In March, CHR’s award winning partner organisation, Net vir Pret ( a rural youth support NPO based in Barrydale), participated in a week of arts faclitator training provided by Assitej South Africa, an international  network organisation that connects and supports theatre practitioners, theatre companies, arts institutions and schools across the country, who share a belief in the transformative difference that theatre and the arts makes in the lives of children and young people.

Five new interns and three staff members from Net vir Pret participated in the week long workshops focused on Creative Arts development for After School Practitioners, supporting them to deliver quality arts engagements to children and young people, with a focus on theatre/drama and dance.

Net vir Pret provide the crucial aftercare services and creative development and training in Barrydale for children and youths from the most impoverished backgrounds and areas of the community, as well as providing post matric opportunties for internships,  employment opportunities (including in the Annual Giant puppet parade) and connecting with UWC to create a vital corridor of mobilisation for young people into tertiary education.   The After School Game Changer (AS GC) is one of seven priority projects of the Western Cape Provincial Government. It focuses on increasing the opportunities for youth by providing quality After School Programmes for learners in no-and low-fee schools.  This includes academic support, sport, arts and life skills programmes. Through these programmes the initiative aims to reignite the flame of learning, improve educational outcomes, reduce school dropout and improve young people’s chances of becoming engaged and productive citizens.

In addition to the Game changer workshops, Net vir Pret coordinator, Donna Europa, who also works on the annual Giant puppet parade as assistant director, script writer and puppeteer, was invited to speak at the Western Cape Education Department’s Future Focus  Education Conference held at the CTICC about Net vir Pret’s vital work in After school programmes in their community.

Donna writes  of the experience:

“Being invited to be a fellow guest speaker in the break away session presented by Yvette Hardie (Director of Assitej SA and President of Assitej International),  has presented me with a opportunity to share with other’s the wonderful work Net vir Pret does in our community. The experience left me humbled and amazed at how an afterschool programme can add value to the lives of the children in our communities. It also left me with gratitude towards our numerous partners without whom we would never be able to deliver the type of quality work we do deliver.”