Monday, March 28th 2011
Stunning day in Goodwood Prison! I am deeply grateful for the learning processes! Each journey availed for the next one! Each one of us a Student and a Guide! Each one of us given the opportunity to reap grand rewards! All it takes is that we start making ourselves a priority and embrace responsibility in our lives. This is where we rise through a strengthened sense of uniqueness and merge right back into UNITY!
♥ W O W ♥
In the first session of the day we used the Animal Exercise in THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL to dive deeper into how we see ourselves, which is based upon how we FEEL about ourselves. We focused on 'The Animal I see myself as'. We explored being a 'LION', an 'EAGLE', an 'ANT' and a 'DOLPHIN' (chosen by the participants). Keywords such as 'Purpose', 'Loyal', 'Family', 'Hardworking', 'Free', 'Love', 'Leader', 'Passive', 'Unity', 'Protective', 'Fear', 'Playful', 'Careful', 'Fearless', 'Proud' and 'Beautiful' came up. We explored the meaning of these keywords (always related to feeling) and transformed them into Affirmations. VERY POWERFUL. An affirmation is a statement of what is already so. They guys felt empowered.
This exercise leads up to looking at our values/toolboxes and how/why we have created them. In the second session we dived into 'THE PLEASER' and how the pleaser can be a pattern we are not aware of. We looked at the importance of identifying the pattern before any change can happen. Only when you OWN it can you truly make the change. As many of the participants aren't that strong in english we read out loud which strenghtens their language and the understanding of words. They LOVED it. Welcome (inmate coach student) is alwasy helpful with translation into Xhosa and Afrikaans if needed.
Next week we will look at the pattern of 'THE VICTIM'.
Wednesday, March 30th 2011
Today at the Worcester Men's Prison - all day workshops with our inmate coach team. They are ready to roll out The Responsible Individual in the prison on a much bigger scale, offering a hand in guidance to their fellow inmates. Our facilitator teams are travel companions, who journey and explore with their clients. Gently! Luyanda was leading the workshop today, guiding a group of 6 guys who were experiencing a team challenge. They started with the keyword 'Tolerate' as a workshop opener. More key words were inspired by the process itself... 'Transparancy', 'Understanding', 'Differences', 'Allowance', 'Listening', 'Sharing openly', 'Communitication' etc. It was amazing to be part of! Stunning Guidance by our team!
You can see Luyanda's Workshop Notes here: VISIT OUR PRISON UPDATE
END OF Q1 2011
Quarterly reports of all prison processes are in process. Will be availed to Prisons, sponsors and on request within 14 days.
IN GRATITUDE
Karina
Guidance
What an AWESOME session today in the Nyanga Township. Farouk Ulueme (Responsibility Coach Student): I loved your gentle guidance of the group, the windows you availed from your personal journey and the 'doors' you found to the journeys of others, reminding them to go deeper in exploring themselves and their visions. THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL can be guided in so many beautiful ways as we open ourselves to learning.
What a stunning SmilingOne team!
What a stunning SmilingOne team!
SMILING ONE RECEIVES REGIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE
Today I received a fax from the Western Cape Regional Office of Correctional Services. The fax says: "The Regional Quality Assurance Committee has given careful consideration to your presentation and found the programme supportive to the core objective of the Department of Correctional Services. In this light the Quality Assurance Committee has concluded to endorse your programme and service, namely SmilingOne, for use within the Western Cape Region... " What a fantastic achievement! My deepfelt gratitude goes to the SmilingOne Family. Each one an essential puzzle piece!
Now we are calling out to sponsor to kindly assist us take on this amazing task. We are currently in 5 prisons. Our aim is to expand to 5 more in 2011 and by 2012 be ready to accommodate at least 20 correctional instituations.
Now we are calling out to sponsor to kindly assist us take on this amazing task. We are currently in 5 prisons. Our aim is to expand to 5 more in 2011 and by 2012 be ready to accommodate at least 20 correctional instituations.
Exciting news! Update
I just returned from an awesome day coaching in prison. I feel so inspired... perfect for spending a bit of time visiting my online Diary and updating it. Love to review what has all happened the past few weeks. My last update was March 10th. LOTS has happened since then.... so here we go!
