CPUT advocates civic engagement
OPEN DIOLAGUE: Department: Biotechnology and Consumer Science Lecturer, Theloshni Govender in an open dialogue with students, Mikayla Siljeur and Jessica Martheze.
Thursday, 28 November 2019
The Centre for Community Engagement and Work- Integrated Learning (WIL) recently hosted a 'Trans-disciplinary Service-Learning & Civic Engagement Partnership Summit World Café and Open Space Dialogue'.
The primary purpose of the occasion was to gather stakeholders including lecturers and students from various disciplines, government officials, community members and CPUT alumni to surface, explore and put forward inputs towards formulating guidelines for designing and implementing ‘Transdisciplinary Service Learning’.
Doug Reeler from Tamarind Tree Associates who facilitated the different sessions said: “In my view this was achieved. Each of the groups that met documented their findings and submitted these to [Service-Learning & Civic Engagement Units Manager], Jacqui Scheepers who will oversee the formulation of the said guidelines.”
The workshop’s theme was, “How can we work creatively across disciplines to enhance service and service engagement? What are we getting right and what do we need to get right?” Reeler said the event helped to strengthen relationships for future work in this important field. “People learned much from each other and I was told that several [people] made plans for working together. I also saw people being honoured for their contribution over the past year,” he added.
Student, Mikayla Siljeur said the event was a great opportunity to network with academic staff and community partners outside of a formal setting. “The open space dialogue created an opportunity for me to develop some innovative ideas that would be beneficial for future students,” she remarked.
Another student, Jessica Martheze said: “This experience has allowed me to have better perspective of community service.”
Meanwhile CPUT alumnus, Mpendulo Gabayi recommended regular similar workshops. “It was very fruitful with people coming up with interesting opinions which can help the common goal which is integrated learning and how we can support the students and community at large,” Gabayi noted. Department of Applied Sciences lecturer and Work-Integrated Learning Co-ordinator, Dr Lalini Reddy said the event was a great and ‘very refreshing programme’.
Reddy said: “We found out how similar we are in terms of identifying a need for our society to collectively groom our youth to become our future leaders.”
Written by Aphiwe Boyce
Email: boyceap@cput.ac.za
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