Welcome!
Currently, the world is witnessing the impact of radical shifts as dictatorships are toppled and natural disasters hit hard. As we experience the impact of these events and see their subsequent effects, we've selected a few hot topics to further explore in the 15th edition of our newsletter. In this jam-packed edition, you'll read about the following:
- An introduction to our “new look and logo," a new direction that compliments our organisation's expansion and further solidifies our holistic approach to addressing our clients' developmental needs and goals.
- As development communicators, we recognise the increasing impact of technology and bring you a piece on the growth and importance of social media. The article also features practical case studies to help you integrate this impactful tool in your organisations' communication.
- As World Water Week comes to a close, read about our attendance at the UN World Water Conference held in Cape Town and the impact of the water-crises in urban environments and how this relates to the African context.
- Find out more about the highly controversial possibility of hydraulic fracking in the Karoo, why it's a potential environmental catastrophe and what you can do to prevent this from happening!
- Within our organisation, we're always finding ways to work towards helping our clients achieve sustainability, which is why our Internship Programme and article on Best Practices in Skills Development show how directed programmes apply sound principles and achieve great results.
We hope you enjoy our newsletter and are able to leave with new ideas, thoughts, and helpful hints to better suit your efforts and missions.
Please send us an email should you have any questions, would like to further discuss topics highlighted in our newsletter, or would like more information on our services!
Vibrant new visual style for Creative Consulting & Development Works
The start of a new year signifies a time for change -- a time for a new look, a new image, and a renewed visual style. Since our establishment in 2003, Creative Consulting & Development Works has seen significant growth and is now using its full-fledged services
to support various aspects of the development sector. With our growth (both in skills and in clientele), we knew we needed a fresh look that would not only compliment our efforts, but match our work, look, and feel. Our new look features a contemporary and creative circular-shaped logo in vibrant colours.
"We have chosen to represent ourselves with a circular-shaped logo as it symbolises unity, integration, and wholeness. This ties in with our core brand offering of dedicated care, dependability and adhering to high work ethics,” says Director Lindy Briginshaw. This is further depicted by our brand symbol - the universal and impactful “eye” symbol, which represents inner vision, insight and awareness.
The logo is our primary brand identifier and will be phased-in to all our communication elements over time. The circular logo brings more cohesion between our consultancy and our main mission: using our skill-set and services to ensure development that works and spark positive change and growth. Our approach is a 'cause and effect' -- our efforts lead to your successes. With your goal, we look at the bigger picture and work backwards, tying in our highly-skilled and diverse staff, unique services, and creative thinking.
Read More...
UN Word Water Conference comes to Cape Town
We had the pleasure of sending our staff to the international UN World Water Conference held in Cape Town. The event brought in over 1,000 delegates and 63 journalists worldwide to discuss the growing trend of the water crisis, particularly within the urban community.
For three days, thought leaders and experts discussed various issues, debated ideas, and formulated plans to tackle some of water's biggest issues and consequences. It was made clear that a lack of water is a health, farming, economic, financial and as of recently, a political crisis. Though many had various opinions and arguments all agreed that access to water is a right and denying a person water is a fundamental violation of human rights.
Read More...
World Water Day: Tackling the Urban Challenge
According to the UN Habitat, “Africa's urban population is expected to triple to over 1.2 billion by 2050 in cities” which are already plagued and affected by lack of safe drinking water and inadequate sanitation services.
As the population continues to leave their rural settings behind and head to major cities (most often by job creation and due to conflicts/water and relocation), it is necessary for international organisations to prepare for this influx. A shortage in access to clean water impacts on the following issues: health, environmental, economic, and financial, amongst other things.
In the past, we've worked retroactively to address these issues, but with data and knowledge, we know population shifts and patterns. It is now that we must implement systems and address issues of infrastructure and facilities to prevent deadly diseases from expanding.
Read More...
Help Prevent Fracking in the Karoo
The concern around the possible hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo goes far beyond aesthetics. While very few people want to see the Karoo transformed into a desolate moonscape of industrial craters and machinery, far more worrisome is the possibility of the permanent contamination of South Africa’s groundwater.
According to the Wall Street Journal "Fracking" is a colloquialism for hydraulic fracturing, a technique used to extract oil and gas from prolific but challenging shale deposits.
