Developing tomorrow’s leaders, today
30 learners took part in a leadership and mentorship programme hosted by WESTCODE.
The Peer-group Leadership, Mentoring and Positive Role-model Programme established by the Westbury Community Development Initiative, also known as WESTCODE, aims to “create young leaders, who can develop into an act as possible role models for their peers,” said Dr Frew Benson, programme coordinator.
On September 16, WESTCODE a self-funded, non-profit organisation hosted the seventh and penultimate week of their leadership and mentorship programme at Dowling Primary School.
The WESTCODE initiative, which began on August 5th as a pilot project, aims to develop budding leaders within the Westbury community by identifying school pupils with leadership potential.
A total of 30 learners, made up of 10 learners from Dowling Primary School, 10 learners from Westbury Primary School and 10 learners from Westbury Secondary School, were identified to take part in the developmental community programme.
“These children have so much talent, it’s phenomenal. By doing this leadership course we want them to start thinking differently, start taking initiative, and adopt positive patterns so that they can start influencing their peers,” said Rashid Meyers, deputy chairperson of WESTCODE.
The programme aims to develop and nurture leadership skills amongst the youth through teaching and positive mentoring.
It also aims to meet the various learning expectations of the students.
Mentors engaged with the learners as they hosted topical discussions concerning self-development and self-growth within the context of understanding leadership and becoming a good leader.
“Through the leadership programme, we want them to look at themselves. We want to develop their confidence and public speaking.
We have to nurture these leadership skills so that they can become comfortable whenever they address the public,” said Stephen Segeels, WESTCODE chairperson.
WESTCODE members, namely Stephen Segeels, Rashid Meyers, Brian Venter, Patrick MacFarlane, Dr Frew Benson, Wilfred Leeuw, Oliver McDonald, Monty Sandows, Anthony Van Louw and Pastor Moses Wheats, established the leadership programme as a means to give back to the community.
As former residents of Westbury with roots set within the community, the men of WESTCODE aim to dedicate their time and expertise to community development and empowerment.
“Our other objective, through these workshops, is to identify leaders who will become future facilitators of the leadership and mentoring programme,” said Meyers.
“What they learn here, they need to share with others. So we’ll bring some of them up to the level of being facilitators. They will help their peers. So it’s a matter of giving back,” said Segeels.
Women of Wisdom, also known as WOW, is a strategic partner of WESTCODE made up of the spouses of the organisation.
“As they look after your wellbeing, we decided to form a team to look after some of the other needs you have within a family,” said Carol Segeels of WOW.
Together, both WESTCODE and WOW have set out to develop the future leaders of Westbury.
For more information on WESTCODE or the leadership programme you can contact Stephen Segeels on 082 303 5029 or via email at stephen.segeels@momentum.co.za or Rashid Meyers on 082 803 0752 or via email at rashid.meyers@gmail.com
Sponsors are welcomed. WESTCODE is registered with the department of social development.
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