Anyone working in the Health/HIV field needs to become a comprehensive care giver, advisor, educator and counsellor in the diverse cultural and social contexts of South Africa. They need to be skilled in assisting in the different aspects of a healthy life: physical, psychological, social, financial, educational and spiritual.
On-going training and development is important for all our staff members, but especially our HOPE Community Health Workers, most of whom were previously unemployed and had no access to tertiary education. We believe that our extensive training programme across various platforms sets HOPE Cape Town apart from others in the field. It is the policy of HOPE Cape Town to employ people from within the target community and to give them the necessary training to become the HIV and healthy lifestyle “expert” in their community.
Ongoing training for all of our Community Health Workers is facilitated by our HOPE doctor and invited outside experts. Training takes place on a bi-monthly basis and covers a wide range of topics which are relevant to their work, including HIV/TB, general health literacy, and life skills. This training enables our CHWs to remain up to date with the latest developments and deliver the best possible service to their communities.
Staff received regular training workshops and policy updates specific to their areas of expertise. While the HOPE doctors and occupational therapists attend various industry webinars, conferences including UCT paedatric GP updates, neurodevelopmental and HIV updates.
First Aid training is also provided to all staff.
Equipping youth with the skills and encouragement to reach their full potential is one of the cornerstones of HOPE Cape Town’s mission. When dropping out of school or even finishing matric, often there is a gap between what a college would require to be a successful student and the situation that a typical township learner can bring to the table with his academic qualification.
Made possible by a global grant from Rotary International, the Entrepreneurial Skills Development Programme provided by HOPE Cape Town aims to equip young individuals with skills needed to either start an own small business, continue studying at a college or increasing their chances of employability.
Bridging the gap between unemployment and self-employment requires training and necessary skills – often not accessible to many youth in the Delft community.
The three month experiential learning programme is a combination of personal and business skills development. Life skills requires practice through different instruments of learning that often demonstrate the skill of problem solving, creativity, communication, self-control and decision making,
Other skills acquired included effective communication, critical thinking, time management, team building, active listening and business management. To graduate from the programme, participants are required to develop a business plan and showcase their business concepts.
The first training in this sphere was managed by the Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry and facilitated by training organisers in the Freight and Forwarding Logistics. Learning took place in two spaces: tuition and academic assessments took place in Bavarian House at The Nex while practical work experience and mentorship at the student’s place of employment i.e. logistics companies where they learn on the job.
Currently, Dual Vocational Training with German companies and South Africa TVET Colleges are in planning.
HOPE Cape Town, together with KIDCRU (an HIV Research unit at Tygerberg Hospital) facilitates a programme for international medical students, a unique elective because of the variety of community medicine learning opportunities the students are exposed to. Students are exposed to the range of HIV care from a primary clinic to specialized academic in-patient care.
Over the years HOPE Cape Town has benefitted from the help of countless volunteers. The programme offers individuals the opportunity to get in-depth first-hand experience in the various aspects of the operations within an NPO, as well as knowledge in the field of HIV and child health related issues.
They commit 3-12 months of their time and assist the organization in service delivery while providing provided insight, knowledge and resources as each volunteer has their own expertise in their specific areas of industry.
We welcome visitors to our various places of work – from Blikkiesdorp to The Nex-Indawo Yethu campus.
Students, donors, volunteers, and also tourists are welcomed to pay a visit and learn more about our work. If you are interested in visiting us, please email trust@hopecapetown.org
HOPE Cape Town doctors are accredited external lecturers for Stellenbosch University and official medical officers at Tygerberg Hospital.
Since 2015, The HOPE Cape Town Trust has supported the Tygerberg Hospital School through funding the salary of a Xhosa teacher who assists isiXhosa speaking learners at the school which is located in the Tygerberg Hospital.
Many children who spend long periods in hospital without any stimulation, miss out on schooling and risk falling behind their peers during their hospital stay. Some learners receive tuition in their beds, while those who are mobile are collected by the teachers from the wards in the morning and returned after the school programme.
It is a know fact that learning in your home language promotes a smooth transition between home and school as learners get more involved in the learning process and speeds up the development on basic literacy skills.
Since the introduction of an isiXhosa teacher, both caregivers and children have reported that this has had a major impact on their ability to stay up to date with their school work during their admission.
