Bringing Positive Change To After School Programmes

On Tuesday, 28 November 2017, Premier Helen Zille congratulated the silver and bronze winners of the Best Practice in After School Programmes, a new addition to the Ministerial Youth Excellence Awards. At the ceremony in Cape Town, Premier Zille spoke about the importance of youth development.

On Friday evening, Premier Helen Zille presented the After School Leadership Excellence Award to principals who are leading the way in providing creative and dynamic after school programmes at their schools. Mr Roy van Rooyen of Rietenbosch Primary School is this year’s gold prize winner and was awarded R20 000 in prize money. A commendation award was also presented to Principal Mathipa Poopedi from Sinethemba Secondary School in Browns Farm, Philippi.

What do a master ballroom dancer, a rugby and cricket whizz, and an ace table tennis player have in common? Hailing as far as afield as Vanrhynsdorp on the outskirts of the Nama Karoo, Mfuleni and Grassy Park in Cape Town, these three: Thembekile Bulo, Danritch Booysen and Meeka’eel Abrahams are the three finalists in the After School Sport Coaching Excellence Award 2017, a joint initiative of the Western Cape After School Game Changer and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport.

Improving participation and ensuring regular attendance of after school programmes are the goals of the Western Cape After School Game Changer. This was the message to the more than 250 international and local guests who aim to make a difference in the lives of children and who attended the first day of the After School Game Changer Symposium held at the Century City Conference Centre on 16 February 2017. The event was hosted by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport. Guests included academics, government practitioners, after school programmes, NGO’s, as well as donors and strategic partners.