EDUCATION & CHILD DEVELOPMENT
OUR AIM
To rescue the cognitive potential of learners through training and support programmes which will help them grasp key concepts, and reduce obstacles to future success.
LITERACY PROGRAMME
Low levels of literacy and education, in general, can impede the economic development of a country in the current rapidly changing technology-driven world.
Many of our children are in classes of 30 – 60 learners and are being taught in their second language. Many come from homes where caregivers have not been taught in English or have low levels of literacy themselves.
The Wordworks Literacy programme is a locally developed (Cape Town-based) literacy programme specifically aimed towards second language English learners at Grade R and Grade 1 Foundational Phase level to address this issue.
Volunteers are trained to run the programme which uses games, books and other fun tools to assist the children in learning. Each child on the programme receives an hour a week of intense one-on-one time with the volunteer over several months which attributes to the success of the programme.
The programme was launched in July 2014 at Addington Primary school and is being run by our trained volunteers in 6 different schools in the communities that we work with.
The programme is designed so that volunteers can be anyone from a grandparent, parent, educator or even an older sibling. Anyone who is interested in the development of the potential of a child can be a volunteer. The programme is currently operating on different days and times during school hours and volunteers are able to offer between 1 and 4 hours a week of their time.
HOLIDAY CLUB
Every year during the June/July and September school holidays, CAST, together with our partner churches host holiday clubs to provide a few days of fun, faith and fellowship in a safe place for children within the community. Volunteers from the respective churches are mobilized and trained as children’s ministry leaders to continue ongoing discipleship with the children after this event.
HOMEWORK CLUB
CAST has also run a Home Work Club programme with volunteers from the communities. They, along with university students from KwaDabeka, also tutor high school learners who are in the CAST Sport & Youth Development Programme.
Areas in which we work:
Addington, Chesterville, Chibini, KwaDabeka, Lamontville, Mariannridge, Noodsberg, Phoenix, Esikhawini.