LOTTERY APPLICATION
What has taken a lot of my time has been the preparation of the grant application for NLDTF. And in the midst of this we bumbed into a challenge. Lottery only accepts applications that entail two years of financial audited statements. Even if we have had three operational years - two of them were voluntary (sponsored by me privately) and one financial year (the trust was founded end of 2009 due to the huge success of the initiative). So our only option: to apply in partnership with an organisation that has at least 2 financial years. After knocking on a couple of doors I spoke to MylifE and founder Linzi Thomas. She was excited about the opportunity to assist us - also because there is a lot of synergy in what we do.
We have applied for R4.6M to cover 75% of operational cost plus equipment/vehicles/containers for budget year 2011. The grant application often takes up to a year to be processed. This means that we will keep knocking on doors for sponsorships/partners in community building to assist us in sustaining and expanding all processes.
AUDIT OF OUR FINANCIAL YEAR 2010/11 IS COMPLETE
Thank you to our Chartered Accountant and Auditor HG Page who walked an extra mile for us to finalize our financial year 2010/11. You are welcome to request a copy of our audit.
CIRCLE OF SHARING NYANGA
Every Friday there is a Circle of Sharing in the Nyanga Township facilitated by Farouk Ulueme (Responsibility Coach Student). I attend every second Friday - also to avail one-on-one sessions to the facilitator team. I am in AWE of how beautiful the process is running. More and more people from the community make use of the sessions. They are discovering the value of having a place of sharing and caring. What a privilege it is to walk the journey with them.
And thank you Farouk for your wonderful guidance to the community!
MY BIRTHDAY
On March 15th I turned 39. I had such a beautiful day with my kids. Especially through these busy weeks I valued to have a day of silencing and enjoying some special quality time with my family. I am so blessed. Daniel and Nathalie had cleaned the whole house and was spoiling me all day long. We went to the movies and enjoyed 'Tangled'. Afterwards we dined at our favorite pizza restaurant in Cavendish.
I am deeply grateful for the year of learning that I have now completed and the year of opportunity that I welcome today! I know my heart and will continue to walk by its calling!
BLOGGING WITH CHRIS AND XOLISILE
Friday, March 18th Chris (Responsibility Coach Student) and Xolisile (Youth Community Builder) visited me in Muizenberg. We spend some FunSharingCaring time together blogging. I shared my blogging toolbox with them and guided both of them through the world of blogging. I realize how important my own journey with the SmilingOne Website/Blog has been. Not having had the funds to pay for a website I started learning about blogging a few years back. Learning by doing. Today this is a skill that can easily be passed on. I am so grateful for the journey and the opportunity to share of this amazing tool. Accesible to everyone at no cost! Perfect to add to the journey of personal and community development.
This is the result after only a few hours of learning the blogging tool. Visit the new (in process) blogs of CHRIS and of XOLISILE.
MY TUNE EVENT
Saturday March 19th we had our monthly showcasing event in the Nyanga Township. The preparations offered our team great learning! We had promoted the event, yet did not receive any funding towards food for the kids. Thabo - our senior community builder in Nyanga - took it upon himself to knock on some more doors in the surrounds of Nyanga. He went to Shoprite and they kindly sponsored fruit and ingredients for a healhty meal for our event! Thabo called me with great excitement. He told me how empowered he felt and that he realized that he could do so much more.
On the day of the event we realized that we had run out of gas in the kitchen of the creche. No gas meant no food. The team went knocking on doors in the township and found a family that kindly borrowed us their gas to use for our cooking. Every single challenge offers an opportunity. One of our objectives is to involve more of the Nyanga Community. The challenges that we experienced both in the days leading up to the event and on the day of the event was opening the door for further community involvement. WOW!
And what an amazing day it was!!
On the day of the event we realized that we had run out of gas in the kitchen of the creche. No gas meant no food. The team went knocking on doors in the township and found a family that kindly borrowed us their gas to use for our cooking. Every single challenge offers an opportunity. One of our objectives is to involve more of the Nyanga Community. The challenges that we experienced both in the days leading up to the event and on the day of the event was opening the door for further community involvement. WOW!
And what an amazing day it was!!
'Snake Dance' through the streets of the Nyanga Township - bringing our showcase to the community!
We are singing "I know I can be what I want to be..."
We are walking in UNITY...
Each child showcases a vision on stage...
Ivan shares of his creativity. This poster he made for the event!
CUMA VISITS US IN MUIZENBERG
Cuma lives in the Nyanga Township and has been part of our SmilingOne Family and Saturday workshops for the past 9 months. Life in the township can be very challenging and we are experiencing how Cuma - only 6 years old - is struggling to cope. We would love to help the family. We are doing home visits (one-on-one talks) and have also invited the family to take part in our programme and benefit from the Circles of Sharing with the rest of the community.
