Project Summary: OASIS (Organising after school & in-school)
 
Project Contact Person: Mark Lamani and Somila Mjekula
Contact Numbers: 041 504 4046 / 073 555 3667
Email Address: Mark.Lamani@gmail.com and Somila@thelearningtrust.org
 
What is the project about?
 
The Centre for the Community School partnered with The Learning Trust in understanding what after and in school programmes are presently being offered to support basic school functionality in the metro, particularly in the 20 schools operating in the two metro networks.  The Centre created a community of practice (CoP), which explores with after and (in-) school practitioners and schools the following:
  • What after school and in school programmes are presently active in schools and other centres?
  • How do they contribute to the basic functionality in the schools to achieve the desired learning outcomes?
  • How could we co-construct a tool which will allow for greater co-ordination of these programmes to support the schools to achieve the desired learning outcomes? 
Aim of the project
 
The aim of the collaboration, which is informed by the successful events in Cape Town, is to build a community of shared learning in the extended learning space in the Metro.  It further seeks to give voice and agency to both the after-school practitioners, as well as schools, as to which programmes could best support the schools.
There are many initiatives that are implemented to improve education in the Metro.  The space is currently fragmented and CCS aims to bring partners together to work more effectively in addressing challenges faced by schools, communities and the Department of Education.  The Centre notes that factors contributing to education outcomes are complex and as such it is important to consult the various stakeholders and to provide a frame of what the initiative should focus on.
 
Stakeholders of the project
  • The Learning Trust
  • CCS
  • Various Non-Profit Organisations
Successes obtained/events held
  • The October Symposium of 2017
  • Creation and launch of a mobile application and Toolkit that helps schools to access information about a variety of programmes that can assist schools in terms of psychosocial wellbeing, academic achievement, literacy development etc. This mobile app can be found on the Google Apps Store, under the term “INQ8”.