Barloworld volunteerism programme

The Barloworld Group has launched a volunteerism programme which will see staff from the group’s head office and subsidiaries donating their time and skills in an effort to improve the education system in South Africa.

Barloworld is one of TEACH South Africa’s strategic partners, providing support, both financial and in kind, to help build capacity in schools.

The volunteerism programme was launched on July 28, 2010 at the Barloworld head office in Sandton.

It was attended by Barloworld executives, TEACH South Africa staff, representatives of the Ekurhuleni South school district, the Department of Education and learners and educators from five schools in Ekurhuleni.

Barloworld Group HR Executive Khanyisile Kweyama opened the launch event by providing an overview of the group’s corporate social investment (CSI) programme, which provides assistance in the areas of education, HIV, environmental awareness and poverty alleviation.

The group’s CSI focus is currently on education, and Kweyama called on Barloworld staff to give of their time wherever they could.

“We cannot be everything to everyone,” she said, “but if we each do our bit, we can make a big difference.”

In his address, Barloworld Group Chief Executive Clive Thomson emphasised the importance of strategic direction when it comes to running any organisation, including schools.

“In order to produce good results, schools need to be run as world-class enterprises,” he said.

He said that, like businesses, schools needed to set themselves challenging visions, put strategies and plans in place to help them achieve those visions, and build teams of people with the right skills to help execute their plans.

“Our volunteerism programme aims to help schools in implementing business methodologies and practices through coaching, mentoring and skills development,” he said, adding that very often “giving of one’s time requires more sacrifice than signing a cheque.”

In his address, Richard Masemola, founder member of TEACH South Africa, expressed concern at the lack of teachers being produced by the education system as a whole, and echoed Thomson’s viewpoint that schools should be run like business entities.

“The system is not producing enough educators,” he said. “Learners are not being encouraged to become teachers and as a result we are seeing fewer and fewer South Africans entering the education system.”

He said that the TEACH South Africa programme sought to address this shortage through its ambassadorship programme, which encourages qualified people to undertake a two-year internship teaching at underprivileged schools.

He thanked Barloworld for the assistance they had already provided in the form of financial support and other donations, specifically furniture, which was being put to good use by schools within TEACH South Africa’s network.

Masemola advised on a course of action that could ensure a successful and sustainable education system in South Africa. He believes schools need to:

• create and maintain strong partnerships with the private sector
• plan more carefully (some schools, he said, only start planning their academic year in February, after the first term has begun)
• involve stakeholders at all levels – including educators, learners and administrators – in generating success
• become more ambitious and commit themselves to achieving high visions

“We look forward to the assistance offered by Barloworld staff, which has the potential to bring about positive change,” he said.

The next speaker was Mazengelonke Mdingi, chief education specialist for human resources within the Ekurhuleni school district.

Mdingi praised TEACH South Africa for the work that was being done by its Ambassadors.

“We are already starting to see the fruits of the work being done by the first group of TEACH Ambassadors, particularly in Maths, Science and English,” he said.

He said the ambassador programme not only benefited the learners, but also reduced the workload for existing teachers.

Mdingi praised the Barloworld volunteerism initiative, saying that current training standards were not adequate if schools were to be run like businesses.

Referring to a report on the resiliency of schools, he commented that “marks were low where management was poor.

We need proper training to run our organisations in a profitable manner.”

The proceedings were closed by Kweyama, who committed a number of Barloworld executives in the room to kick-starting the mentoring of teaching administrators in the fields of CSI, HR and intellectual capital management.

“Barloworld has a strong nation-building legacy,” she said. “We need to continue harnassing our energy to ensure South Africa is around for future generations.”