Cuma visited my kids and I for a couple of days. He loved the beach, cherry tomatoes, FunLovingSharingCaringMoments, hugs and lots of attention... Here we are visiting the Aquarium in town:
AGM
On March 22nd 2011 the Board of Trustees / The SmilingOne Foundation met for our annual general meeting. Xhanti Lamani, Meeghan Norwitz and I, Karina Andersen were present at the meeting. Sarah Hewland was excused. Sarah is resigning as a trustee due to other priorities and commitments.
Key points at our AGM were approval of our audit by the board and planning for 2011 fundraising events and activities. We are excited about bringing the foundation to the next level and in doing so touching even more lives!
PRISON COACHING DAYS (115 inmates active in the process)
Mondays @Goodwood Prison.
On March 14th we explored how each moment and each challenge is an opportunity to know more about ourselves and ‘WHO WE REALLY ARE’. One of the guys had a challenge on religion. The window offered in the circle was that we are all wonderfully different/unique and here to find our own beautiful way. For everyone in the circle 'divine inspiration' played a role. Sometimes we just call it differently. For some it is religion. Others call it spirituality.
We used the AWARENESS SPECTRUM by adding in the challenges experienced, how we felt, re-acted and then the middle of the spectrum we used to find the purpose/gift in the experience. In the session we moved more and more towards speaking about TRUST. And how imbalance often is connected with a distrust within. We spoke about what does it mean to trust and what is trust really? One of the guys felt distrust towards his stepmother who now was looking after his kids. We looked at the mirror she was to him. We also explored if the circle felt that everything in life is meaningful / comes with a lesson/learning. And if so – how even the most challenging experience can be turned into a gift.
We have 30 inmates in the process (two of them are in coach training)!
Wednesdays @Worcester Prisons
On March 16th 2011 I started the day with the Quality Assurance Committee for the Brederiver Management Area. The Worcester Men's Prison falls under this area. We have been working on this quality assurance for the past 9 months. All programmes offered to DCS has to be approved and endorsed before it can be facilitated. This process has been amazing learning for our team. It has asked us to trust the process and to be patient. Learning opportunities goes beyond a weekly Circle of Sharing. Each day life offers learning. And not to forget: DCS is also learning! The meeting today was the final meeting prior to officially opening the process in the Men's prison where we since May 2010 have had some of our inmate coaches incarcerated (they transferred from Brandvlei Maximum Prison).
After the meeting I went inside prison to meet the team. Another stunning session with deep processing and preparation of upcoming workshops. Thando is working on a workshop called 'uTHANDO' (LOVE), Luyanda on a workshop called TOLERANCE and Maka on a workshop called BROTHERHOOD. The workshops are part of their educational training as coaches/guides.
We were also looking into some of the processes that both Luyanda and Maka were busy with. Both of them are keen to be transferred to Drakenstein and Allandale Prisons - to start THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL there, bringing it to more people. We spoke about not living in the future; but to be present in the moment. A challenge that both of them had as they were planning ahead for the transfer. TRUST came up, which we unpacked and explored.
We have 5 inmate coaches/students in Worcester Medium!
March 23rd 2011 @Brandvlei Maximum Prison:
The drawing is from our PBP (personal balanced profile) workshop today in session with the SmilingOne inmate coach/guide student team.
Do we approach life, every experience, people/relationships, our role as a Guide... like the natural growth / unfolding of a tree? Or do we tend to control?
This tree was created over our 2-hour session. Each of us taking turns to add an ingredient as we shared of current processes. For each add-on it opened up a world of possibility. It showed us how each piece was unique and added/contributed to the UNITY. Not one without the other!!
We spoke about how we sometimes can be 'stuck' on/in a plan if we are not allowing flexibility (possibility). This is an essential reminder also in Guidance. It is KEY to enter your session (meet your client) open and flexible, and allow the session to unfold naturally - like the process of a tree.
This exercise also served as an ingredient in understanding the potential of the Active Development of the PBP (Gauging My VISION, My FOCUS, My ACTIONS and My IMPROVEMENTS).
I am deeply grateful for todays session. The idea of doing this exercise was born in the session, it unfolded in the session and it planted a seed in each one of us - a seed that we are passing on to those around us; not just in words but in our doings, walking the journey true to our heart.
The team (5 inmate coach students) has 40 clients in the process!
