Hands-on Learning Issue 14
Through our Hands-on Learning publication, we hope to play a helpful role in synthesising information from innovators and implementers in civil society, supporting them to share what they have learned so that others are able to draw from and build on their experiences. In this issue: Dynamic networks are amplifier strategies that enable social innovators […]
Steps to address South Africa’s dropout crisis
The majority of learners who start Grade 1 will not complete their schooling. The South African education system is failing our children because a lack of educational qualifications puts them at a disadvantage in the labour market, increasing the prospect of a life mired in unemployment, and in so doing, perpetuating cycles of poverty and […]
Building communities free of violence
Violence against children has long-term effects that impact not just the development of our children, but the development of our nation. A costing study commissioned by Save the Children South Africa estimated that early exposure to violence during childhood resulted in the loss of R238-billion in human capital – the equivalent to 6% of the […]
Networks as amplifiers of social impact
Dynamic networks are amplifier strategies that enable social innovators to achieve two vital objectives: scale and impact. DGMT supports a number of initiatives that use strategies to mobilise large, ever-growing networks of people. A social network is a connected group of people who interact in different ways to inform, influence and mutually benefit each other. […]
Connecting with learners to keep them in school
For many learners, school can feel like a losing battle. We see this in the country’s low matric throughput rates – with only 40% of learners who start school going on to pass matric 12 years later[1]. Merle Mansfield of the Zero School Dropout Initiative asks what can be done now to give our learners […]
Connecting South Africans around motherhood: Three strategic insights that have shaped the mission of Embrace
The transition into parenthood is a vulnerable time for women. A mother’s mental health can negatively affect the development of her baby and this can be especially problematic during the ‘First 1 000 Days’ of her child’s life, which plays a vital role in allowing him or her to grow up to be happy, healthy and […]
How not to trip up on the digital highway: Lessons from social innovators developing e-platforms
Almost every household in South Africa has access to a mobile phone[1]. This has transformed the face of social development, with many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) embracing mobile technology to connect with their target audiences. In this learning brief, we explore the diverse opportunities – but also challenges – that come with using mobile platforms […]
Youth leadership development in South Africa – are we stuck? A funder’s perspective
If we understand the social challenges of our time to be complex, with multiple causes, symptoms and manifestations, then critical to how we respond and how we direct change must be our ability to deal with that complexity –something that requires collective, rather than singular leadership. In this learning brief, Janet Jobson asks what this […]
