Regis SOFE in Cape Town again!

In March 2008 Regis University in Denver, Colorado (USA) once again sent a group of Masters students in NonProfit Management to Educo Africa for an elective in their MA degree called the Service-Oriented Field Experience (SOFE). Following a weekend of orientation and service at Educo’s Outdoor Learning Centre and a broad-sweeping immersion into some of South Africa’s rainbow hues and rich historical legacy, the students were deployed into service placements with local nonprofit organisations (NPOs). During this time they also enjoyed homestays with families in Langa, Grassy Park and Bo-Kaap.

An added interactive opportunity came in the form of an NPO Learning Forum, co-hosted by Educo and the University of Stellenbosch Graduate School’s NPO Management Training programme. This was a day of multicultural dialogue and presentation under the title Living in Changing Times: the Challenge for NPOs - giving a chance for a mix of South African and American NPO leaders to explore deeper into issues of Resource Mobilisation, Organisational Leadership, Governance, Social Entrepreneurship, and Raising the Voice and Profile of the NPO sector.

Educo Africa’s look has also changed. Along with the fresh, new logo and updated website, you will find that our programmes also have a sharper focus, with capacity building of others increasingly a part of all our projects in order to increase impact and ensure longer term sustainability.

Comments from some participants after the NPO Learning Forum:

  • “Highlights were the interaction across cultures and continents, the enthusiasm of the facilitators, [and] learning about South Africa’s civil society through its leaders.” (Regis student)
  • “The workshop was seriously interactive – more like a dialogue - very insightful and inspiring. I left with a feeling of great motivation and being a part of something big.” (Emily Rudolph, Yabonga)
  • “Fantastic experience!” (Joanie Fredericks, REACH)