March 23rd @Goodwood Medium/Juvenile Prison
I had a 2-hour session with Franklin (inmate coach student) who is both guiding fellow inmates in the youth centre (16-19yrs old) and in the medium centre (20yrs upwards). Keywords of learning that we focused on in our session: Growth, Freedom, Guidance, Leadership, Neutrality, Humility. Amazing how life avails learning opportunity to assist us in deepening ourselves. Sometimes this brings us into an imbalance first and from there we can build the bridge to balance. All is meaningful as we journey through life. It was an inspiring session!
Franklin is currently guiding 34 inmates through the process.
SMILING ONE RECEIVES REGIONAL QUALITY ASSURANCE
March 23rd 2011: Today I received a fax from the Western Cape Regional Office of Correctional Services. The fax says: "The Regional Quality Assurance Committee has given careful consideration to your presentation and found the programme supportive to the core objective of the Department of Correctional Services. In this light the Quality Assurance Committee has concluded to endorse your programme and service, namely SmilingOne, for use within the Western Cape Region... " What a fantastic achievement! My deepfelt gratitude goes to the SmilingOne Family. Each one an essential puzzle piece!
Now we are calling out to sponsor to kindly assist us take on this amazing task. We are currently in 5 prisons. Our aim is to expand to 5 more in 2011 and by 2012 be ready to accommodate at least 20 correctional instituations.
This was my past two weeks. Eventful!
Thank you for your continuous support!
IN GRATITUDE
Karina
My Prison Marathon
A stunning day visiting the prisons in the Worcester Area. It was a looooong day (7am to 7pm) and truly enriching!
9am-11am with our inmate Responsibility Coach Student Team in Brandvlei Maximum: Bradley, Brian, Thembalethu, Lumkile and Malixole. We have started the PBP workshop which will run over the next few months. The PBP (Personal Balanced Profile) is one of our key tools in The Responsible Individual Manual and an essential part of the coach educational training in the first module: New Beginnings.
In our first workshop we re-visited Self-Identity. Are we aligned with the Mission we chose to affirm 6-9 months ago (individually)? Are there things we would like to change? Can we deepen ourselves and maybe even simplify the path we walk? It was a very powerful workshop. We also looked at the affirmed values that each one of them had chosen for their individual toolboxes. Leadership, integrity, love, appreciation, dignity were a few of the ingredients that we explored. It is always powerful to look at possible ‘attachments’ when we are in a realignment process. Are our values motivated by love or are there traces of fear (old attachments/patterns/conditions).
We also looked deeper into our community building tool: A CIRCLE OF CHANGE. Are we in our personal circle of change doing what our heart tells us too? Are we listening? Brian stepped forward and expressed how he would love to change the way he did things right now. He loves the platform of The Responsible Individual and would love the opportunity to guide the process via the tool of art instead. This was such a valuable ingredient in the group session. Showcasing how there is not just one way... but so many ways to explore and express the art of guidance
11am-1pm with inmate Responsibility Coach Student Franklin at the Brandvlei Juvenile (YOUTH) Centre. As I came Franklin was already busy with a Circle of Sharing. 15 guys were attending. 8 of them were completely new. The group was exploring ‘responsibility’, ‘feelings’, ‘labels such as criminal’ and everyone had the opportunity to share why they had joined the programme. The first session can be a scary one for many of the new participants. What really made a huge difference were the testimonies of the youth (17-21 yrs old) who last year graduated part 1 and this year have joined part 2 of the programme. Each of them opened a window of opportunity, shared of their personal journey which was one of embracing challenge as a gift and living life with purpose. It is so powerful when we avail our personal journeys and experiences to others, when we open the window to our life to share a piece of it. This can be a great inspiration to others.
After the session I had a one-on-one session with Franklin. He had also started 20 new juveniles (21-25 yrs old) in the Medium Prison – they are all his test clients. All 20 had signed up and had their first session. Franklin and I explored ALLOWANCE and PATIENCE... (and not to run too fast). We looked at how the natural maturing of any process is essential. It is like growing a tree. You cannot and should not rush it. The question is: Are we nurturing the natural growth and celebrating each new development? Can we let go of control? Do we understand the ‘need’ to control (our own limitation)? Achievement came up. What does it mean to achieve?
It was a great session which opened quite a few doors to deepen ourselves further. Franklin is also busy with his two first case studies (in Module 1). Next to his commitment as a Responsibility Coach Student he has also started to activate more elements of the CIRCLE OF CHANGE. Amongst the participants he has discovered skills that can be utilized in creative expression workshops – like card making. Other creative workshops will follow.
