SKILLS SEMINARS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Ignite the spark of curiosity. Ignite the spark of self-belief. Invigorate. Motivate.

These are the goals of EdPowerment’s involvement with two minimally-equipped, understaffed secondary schools struggling with poor student performance. EdPowerment brings it educators and resources each week to hundreds of teenagers through seminars that signal to each student that he or she can do better.

Topics include SMART goal-setting, planning (through disciplined use of written planners), time management, flexibility, note-taking, collaboration with fellow students, self-awareness, stress recognition and management, and practical exam preparation coaching (application as well as test-taking strategies).

A man standing in front of a projector screen.
A group of people sitting in front of a window.
A group of young boys sitting around a table.
A group of young people sitting in front of each other.
A man is hanging up the side of his car
A man standing in front of a projector screen.
A group of young people sitting around each other.

These seminars DO NOT revolve around verbal instruction.

• We employ resources not available in the schools – a portable generator to ensure electricity; projector & screen to show PowerPoints, videos and other web materials; handouts and basic student supplies for note-taking.
• We engage students in group activities that bring to life the material of the day. The emphasis on student participation serves a double purpose – also demonstrating to the schools’ teachers the difference that active engagement versus a strict lecture system can make.

The following photo shows groups taking part in the “Rocks, pebbles, sand” activities that helps students visualize making priorities.

A group of young men standing around a table.

Virtually ALL of the students who attend our seminars have never heard the kind of information or experienced the kind of coaching before. Students gain insight into their own habits and situations as we share methods, ideas and encouragement that can trigger more positive behaviors.

GIRLS AND BOYS CLUBS


A group of people in the grass playing frisbee.
A woman in white shirt cooking food on top of pan.
A group of people sitting around a table with puzzle pieces.
A man standing in front of a projector screen.
A group of people watching a video on the screen.
Two boys sitting in a classroom with some paper
Two girls are sitting at a table with a laptop.
A man in a classroom giving a lecture to students.
A group of people kneel down to make food.
A group of people standing around a table.
A group of people sitting around a chair.

The message of positivity and possibility is reinforced on Saturdays. Here students continue to learn life skills but in a different, more relaxed way – in addition to enjoying chai and mandazi, as well as sports and games. The Saturday Club is an invaluable extension of EdPowerment’s mission to energize students whose daily lives offer little to no exposure to ideas and activities that can lead to better futures.