Growth and Development
From all of us here at CEFA we wish everyone a successful 2015 – may it be a year of progress and success. For us at CEFA the year started in a rush, with a last minute spate of enquiries after the release of the matric results – especially about our Social Auxiliary Worker programme. We have started our 2015 intake in Cape Town on January 12th with a group of 87 learners; placement of learners from elsewhere in the country in other programmes is receiving our urgent attention.

CEFA was invited to participate in an Alternative Careers Information Session for those who were not successful with their applications to study at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).

This was indeed successful in that we were able to foster a closer working relationship with the Department of Social Work at the UWC. This provides a prime example of what the Minister of Higher Education, Dr Blade Nzimande, means when he refers to ‘….exploring and cooperating for the benefit of those who do not succeed in securing admission to institutions of higher education’.

The journey travelled this far has been one with many challenges. We have much for which to be grateful – including the grooming of so many learners in pursuit of a new career path. To open doors and to empower with knowledge, to work with and build the capacity of communities for self-reliance – and to make a contribution to nation building, are all fundamental to the core being of CEFA’s existence – so read on!

Community Development – Professional Growth
CEFA recognises the need for professionals registered with statutory councils, especially the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP) to access professional growth and stimulation opportunities in compliance with
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements.

Professionals across the board have voiced a need for accessible, affordable and accredited CPD activities. Responding to this need, CEFA has engaged with employers and employees alike to determine and prioritise the topics and types of activities which would add the most value to the
medical and social service sectors; a wide range of activities is accredited by the HPCSA and SACSSP – and made available to Social Workers, Social Auxiliary Workers, child and youth care workers, registered nurses, medical doctors and other healthcare professionals.

Staying true to our core business model, CEFA will now bring CPD training to a venue near you. Visit our website at www.CEFA.co.za on a regular basis to find and book your space at one of our CPD events; our initial country-wide calendar for 2015 (March to August, so far) is available on our CPD page. Please note that our dates are subject to change according to circumstances – and we do need a minimum number of people attending each course. Demand is likely to be high, so book as soon as you can.

Training Expansion – Short Courses
CEFA now offers more than 600 credit bearing short courses at any of our 54 or more delivery points across South Africa – CEFA is proud to announce the official launch of our partnership with Central
Business Academy (CBA) – as the licence holder of CBA in the Western Cape. Both CEFA and CBA are respected service providers with proven track records. CBA is registered as a private further education and training college.

Skills development in South Africa is not only a Government priority; the majority of businesses are developing a culture of training. Our partnership with CBA not only extends our efforts to uplift previously disadvantaged groups in South Africa, but also aids Corporate South Africa with developing their Workplace Skills Development (WSD) plan and training programmes to add tangible value to BEE scorecards. Together with CBA, CEFA will help ensure that your skills development programmes equip your staff with the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to empower them to become proud
corporate citizens of South Africa playing a positive role in delivering your vision and mission.

For more information contact Hugo Coetzee on 082 924 9126 or email info@cefa.co.za

TRAINING UPDATES

Community Development (CommDev)
The field practice training of fourth cycle of our CommDev programme (Module 3) is currently underway. Examinations for this module are scheduled for the 9th, 11th, 13th and 16th February where after Module 4 will be presented from 23rd to 27th February.

The results of the study camp programme, held early in December, have been processed; the assessment histories have been updated and circulated to learners. All the documentation received
from learners has been filed, their Portfolios of Evidence (PoEs) moderated – and we are ready to apply for the verification of this cycle of training.

Social Auxiliary Workers (SAWs)
July 2013 Intakes: Endorsement of the results of learners verified on 9th December was recommended by the verifier from the HWSETA. For learners of this intake we wish to stress that the quality assurance process by the ETQA of the SETA will now take place to endorse the results, whereafter the certification process will follow. Candidates are encouraged to consult our Facebook page and the CEFA website for information.

October 2013 Intakes: These learners from Welkom and Bethlehem wrote their second reassessments of their Summative Case Study examination on 16th January.

January 2014 Intakes: Learners wrote their first reassessments of Cycle 3 from 14th to 16th January; the final comprehensive examination, the Summative Case Study, will be written on 5th February. Practical training will conclude on 2nd February 2015

Learners will write their examinations for Modules 7, 8 and 9 on 10th to 12th December. Practical training, however, will only end on 2nd February 2015.

July 2014 Intakes: The practical training for cycle 2 is currently underway, ending on 20th March.

January 2015 – SACSSP Registration: Application for registration with the SACSSP in respect of learners who started their training in January 2015 has been submitted to the Council. Registration was done to enable learners to continue with their practical training, in line with the requirement of Section 15 of the Social Service Professions Act (Act 110 of 1978) that learners be registered before embarking on their practical training. Registration certificates, once received, will be issued to learners, for display as required by the Act.

Next Intake: Due to the overwhelming number of enquiries received – and should applications be received in good time to be processed, CEFA is considering an intake in March in the Western Cape, with another group in the Free State and a possible third group in Gauteng. Should you be interested in registering for this programme, please contact Marchane Janeke at CEFA (marchane@cefa.co.za or at 021 8733998).

Mentor Orientation and Training
Mentor training for the January 2015 intake was conducted at the training centre in Goodwood for groups in Goodwood and Elsies River. The training was well attended, with facilitators and mentors establishing good working relationships. This also provided CEFA with an on-going opportunity to keep an ear to the ground in making any necessary decisions or programme adjustments timeously on matters affecting learning and workplace experiences.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Following on from the highly successful CPD open day on 20th November (“A Partnership in Unlocking Social and Human Capital”), CEFA intends holding further such days this year – hosting free CPD events for Social Workers who are registered as mentors with CEFA, to thank them for the very important role they play in the mentoring of our SAW learners. CEFA aims to highlight just how important is the work done by Social Workers in South Africa.

Workplace Site Validations
Workplace site validations have been completed. Where training is being provided for Child Welfare South Africa (CWSA), visits have been conducted with the facilitators and provincial coordinators. CEFA visits in respect of private learner sites are continuing as normal.

These visits are needed to determine whether the settings for practical training are conducive to optimal integrated workplace learning, as well as to ensure compliance with the required health
and safety requirements – in line with the requirements of the Health and Welfare SETA and the South African Qualifications Authority.

Communication
Only just the other day we were thanking all our visitors, contacts and stakeholders for their cooperative partnership in 2014 – and wishing our learners, together with their facilitators
and mentors, well for 2015. Now already more than a month has flown by! Time waits for nobody – which is why we need to communicate with you now!

Our website provides a communication channel; our Newsletter aims at keeping you informed about us. Some 45% of our visitors continue to be from outside South Africa and, whilst most of
them are from elsewhere in Africa, we also have visitors from as far afield as the USA, Brazil, Russia, Finland and Indonesia. We look forward to hearing from all of you who access our website, visit us on Facebook – and read our Newsletters.

What sparks your interest in the practical training and career paths that we offer? Our Facebook page is at www.facebook.com/CEFAinAfrica – come visit and interact with us across South Africa and from around the world. All this helps direct our focus in the provision of meaningful and worthwhile practical training.

We look forward to meeting and helping you towards achieving a better life for all. CEFA has the key to the door!