The educational path of a Responsibility Coach includes practising our community building tool THE CIRCLE OF CHANGE. It is amazing to observe how it happens naturally when we share openly, care deeply and begin to understand the wonderful resource that we are! Once we fuel our personal circle of change we can inspire it in others.
2-3pm with the inmate Responsibility Coach and Student Team in the Worcester Prison (Luyanda, Maka, Thando, Malcolm and Collin). We looked at the workshop that each one of the three coaches are preparing as part of their coach educational training and how they walk their journey aligned with the themes. Often we choose a theme because it means something special to us. It relates to a personal process that we are currently busy with. This is also an essential part of responsibility. To embrace the learning that is offered to us – also in the workshop that we are preparing for others. It always works both ways. Luyanda’s theme is ‘Tolerance’. Thando’s is uThando (meaning LOVE) and Maka’s is ‘Brotherhood’.
In this group we might soon have a few transfers to other prisons. Luyanda is keen to bring The Responsible Individual to Allandale Prison. Maka wants to bring it to Drakenstein Prison. We are awaiting feedback from the prisons. The best way to bring the process to another prison is to have one of our trained inmate Responsibility Coaches and/or Students to assist from the inside.
What an amazing day!
What I take with me from today's sessions is that when a process is nurtured with love it grows in the most beautiful way. Love is allowing, it has no need to control, it embraces all, it never judges, it build bridges and breaks down the most resistant walls!
I am in AWE of how the seed planted 3 years ago has grown to become this stunning process enriching so many lives! I feel so privileged and enriched!
IN GRATITUDE
Karina
9am-11am with our inmate Responsibility Coach Student Team in Brandvlei Maximum: Bradley, Brian, Thembalethu, Lumkile and Malixole. We have started the PBP workshop which will run over the next few months. The PBP (Personal Balanced Profile) is one of our key tools in The Responsible Individual Manual and an essential part of the coach educational training in the first module: New Beginnings.
In our first workshop we re-visited Self-Identity. Are we aligned with the Mission we chose to affirm 6-9 months ago (individually)? Are there things we would like to change? Can we deepen ourselves and maybe even simplify the path we walk? It was a very powerful workshop. We also looked at the affirmed values that each one of them had chosen for their individual toolboxes. Leadership, integrity, love, appreciation, dignity were a few of the ingredients that we explored. It is always powerful to look at possible ‘attachments’ when we are in a realignment process. Are our values motivated by love or are there traces of fear (old attachments/patterns/conditions).
We also looked deeper into our community building tool: A CIRCLE OF CHANGE. Are we in our personal circle of change doing what our heart tells us too? Are we listening? Brian stepped forward and expressed how he would love to change the way he did things right now. He loves the platform of The Responsible Individual and would love the opportunity to guide the process via the tool of art instead. This was such a valuable ingredient in the group session. Showcasing how there is not just one way... but so many ways to explore and express the art of guidance
11am-1pm with inmate Responsibility Coach Student Franklin at the Brandvlei Juvenile (YOUTH) Centre. As I came Franklin was already busy with a Circle of Sharing. 15 guys were attending. 8 of them were completely new. The group was exploring ‘responsibility’, ‘feelings’, ‘labels such as criminal’ and everyone had the opportunity to share why they had joined the programme. The first session can be a scary one for many of the new participants. What really made a huge difference were the testimonies of the youth (17-21 yrs old) who last year graduated part 1 and this year have joined part 2 of the programme. Each of them opened a window of opportunity, shared of their personal journey which was one of embracing challenge as a gift and living life with purpose. It is so powerful when we avail our personal journeys and experiences to others, when we open the window to our life to share a piece of it. This can be a great inspiration to others.
After the session I had a one-on-one session with Franklin. He had also started 20 new juveniles (21-25 yrs old) in the Medium Prison – they are all his test clients. All 20 had signed up and had their first session. Franklin and I explored ALLOWANCE and PATIENCE... (and not to run too fast). We looked at how the natural maturing of any process is essential. It is like growing a tree. You cannot and should not rush it. The question is: Are we nurturing the natural growth and celebrating each new development? Can we let go of control? Do we understand the ‘need’ to control (our own limitation)? Achievement came up. What does it mean to achieve?
It was a great session which opened quite a few doors to deepen ourselves further. Franklin is also busy with his two first case studies (in Module 1). Next to his commitment as a Responsibility Coach Student he has also started to activate more elements of the CIRCLE OF CHANGE. Amongst the participants he has discovered skills that can be utilized in creative expression workshops – like card making. Other creative workshops will follow.
