The Emerging Leadership Program (ELP) is one of the main programs administered through the office for Global Development for Peace and Leadership. It educates and trains innovative young adults with leadership skills so they can spread peace, justice, and reconciliation within their local communities, within South Africa, and within global communities. The goal of this program, and all other programs that the organization offers, is to foster a culture of leadership that values humanity, peace, reconciliation and human security. Originally a part of the Desmond Tutu Peace Center, the ELP has experienced increasing growth and success in its years of existence, and has become an independent entity.
TESTIMONIALS
Kerry McGrath
Spring 2008 South Africa Service Learning participant
At the beginning of the semester, my time was spent learning to understand the organization and being trained into the ELP program that I was to take over. I now been delegated the task of developing the 12 modules that are necessary to factilitate this values-based learning. I work with and direct two interns while doing so; my purpose, then, is not only to create these programs, but to educate others about and provide them with the knowledge of how to establish and administer similar systems. Currently, when students are out of school, the majority of my work and time is spent focused around desining these lesson plans.
When students are in school, and now that I have created most of the modules, I implement and test and them within the classroom. So, while I spend two afternoons a week writing lesson plans and reports about how the previous day’s teaching went, I spend two mornings a week teaching in order to evaluate and assess the success of these lessons. I teach in a Grade 3 classroom--the equivalent of eight to ten year olds--at Observatory Primary, a public school comprised of black and some coloured students.
I am thus currently occupied in preparing, exercising, and teaching these modules, with a primary focus upon the areas of HIV/AIDS, Communication, and Environmental Care. After teaching these lessons in the classroom, I then change and adjust the modules to ensure their effectivity in promoting and educating students about the ideals and values of peace and leadership.
Though this sounds like a lot of work, it is less complicated and much more enjoyable than it may appear. I truly enjoy Service Learning; I am certain that it is actually and significantly making a diference in and producing a transormation upon South African youth. Values-based education can affect and positively enforce the ideals of children, as well as advance and promote the cause of social justice throughout the wider Cape Townian community. Indeed, the fact that the added goal of my project is to ensure its maintenance (especially for other interns and future Service Learners) illustrates just how meaningful my work is. So, as cliché as it sounds, I would not trade or exchange my ability here to “be the difference I want to see in the world” for anything.
Email Kerry for more information!
Kathleen Cullen
Fall 2007 South Africa Service Learning participant
At this NGO, the majority of work done as a Marquette Service Learner is focused on preparation for the ELP program and some of the international exchange programs they also facilitate through their office. I help to organize and co-facilitate some of the modules that will be taught to the 20 selected awardees for the program this year. The awardees for this program are nominated by schools all over the Western Province of South Africa as leaders. Once selected, the awardees have a 6-month program during which they attend a variety of different sessions on topics such as leadership, justice, faith, peace, and community service. After completing each of the modules, they have tea with inspirational leaders to get more ideas on how to implement what they have learned in their communities.
During my time at GDPL, I also help to promote smaller modules of these same programs that can be adapted and taught in local schools. I often help with updating the website, writing articles for the newsletter, taking photographs, sending emails, updating the database, making excel sheets, constructing Power Points and other various duties.
The ELP is an intense program that can definitely be adapted nationally and internationally. This program is already used in Kenya, Australia, Norway, and the United States. Through the development work in Cape Town, we are making a finite model that will be easy to adapt to other countries around the world.
Email Kathleen for more information!
Sarah Kodras
Spring 2007 South Africa Service Learning participant
The Emerging Leadership Programme (ELP) is focused on peace-building and youth development. Each year, the ELP selects 20 high school students, often from the RCLs (student councils) from all over Cape Town to participate in 12 interactive modules and a week long wilderness experience in the mountains. The modules include themes such as peace and leadership, communication, diversity and difference, and dynamics of oppression and emancipation. Once the students have completed the modules, they participate in a question and answer session with Archbishop Tutu as well as attend an awards ceremony where they are recognized for their accomplishments. The students who have gone through the programme are invited back to work with the mentor programme and many have opportunities to attend youth conferences around the world.
My expected role in the ELP consists of coordinating the ELP’s shorter courses with surrounding schools. Along with this, I’m also helping with administrative work (updating the newsletter, brochures, databases, and website), assisting with proposal writing, PR, and fundraising. I am currently working on a project outside of the ELP through the Extra-Mural Education Project with the RCL students in the township of Guguletu. I am working with them on leadership skills and I am assisting them with concrete skills such as running the meetings and writing resumes.
Email Sarah for more information!
Anne Dwyer
Fall 2006 South Africa Service Learning participant
My intended role as an ELP intern is to help make connections between the ELP and other organizations to help maximize the impact of the program and to involve more students by forming relationships with already existing groups. I am still in the beginning stages of this project, but I am working on developing a relationship between the ELP and the Extra-Mural Education Project, an organization that works to make schools into community hubs, as well as the RCLs in schools, which are the equivalent of student council. In the meantime, I have been fortunate to assist in facilitating the ELP workshops and helped to plan and prepare for the awards ceremony with the Archbishop.
Email Anne for more information!
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Archbishop Tutu greets the awardees with high fives before the award ceremony
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