The JuniorTukkie Office of the Client Service Centre at the University of Pretoria (UP) hosted its seventh JuniorTukkie Grade 11 Empowerment Week from 27 June to 3 July 2015 at the University’s Hatfield Campus. A total of 218 learners (213 learners from all over South Africa and 5 learners from Tanzania) attended the Empowerment Week. This Week was once again financially supported by Investec.

An interesting and exciting Empowerment Week programme provided for South African as well as International students. International students were also given the opportunity to visit some of South Africa’s places of interest such as Freedom Park and the Union Buildings.

On Saturday, 27 June the learners arrived at the Hatfield Campus to register for the Empowerment Week. Members of the JuniorTukkie Student Society as well as senior students from the School of Engineering’s Joint Community Project (JCP) accompanied the Grade 11 learners on the JuniorTukkie Grade 11 Empowerment Week in order to provide guidance and ensure that their needs are attended to.

Grade 11 learners (49) in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences’ UP with Science programme which runs simultaneously with the Empowerment Week at Tuks, also attended part of the Empowerment Week’s programme that include sessions on admission requirements, LectorSA reading development, life skills, study methods, maths problem solving and study tips as well as emotional intelligence.

Dr Pieter Clase, Senior Manager: Student Recruitment and Retention of the Client Service Centre at the University of Pretoria officially opened the JuniorTukkie Grade 11 Empowerment Week on Saturday, 27 June.

An Adventures workshop was facilitated by Ferdie Heunis and his team from Free Trust Adventures and served as an ice-breaker to help learners relax. The Leadership workshop that was presented by Mr Karl Gostner, helped learners to develop skills and to unlock their leadership potential. He inspired the learners and provided them with the tools a leader needs to not only lead themselves but to lead others.

The presentation on Social Responsibility – always one of the highlights of the Empowerment Week – was presented by Prof Kobus Maree, a renowned academic and world-class educational researcher. He taught the learners how to use their skills in the world of social responsibility. Prof Maree also presented a course on Maths problem solving and study tips which involved the basic steps in solving mathematical problems. The session on emotional intelligence also grabbed all the learners’ attention.

Information sessions on the University of Pretoria’s admission requirements and the application process were presented by Peter Folkard, Tembela Mkuyana, Jean Thomaïdes and Christo le Roux from the Student Recruitment and Retention Division.

During the Life Skills course, facilitated by Zuleikha Ahmed of UPs Student Support Division, learners discovered more about self-esteem, their peers, different personality profiles and communication skills. Ida Meyer taught the learners quick and easy mathematics study methods. Learners were also provided with valuable tips on how to cope with examination stress.

During the session on Time Management, Petrus Lombard demonstrated the importance of effective time management in each learner’s personal life as well as during their studies.

The Computer Skills course was facilitated by Richard Beardsley and Sarah Whigham. They focused on essential computing concepts, search engines, the UP Portal (“Student Centre”) and the internet.

Dr Pieter Clase motivated the learners and captured their attention with his presentation “Through the eyes of others”. He emphasised that teenagers should believe in themselves, make choices and accept responsibility for those choices and should strive to make a positive difference in the world around them every day.

Ms Daleen van Rensburg, a LectorSA representative introduced learners to the advanced LectorSA web-based reading development programme while testing their reading speed and comprehension skills. It is expected from learners to practice their reading skills by using the two-year LectorSA reading development programme on their computers at home or at their schools’ computer labs. One of the benefits of this web-based reading development programme is that learners can use the programme anywhere in the world as long as they have internet access. Learners were also introduced to the new Read2Learn programme which is designed to teach learners how to access information in learning materials much faster and more effectively. Learners will in future, as they develop their reading skills, be able to read CRITICALLY and become an ACTIVE reader rather than someone who passively lets the information flow over them.

Guest speaker, Setlogane Manchidi from Investec Bank in Sandton delivered an inspiring and motivational speech during an informal social evening. Masechaba Dlengezele and the Investec team grabbed the learner’s attention with their presentation on “Invest in your future”. The information given was of a very high standard and the learners could relate to their respective life experiences.

The faculties of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, Economic and Management Sciences, Humanities and Natural and Agricultural Sciences made valuable contributions in an interesting and personal way towards the learners’ views on study opportunities. Learners also visited the Faculties of Health Sciences at the Prinshof Campus as well as the Faculty of Veterinary Science at the Onderstepoort Campus where they attended workshops on all the study fields offered by the respective faculties.

Senior students in Culture and Heritage Tourism guided learners on a tour of the Hatfield Campus.

Michael Ellis introduced the learners to the Bloodhound Project, a global engineering adventure using a 1000 mph world land speed record attempt to inspire the next generation about science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Dakalo Makhado introduced his website: www.maxmatric.com to the learners. MaxMatric is aimed at uplifting the South African youth by providing them with the necessary guidance and resources they would need to make informative study decisions.

An African drumming session, a movie night, a braai and various games provided for great excitement amongst the learners.

Spec-Savers and JuniorTukkie joined forces to screen all learners’ eyes and supply those who needed glasses with a brand new pair. These learners now also have the opportunity to read better and excel in their studies.

Prof De Wet Swanepoel of the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology at the University of Pretoria offered to screen the Grade 11 learners for hearing loss using his new smartphone application, called hearScreen.

We wish to thank Setlogane Manchidi and Investec for their support to JuniorTukkie and its projects over the past five years. We are honoured to have Investec as a partner and it is evident that their involvement brings hope to many learners. We are looking forward to a continued partnership and relationship.

The JuniorTukkie Empowerment Week most definitely provided a foundation on which these learners can grow and meaningfully engage in their own personal development. It was evident that all learners thoroughly enjoyed the JuniorTukkie Grade 11 Empowerment Week and that all involved made a positive and lasting impression on these learners.

www.up.ac.za/juniortukkie