The educational path of a Responsibility Coach includes practising our community building tool THE CIRCLE OF CHANGE. It is amazing to observe how it happens naturally when we share openly, care deeply and begin to understand the wonderful resource that we are! Once we fuel our personal circle of change we can inspire it in others.
2-3pm with the inmate Responsibility Coach and Student Team in the Worcester Prison (Luyanda, Maka, Thando, Malcolm and Collin). We looked at the workshop that each one of the three coaches are preparing as part of their coach educational training and how they walk their journey aligned with the themes. Often we choose a theme because it means something special to us. It relates to a personal process that we are currently busy with. This is also an essential part of responsibility. To embrace the learning that is offered to us – also in the workshop that we are preparing for others. It always works both ways. Luyanda’s theme is ‘Tolerance’. Thando’s is uThando (meaning LOVE) and Maka’s is ‘Brotherhood’.
In this group we might soon have a few transfers to other prisons. Luyanda is keen to bring The Responsible Individual to Allandale Prison. Maka wants to bring it to Drakenstein Prison. We are awaiting feedback from the prisons. The best way to bring the process to another prison is to have one of our trained inmate Responsibility Coaches and/or Students to assist from the inside.
What an amazing day!
What I take with me from today's sessions is that when a process is nurtured with love it grows in the most beautiful way. Love is allowing, it has no need to control, it embraces all, it never judges, it build bridges and breaks down the most resistant walls!
I am in AWE of how the seed planted 3 years ago has grown to become this stunning process enriching so many lives! I feel so privileged and enriched!
IN GRATITUDE
Karina
'This is how I feel' - Another day in Prison
Today I had some amazing and very intense sessions in Goodwood Medium Prison. 33 guys were in the circles of sharing. There were 20 in the morning session: divided into three groups and 13 in the mid day session divided into two groups. Meeghan facilitates one group, I the other and Welcome (inmate coach student) the third one.
9am-11am: The theme is: Masks, hideouts, control, survival mode vs. being who I really am, allowing my vulnerability, walking my journey with integrity. Amazing session where the biggest challenge was turned into an opportunity for learning and growth.
11am - 1pm: I am amazed by the openness and the willingness of the guys to share with everyone else in the group. It resulted in deep deep sharing and a very emotional and tearful session today. This is an essential part of the healing processing - allowing ourselves to FEEL and acknowledging 'this IS how I feel'. As we get to know ourselves better we also begin to understand our values in life (the tools in our toolbox), what they truly mean to us and how they can assist us to be who we really want to be.
IN GRATITUDE
Karina
9am-11am: The theme is: Masks, hideouts, control, survival mode vs. being who I really am, allowing my vulnerability, walking my journey with integrity. Amazing session where the biggest challenge was turned into an opportunity for learning and growth.
11am - 1pm: I am amazed by the openness and the willingness of the guys to share with everyone else in the group. It resulted in deep deep sharing and a very emotional and tearful session today. This is an essential part of the healing processing - allowing ourselves to FEEL and acknowledging 'this IS how I feel'. As we get to know ourselves better we also begin to understand our values in life (the tools in our toolbox), what they truly mean to us and how they can assist us to be who we really want to be.
IN GRATITUDE
Karina
UPDATE
It has been some wonderful busy weeks. I look forward to share more insights here in my Diary today. These are some of the highlights that I have been busy with the past two weeks (Feb 22nd to March 5th 2011)
Accounting/Audit Preparations
February month has been the last month in our first financial year. I have been 'burried' in numbers... It has both been quite a lenghtly process to wrap up the year and also a very exciting one... To see how much we have actually achieved with a few Rands here and there. It also gives a nice picture of what we must focus on going forward. And the funds needed to sustain and expand.
The papers were handed in to our Auditor HG Page in Plumstead. Hilton is a great help to us. He offers his help at almost no cost. Our Audit for 2010/2011 will be done by next week.
Networking / joining hands with more partners in Community Building
I have connected with interesting people who could possibly open some doors for us.
Leif Soerensen from Norway has two Saturdays in a row visited our Nyanga Youth Programme and also been sitting in on our community builder team meetings. He was very excited! This could open the door for us with sponsors from Norway. Leif leads the Varde Theatre in Norway and is supporting one of our partners here in SA: The Nyanga Arts Development Centre (NADC). They will be putting on a production which will both run in the NADC and also in Pollsmoor Prison. It is a wonderful initiative. We look forward to work hand in hand on this.
