Spotlight on OW Cares Club

2023-11-13T00:00:00+02:00

Open Window Institute:

Open Window is named one of the best creative educational institutions across Africa and the Middle East. Their mission is to deliver creative and critical thinkers who possess the technical, dynamic, professional, and multi-skilled capabilities globally required by the creative industries.

About the OW Cares Club:

Open Window believes in using its talents, knowledge, and resources to assist, empower and support its students. The OW Cares Club initiative encourages empathy, understanding, and appreciation within its organization and communities through its wellness initiatives, fundraising, and volunteer work. Stay up to date with OW Cares Club here.

Who initiated the connection between TBTF and OW Cares Club?

Hannah Naidoo is a regular volunteer at TBTF, and leads grade 6 lessons on a Saturday. After class, she also dedicates time to our volunteers in the pursuit of their learner's license and assists them with test preparation. Hannah is also a full-time student at Open Window Institute and is a dedicated student part of the OW Cares Club, and Open Window Student Council.

We're grateful to have Hannah as part of TBTF, her enthusiasm and talent alongside our entire team of dedicated volunteers help propel TBTF. We're equally grateful that Hannah is the catalyst behind our connection with OW Cares Club.

OW Cares Club donation towards TBTF:

We received an extensive book donation from OW Cares Club (alongside some sweets for the TBTF kids 🎉). The donation consisted of a wide variety of books, separated by age group. Books ranging from encyclopedias, and extensive educational reads.

From everyone at Take Back the Future Initiative, we'd like to say a big thank you to the OW Cares Club Team, and the Open Window students and staff!

How we're forging ahead in 2023

2023-01-29T00:00:00+02:00

Our Goals for 2023

Strengthen lesson plans (each tuition class should include at least 15-20 minutes of reading)
Work towards registering as a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) once tax research has been completed
Train new members, volunteers, sub-leads, and existing regular volunteers
Secure more parent consent forms and indemnity forms for all children that attend TBTF
Recruit qualified teachers and industry professionals and where possible register them as consulting members of TBTF
Engage local schools (particularly the schools that children at TBTF attend)
Network with industry professionals, and other NPOs in order to broaden our knowledge and drive our NPO forward
Research and seek out property that can possibly be purchased for TBTF to develop

Areas that we will be targeting for Donations in 2023

1. Transportation
We have added a 15-seater minibus taxi to our donation list so that we can set up a safer way to transport all children to and from TBTF classes. A regular member of our team of volunteers is already in possession of a PrDP license, this means we already have a designated driver in the event that we acquire this required transport resource. We would also equip and assign 1-2 volunteers as a means of safety and crowd control in the minibus when transporting children.

2. Storage
With an increase in resources, we require robust means of storage. We currently store all TBTF resources at our temporary operating location within steel (locked) cupboards. For 2023 we have added x2 steel cupboards (1800 mm (h) x 900 mm (w) x 450 mm (d)) to our donation list so that we can increase our capacity to safely store more incoming resources.

3. Educational Resources
One of our four programs is the Literacy program. For our literacy program, we require educational reading books, which we integrate into our Saturday lessons to help improve the literacy levels of children that attend TBTF. We require educational books, reading books, new Department of Basic Education (DBE) books, and textbooks (grade R - matric) to assist us with achieving our literacy program goals.

4. Music Instruments
Another program within TBTF is the Music and Dance program. We aim to create the space for them to explore their existing talents as well as learn or embrace something new; for this second-hand instruments such as; acoustic guitar(s), piano(s), drum(s), bass guitar(s) and other musical instruments would help us create a platform for children and youth at TBTF to explore their talents, or tap into new ones.

5. Arts and Crafts Supplies
An enjoyable part of Saturday lessons is arts and crafts. For this, we require supplies like aprons (children aged 5-18 years), glue, play dough, molding clay, newspaper, wood glue, ice cream sticks, cardboard, and colour paper. These supplies would be used for our craft sessions on Saturdays.

6. Computer Hardware & Software
As a part of our Computer program, our objective is to make resources available to decrease the digital divide and afford children and youth the equitable opportunity to learn through different digital mediums. For this, we require at least 15-20 laptops/computers. For younger children, we aim to allow them time to learn through interactive educational online games, and for older children and unemployed youth we aim to teach the basics of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email etc.

Small or large, your input will certainly make a positive impact on achieving our goals.

Please reach out to us directly if you would like to:

share guidance, information, or resources to assist us with achieving our goals mentioned above
connect us with industry professionals that can assist us with either CSR funding opportunities or advice/crucial information for obtaining funding

You are also welcome to make a monetary donation towards the initiative, you can view our Bank Details here.

Blog - Take Back the Future Initiative (237-073 NPO)