Read more...
How to enable best practice in Skills Development
Empowering people to develop their skills is crucial to the success of creating employment in South Africa. Many government initiatives in this sector have faced challenges and fallen short of delivery. To gain a better understanding of this issue and investigate ways to improve skills development practice, we recently attended the Impumelelo Skills Training and Employment Workshop held on 2-3 March at the Upper Eastside Hotel in Woodstock.
Speaking at the conference in Cape Town this month, Professor Michael Savage of UCT and author of the Impumelelo Skills Training Case Studies Book, said there are are a few success factors he has repeatedly encountered in his work in the field that NGO's and social enterprises can base their approaches on. The workshop presented models of best practice, so that organisations can replicate and cross-polinate.
Read more ...
New Internship Programme addresses the needs of the sector
Creative Consulting and Development Works has launched an exciting internship programme that bridges the gap between young people and the development sector. The programme aims to build the organisational capacity of local NGOs, so they can more effectively fight against youth unemployment in Cape Town. By placing skilled international interns with the organisations, a model for youth development will be established and the strengthened organisational infrastructure will eventually provide a more fruitful experiential learning experience for young people.
We focus on developing NGO’s abilities to effectively implement work plans for experiential learners. This process is on-going and requires initial strategic planning that considers organisational realities, struggles and concerns for future planning.
Read more ...
Social Media Empowers the Development Sector
Since the emergence of technology, and most recently, online and social media, sectors in the development world have been given more attention, awareness, and most importantly – more financial support.
In the past, the development sector was largely accelerated by organizations that were able to drive change with funding and influence. There’s now a shift, however, and social media has made it so people with enough care and interest can generate awareness, and spark change. If you’re someone with a voice, social media tools give you the outlet to advocate for particular issues.
Read more...
What's Up!
We've settled into our new premises in Woodstock, a creative and spacious space to work in!
- In the first week of this month we facilitated coaching workshop sessions for the BMW Foundation's first Europe Young Leaders Forum held in Cape Town. This year's topic was “New ways forward. Innovative Technologies, Financial Models and Partnerships for Social Cohesion”.
- We have been contracted by UNAIDS to provide consultancy services in 2011 to research and publish content for UNAIDS Science Blog, “HIV this week”.
- Our experience in the arts, creative and training sectors proved valuable with a desktop research study of accredited arts related training institutions for the Western Cape Cultural Commission.
- Also completed recently were telephonic interviews for the Trade and Sector Development Outcome Survey Project and the BBBEE, Film and Craft Projects for the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Western Cape Provincial Government.
- Currently, we are conducting telephonic interviews and surveys for the Tourism Safety Programme for the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Western Cape Provincial Government.
- We are also conducting research on social cohesion for the City of Cape Town.
- Mid-year we will be conducting an impact assessment of the Poverty and Development course implemented by HOPE Africa.
- We are assisting the Southern African Aids Trust: to publish Counselling Guidelines for Voluntary Male Circumcision; and Psychosocial Support for Children and Adolescents.
- We’re highlighting our Corporate Social Investment (CSI) offering “CSI Works” to corporate clients this year. Our years of experience in the development sector, specifically in project evaluation enables us to provide tailored CSI services to the business sector. Contact Susannah Clarke our research co-ordinator to find our more!
- Michelle Cruywagen has joined our team as Communications Co-ordinator, Susannah Clarke has been promoted to Research Co-ordinator and Lilian Kaplan to Research Assistant.
Contributors and Contact
Lindy Briginshaw (Director) Michelle Cruywagen (Communication Co-ordinator
Susannah Clarke (Research Co-ordinator), Lilian Kaplan (Research Assistant) Nondumiso Ntsengentsu (Communications Intern), Sue Maude (Bookkeeper) and Jacques van Niekerk
(Technologist).
Contact
For more information about Development Works or the Development Works Newsletter, please visit our website or email media@developmentworks.co.za or call +27 21 448 2058.
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Disclaimer:
The opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily represent the official views of Development Works. We endeavour to share information, best practices, successes and achievements and raise topical issues in a manner that is balanced and fair, truthful and accurate. Our blog provides a space for commenting and debating issues that matter, so click here to share your opinions. You can also add Development Works on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
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