I had a meeting with Belisa from African Arts Institute (AFAI). This could be an opportunity for our artists in the Nyanga Township - a platform for networking opportunity and promoting their unique profiles. AFAI also focus on refugees in SA. We are in the process of exploring synergies.
Prison Coaching Days
Every Monday and Wednesday is my prison coaching days. I have been in Brandvlei Maximum Prison, in Worcester Medium Prison and in Goodwood Medium Prison the past two weeks. Brandvlei Juvenile is scheduled for next week. Even when I am not there the process runs in the prisons on a daily basis.
My focus is in the Worcester Prisons (currently 4 prisons) to train the coaches/students (inmates) who are offering The Responsible Individual Programme to their fellow offenders. The coach/students hand in the work of the participants and I meet all participants in an assessment session one-two weeks prior to their graduation.
In Goodwood Medium we (Meeghan and I + coach/student (inmate) Welcome) also have coaching sessions with inmates who are starting with the journey (not training as coaches yet).
In february we had a total of 39+30+10+17 coach/students (inmates) in the process in the 5 prisons where we are active = 96
Meeghan has on March 2nd had a meeting at Pollsmoor Prison with the aim to start the female prison with the process within the next few months.
Youth Workshops and upcoming MY TUNE event.
Our Saturday Youth Workshops in Nyanga are touching me deeply. Yesterday I was observing this young boy - 5 years old - who seeks so much attention. If he doesn't get it he hits the other children and also me. This happens all the time - every Saturday. I understand more than ever how important our work is within the community. How important it is to offer this platform of sharing and caring. How important it is to offer parental education and guidance so that we can create loving environments for the children. Cuma doesn't know any different. This is what he sees, this is what he feels and this has now become how he reacts to it. And he is only 5. Imagine where such hurt can lead to... We will intensify our house visits and through our monthly events inspire the parents to get involve with us. This will also give Cuma an opportunity to experience a change in the environment he lives in. So that it is not just on Saturdays that he experience love and care; but every single day.
Photos are on Facebook in our FB group
We are also busy preparing for our upcoming March Event (19th) where our theme is MY TUNE. It is the month of human rights. We explored in our Nyanga team meeting how we could use this months public holiday to share our own special message. Knowing your rights is about knowing who you are and walking with that in all you do. It's like listening to the voice of your heart. This is how the team came up with the theme: MY TUNE.
In THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL manual we picked the area 'My Vision' to use in our Saturday workshops with the youth - to shape the theme MY TUNE.
Establishing our Project Management Committee for NYANGA
After 9 months in Nyanga we have now established the core group of community builders, who are leading the CIRCLE OF CHANGE initiative within the community. They are all from the community. They all LOVE their community.
Sound Project Mangager: More D
Performance Project Manager: Shawn
Creative Writing Project Mangager: Ivan
Arts & Crafts Project Manager: Bulelwa
Re-Integration Project Manager: Thabo
Responsibility Coaching Manager: Farouk
Assisted by:
SmilingOne Coordinator: Karina
Green Coordinator: Meeghan
Recycling Project Manager: Jean Paul
Board Meeting
March 4th we had a 6hour board meeting to revise all policies, work through our 2011 budget and planning and our fundraising strategy.
On March 22nd we will have our AGM.
Database
I am very excited about the database programme that we are in the process of creating. Gabri Rigotti is kindly assisting us with this task (he will create the prototype). We have expanded tremendously the past years and it is KEY to us that we can ensure tranparancy at all times and have some measurable data that are easy to access and use in our reporting.
The database will consist of all our participants in all projects, members of The SmilingOne Foundation, our donors (active or potential), newsletters, linked with our expenditure on each programme, work hours etc.
I look forward to the coming weeks. I am busy with the grant application for the SA LOTTERY. Our 2011 budget goes out to our database through next week - we hope that we can inspire our supporters to help us with further donations.
Have a stunning week and thank you for your support!
IN GRATITUDE
Karina
Accounting/Audit Preparations
February month has been the last month in our first financial year. I have been 'burried' in numbers... It has both been quite a lenghtly process to wrap up the year and also a very exciting one... To see how much we have actually achieved with a few Rands here and there. It also gives a nice picture of what we must focus on going forward. And the funds needed to sustain and expand.
The papers were handed in to our Auditor HG Page in Plumstead. Hilton is a great help to us. He offers his help at almost no cost. Our Audit for 2010/2011 will be done by next week.
