Minister Trevor Manuel has made clear that our educational outcomes are not what we need – and a rethink is necessary. On this (as on his other plans) he is calling for public input. For how this may unfold, watch this space.

CEFA has always been a passionate leader in the field of community development since its inception. For some years CEFA has been providing the Community Development & HIV (HWSETA) course. This then is why CEFA is now a member of the task team for the new SAQA Qualifications Framework in Community Development at NQF Levels 5 and 8.

An inaugural Summit Meeting for the professionalisation of community development was held from 26^th- 28^th October, at Coega Village in Port Elizabeth. This summit was funded jointly by the National Department of Social Development (DSD) and the Eastern Cape Department of Social Development (ECDSD), who hosted the Summit. Arranged by a Community Development Professionalisation Steering Committee (CDPSC), the Summit was established with 13 members elected at a DSD Community Development Stakeholder Workshop, held in July 2011, on the newly developed SAQA Qualifications Framework; CEFA is an elected member of this Committee.

CEFA then sponsored Ignis Technology to provide the IT support for the Summit Meeting. Arranged so that DSD would gain the support and benefits of the Ignis events management systems programme, CEFA’s sponsorship of Ignis covered the rental costs for access to the Ignis events programme, the travel and accommodation costs for two Ignis staff members – and the costs of a gift for each of the presenters at the Summit.  The Ignis Technology programme includes a pre-, during- and post- events package; this ensured a successful Summit outcome with a high professional standard of support.

The Summit Meeting was a success, meeting its objective of moving towards the professionalisation of Community Development. Together with the other CDSPC members, CEFA is now busy planning for the processes due next year, which include the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) pilot project with SAQA, as well as the launch of the South African Association for Community Development (SAACD) in 2012.

It is therefore with pride and pleasure that CEFA is playing its part in taking Community Development up to higher levels, backed by the professional support of Ignis Technology in ensuring that this happens.

CEFA’s new head office in Wellington is housed in one of the town’s oldest buildings. No 51 Bain Street (currently No 47 Bain Street) was home to Martha Solomons, daughter of a slave woman known as “Queen Rebecca” – who, after emancipation, owned a tavern in Cape Town. Martha, then living in Wellington, met and married Harry Grey, black sheep of an aristocratic family. Following the death of his cousin, Harry became Earl of Stamford; his slave descendant wife became Countess of Stamford. Clearly a lady of character, Martha, Countess of Stamford, exemplifies the spirit of emancipation and education which together form the foundation today of CEFA’s commitment to a better life for all.

As already advised, the CEFA Division of Teaching and Learning’s next Social Auxiliary Work training project for individual learners is still scheduled to begin on 16^th January 2012. CEFA presents training all over the country, wherever there are groups of more than 30 learners who are interested in gaining the Social Auxiliary Worker FET qualification. Centralised venues will be utilised for the theoretical classroom teaching. We will update you further in due course.

CEFA has been happy to see the generally growing interest in what we are doing. Although there was a down trend in October to 1 570 site visits, the trend is now back up to 2 270 visitors in November. At 1 052 the “SAW Application Process was the most viewed page in November, whilst 520 were regular viewers. It is also interesting to note that 1 074 users used Google as their search engine, with 40% searching with key phrases of “cefa” and “social auxiliary work”.

With the exciting activities in our November Letter, we trust that the trend will continue upward.

We remain, as always, keen to hear from you. Our aim to keep you informed is better served if you tell us what you need. Please send us your ideas, thoughts and suggestions. Our website remains: www.cefa.co.za. We look forward to welcoming you.