Preparation for the Trip to South Africa

As part of their training preparation, each student has had to deliver a twenty minute presentation on a variety of topics of importance when participating in a developmental workplacement.

The topics were:

1

Human Rights: Children’s rights / Women’s Rights (UK & Africa) [History (UN Human rights convention of 1948) & current events and whether or not Human rights are being successfully implanted in Africa, specifically, but not limited to, South Africa, including relevant laws supporting or undermining human rights] 

2

Gender Equality / Balance in the UK. What are women’s experiences of equality & balance in the UK? (Including, amongst other topics, Safer Sex negotiation). This must involve primary research into your & your friends’ knowledge & experiences in the subject matter as well as secondary research.  This might form the basis of our Touch Tag performance, so you will want to gauge your classmates’s stories & opinions as well. [This might include verbatim interviews to be presented as monologues]

3

The important political and sociological issues arising from ‘Westerners’ ‘helping’ and working in Africa specifically citing the work of Robert Chambers and NGOs working in Africa and looking at the BBC Documentary series 'Why Poverty?' and report back on those, amongst other examples].  What is  the effect on ‘Westerners’ as well as those in developing countries?  Give some examples of popular fund raising events and whether or not they were successful [ie LiveAid, etc...].

4

Drama in health education / Health education through drama (history, UK, South Africa, interactive theatre, radio or television programmes, etc...) [Does it work?  Cite specific examples from both countries (soap operas, etc....)]

5

Non Violent Communication [NVC] / Behaviour Change Communication [BCC] – practical examples of both [this should be quite interactive with the audience].  How does behaviour change occur?  How can NVC be applied in our everyday life?  How will both be used in our work placement?

6

Bottom-up policy making & Top-down policy making – examples and pros & cons of each.  Specifically citing Robert Chamber’s book ‘Putting the Last First’*  [I would also like an overview of this book / book report and how it can be implemented in our workplacement]

7

The effectiveness of specific development programmes in Africa (Does aid work?) [For example, watch the BBC 'Why Poverty?' Documentary series (especially the one that was on Sunday 9th Dec asking the question, ‘Does Aid work?’) and report back on those, amongst other examples].  Is what we are doing [‘development projects’] worth it? What are the differences between aid (monetary) and development (skills development)?

8

Overview on the country of South Africa (including languages also ‘Tourist Guide’ to Durban & its surrounds).  Find an up to date tourist guide and develop a presentation from there. [get exact locations from me on where we are going & what we will be doing to report to the entire class – present our itinerary]

9

Leadership Models– what do we (SMUC students & staff) need to ‘bring to the table’ to make our time in South Africa a true ‘exchange’ of practice rather than ‘Developmental Tourism’ / How do we avoid looking like rich Westerners wanting to ‘help ‘them’’ ? [leading from the front, from the middle and from the back]

10

HIV / Aids (history including myths / spread / etc...)

11

HIV / Aids (prevention (ABC’s) / treatment / testing)

12

HIV / Aids (societal effects & rights – including women’s rights / gay rights / etc...)

13

 HIV / Aids (UK v. South Africa; Europe v. Africa)

14

The relationship between Gender and HIV (UK & South Africa) specifically citing the work of Theatre for a Change amongst others and how this approach might work in our work placement.

15

Participatory approaches to Development and how it might contribute to Positive Social Change Specifically citing the work of Robert Chambers’s book ‘Whose Reality Counts?  Putting the First Last.’*  [I would also like an overview of this book / book report and how it can be implemented in our workplacement]

16

Apartheid - post 1948 / post 1994 [ will need pictures / short videos in a power point presentation]

17

Current political situation in South Africa / recent events to consider including reflection on 18 years of democracy after apartheid [important events in 2013 – read & watch SA newspapers and television news]

18

The relationship between Young People and HIV (UK & South Africa) specifically citing the work of Theatre for a Change amongst others and how this approach might work in our work placement.

The goal with these presentations are that each students then becomes an 'expert' on their chosen topic.  This along with an HIV Masterclass with George Casely on 10 May as well as a visit to the South African High Commission on 17 April will give them as good of preparation as possible.