Networking / joining hands with more partners in Community Building
I have connected with interesting people who could possibly open some doors for us.
Leif Soerensen from Norway has two Saturdays in a row visited our Nyanga Youth Programme and also been sitting in on our community builder team meetings. He was very excited! This could open the door for us with sponsors from Norway. Leif leads the Varde Theatre in Norway and is supporting one of our partners here in SA: The Nyanga Arts Development Centre (NADC). They will be putting on a production which will both run in the NADC and also in Pollsmoor Prison. It is a wonderful initiative. We look forward to work hand in hand on this.
I had a meeting with Belisa from African Arts Institute (AFAI). This could be an opportunity for our artists in the Nyanga Township - a platform for networking opportunity and promoting their unique profiles. AFAI also focus on refugees in SA. We are in the process of exploring synergies.
Prison Coaching Days
Every Monday and Wednesday is my prison coaching days. I have been in Brandvlei Maximum Prison, in Worcester Medium Prison and in Goodwood Medium Prison the past two weeks. Brandvlei Juvenile is scheduled for next week. Even when I am not there the process runs in the prisons on a daily basis.
My focus is in the Worcester Prisons (currently 4 prisons) to train the coaches/students (inmates) who are offering The Responsible Individual Programme to their fellow offenders. The coach/students hand in the work of the participants and I meet all participants in an assessment session one-two weeks prior to their graduation.
In Goodwood Medium we (Meeghan and I + coach/student (inmate) Welcome) also have coaching sessions with inmates who are starting with the journey (not training as coaches yet).
In february we had a total of 39+30+10+17 coach/students (inmates) in the process in the 5 prisons where we are active = 96
Meeghan has on March 2nd had a meeting at Pollsmoor Prison with the aim to start the female prison with the process within the next few months.
Youth Workshops and upcoming MY TUNE event.
Our Saturday Youth Workshops in Nyanga are touching me deeply. Yesterday I was observing this young boy - 5 years old - who seeks so much attention. If he doesn't get it he hits the other children and also me. This happens all the time - every Saturday. I understand more than ever how important our work is within the community. How important it is to offer this platform of sharing and caring. How important it is to offer parental education and guidance so that we can create loving environments for the children. Cuma doesn't know any different. This is what he sees, this is what he feels and this has now become how he reacts to it. And he is only 5. Imagine where such hurt can lead to... We will intensify our house visits and through our monthly events inspire the parents to get involve with us. This will also give Cuma an opportunity to experience a change in the environment he lives in. So that it is not just on Saturdays that he experience love and care; but every single day.
Photos are on Facebook in our FB group
We are also busy preparing for our upcoming March Event (19th) where our theme is MY TUNE. It is the month of human rights. We explored in our Nyanga team meeting how we could use this months public holiday to share our own special message. Knowing your rights is about knowing who you are and walking with that in all you do. It's like listening to the voice of your heart. This is how the team came up with the theme: MY TUNE.
In THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL manual we picked the area 'My Vision' to use in our Saturday workshops with the youth - to shape the theme MY TUNE.
Establishing our Project Management Committee for NYANGA
After 9 months in Nyanga we have now established the core group of community builders, who are leading the CIRCLE OF CHANGE initiative within the community. They are all from the community. They all LOVE their community.
Sound Project Mangager: More D
Performance Project Manager: Shawn
Creative Writing Project Mangager: Ivan
Arts & Crafts Project Manager: Bulelwa
Re-Integration Project Manager: Thabo
Responsibility Coaching Manager: Farouk
Assisted by:
SmilingOne Coordinator: Karina
Green Coordinator: Meeghan
Recycling Project Manager: Jean Paul
Board Meeting
March 4th we had a 6hour board meeting to revise all policies, work through our 2011 budget and planning and our fundraising strategy.
On March 22nd we will have our AGM.
Database
I am very excited about the database programme that we are in the process of creating. Gabri Rigotti is kindly assisting us with this task (he will create the prototype). We have expanded tremendously the past years and it is KEY to us that we can ensure tranparancy at all times and have some measurable data that are easy to access and use in our reporting.
The database will consist of all our participants in all projects, members of The SmilingOne Foundation, our donors (active or potential), newsletters, linked with our expenditure on each programme, work hours etc.
I look forward to the coming weeks. I am busy with the grant application for the SA LOTTERY. Our 2011 budget goes out to our database through next week - we hope that we can inspire our supporters to help us with further donations.
Have a stunning week and thank you for your support!
IN GRATITUDE
Karina
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)