoticed.
Opening and welcome
The Masters of Ceremonies for the day were Tshidiso Klaas and Wilson Masango. They opened the event with a bang, the deejay playing all the popular songs; introduced themselves and reminded participants and contestants of the covid-19 rules. One of the coordinators from Tsohang opened with prayer and the event was fully underway. Siyanda Makiwane, part of the Ke Moja alternatives team, was called upon to introduce the alternatives programme. He welcomed everyone, formally introduced the judges, and went on to fully and clearly explain when and how the alternatives came about as well as the purpose of the day. He was excellent and thorough in his task.
Performances
The first category was poetry and Lebogang from Tshwane region delivered a poem on Gender Based Violence; followed by 2 poets from Ekurhuleni with a poem on death, Joburg, Lesedi from Westrand with a poem on Nyaope and finally Stanley from Sedibeng.
The second category was music, and Amogelang from Tshwane was the first contestant to start. One of the music group contestants could not perform as the sound team needed to set up their instruments: guitar, drums etc. they performed after the first drama performance.
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The third category was drama. With regards to music and drama, a suggestion for future events is that age-appropriateness of content should be stressed, and non-compliance should be punished with immediate disqualification. Zanele Malaza from the alternatives team explained that they had requested this from the contestants, however some did not heed the request. This was problematic as young eyes were watching and listening.
The last category was music, and the contestants delivered hair-raising performances that got participants off their feet in excitement.
Announcement of Winners
Before the winners could be announced, the judges announced a tie between Native Nation and The Hands under the category of Ke Moja Beats: Dance. They were given 10 minutes to battle it out on the dance floor before the final winners could be chosen. Native Nation won. The winners of the day were as follows:
 Ke Moja Poetry: Lesedi from Westrand won a trophy and R1000 prize money.
 Ke Moja Music: Melodic Tee from SANCA Midrand won a trophy and R1000 prize money.
 Ke Moja Beats/Dance: Native Nation from Rosettenville won a trophy and R1000 prize money.
 Ke Moja Hearts and Minds Drama: Marvelous from Tsohang won a trophy and R1000 prize Money.
The judges explained that it was extremely difficult to choose one winner in the dance category as two teams stood out. However, as only one prize was offered for 1st place, they had to consider skill, age, and motivation. They went with Native Nation. All winners also received a sponsored voucher of an attire courtesy of PK Print zone.
Successes and Highlights
 The team took great effort in ensuring that the government regulation of 250 people for outdoors seating was adhered to under adjusted lockdown rules.
 The food provided by catering was enough for all the catered individuals.
 The team was clearly visible in uniform.
 The event created a positive ambience in the community and promoting the KeMoja brand.
Recommendations
 Performers need to be told in time how much time they will be allocated so that they plan and prepare accordingly, as some took longer than the allocated time.
 Proper planning needs to be prioritized with regards to inviting media houses for coverage and publicity as those invited for the event did not show up.
 Water provision (enough) always needs to be a priority, especially during hot weather days.
 Ensure that enough programme copies are printed out for future events so that everyone can get their own copy as a Covid-19 safety regulation.
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Participants and Contestants feedback
Participants from the community enjoyed the event, and the performances. They requested that the next time we do events in the area, we should advertise them widely so that they know and can prepare accordingly.
Vote of Thanks and Closing
Mr. Basetsana Malinga closed with a vote of thanks to all the directors, managers, coordinators, coaches, contestants present as well as to the community for their support. He encouraged young people to focus on their talents and to work on cultivating those gifts and talents as an alternative to engaging in risky behavior which has delayed and destroyed many. By 4pm, everything was done, and everyone was free to go home, except the team which had to clean up and help the outreach team pack equipment’s. All in all, it was a successful day, a lot of people left in a happy mood.
KE MOJA STUDY GROUP PROGRAMME (Substance Abuse through Academic Excellence)
Objectives
 Reorientation of existing Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) Interns at the African Youth Development Fund (AYDF) and the KeMoja Programme interventions.
 Capacitation and up skilling of all EPWP interns for the purposes of implementation, training and monitoring of the KeMoja Programme
 Team building
Summary
The three-day camp achieved all of its objectives. All EPWP interns were exposed to a number of key areas that relate to the implementation of the KEMOJA programme and all of the supporting roles that interns need to take on to fulfil their duties. The team felt more unified through their understanding of what the KeMoja Programme hopes to achieve not only in Gauteng, but also the potential it has in the rest of the country.
Schedule and Content Breakdown
Day 1
Introduction and Welcome
All 20 EPWP interns were welcomed to the camp where the purpose and objectives of the camp were highlighted. Nhlanhla Zwane introduced AYDF’s vision and mission to the team which fostered unity and a sense of a shared goal. Natasha then followed up by introducing the KeMoja Programme and our affiliation with GDSD and she further explained the different kemoja interventions and the role the team plays in ensuring that NPOs implement qualitative and impactful programme.
 KeMoja Alternatives
This session was led by Siyanda who gave an overview of KeMoja Alternatives programmes followed by practical activities on poetry. This demonstration highlights to EPWP interns how they should be
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holding workshops for coaches who are implementing as well as the range of topics that can be covered. It is educational and fun.
Day 2
Monitoring tools review.
An in depth look at all the relevant monitoring, budgeting, requisition and reporting tools that are required for EPWP interns to fulfil their duties and meet their key performance areas (KPA’s). All interns were given copies of the relevant forms and it was filled out. Interns had the opportunity to ask questions to clarify the administrative roles that are assigned to them when they are not conducting training.
 SAPTAE
Substance Abuse Prevention through Academic Excellence (SAPTAE) presentation on course materials and practical work. SAPTAE Trainers (Tlou and Clearence) demonstrated the effectiveness of having learners who struggle with mathematics actively engage content through the formation of small peer groups. Trainers were able to explain equations and give necessary formulae to solve mathematical programmes.
 Team Building and Reflection
The entire team went paintballing as a team building exercise.
Nkuli led a practical reflection activity which allowed all interns to reflect on the work that the EPWP interns are doing and how harnessing the entirety of one’s skills can foster tremendous social and personal change. This activity got incredible feedback where some interns had reported feeling clear on their purpose at AYDF and what they are capable of bringing to the team.
Conclusion
We would like to thank the Department of Social Development for their continuous trust in AYDF to assist with monitoring and supporting NPOs who are funded to implement the programme. The KeMoja Alternatives talent shows has been very exciting and also brought a breath of fresh air to the programme. The Outreach programme is also aimed at reaching other participants such as parents, caregivers and also ECD children who were not initially being reached. This is a great strategy and will make an enormous impact within the communities where the programme is being implemented.