supporting, nurturing & creating
Creative Skills Factory is a non-profit organisation that oversees and administrates a variety of programs. Each program has its own reach and objectives but also resonates with the aims of Creative Skills Factory.
Early Learning (ECD) Program
Creative Skills Factory’s Early Learning Programs (ECD) are aimed at school readiness and consists of three streams supporting children, teachers and caregivers:
ECD & Foundation Phase Programs & Interventions
Small group intervention focussing on developing fundamental skills needed for learning. Utilising a small group allows the children to improve their skills more quickly. Creative Skills Factory currently works with three pre-schools: Die Bron in Stanford, Funimfundo in Die Kop and Masakhane.
Covering themes such as enhancing child development via play at home, using every day material for play, nutrition, early childhood learning & support in the home. Show the parents that you don’t always need expensive equipment. Caregiver workshops are always done in collaboration with the teachers. Schools send the letter out to the parents. Parents respond very well to the workshops, feeling of nurturing yourself by doing the activities and learning, parents have pride in their newfound knowledge.
Classroom interventions and workshops held by a qualified OT on a variety of themes. Reviewing curriculum and implementing activities that build underlying skills based on Occupational Therapy principles. Working with the whole class, with the focus on equipping the teacher to take the work further – fine motor, cross motor & perception. Qualified OT works with the teachers. Also includes classroom interventions for special needs clients.
Movement Booklet - a resource for teachers & caregivers
Extra Mural Program
Utilising different art and cultural forms such as music, poetry, film making, painting, mural art, theatre, dance and horse riding as a tool to stimulate social development of community children and youth, simultaneously optimising and benefiting both the people and the natural resources of the area.
Creative Workshops (After School Program)
Weekly community based creative workshops for children ages 5 to 13. The workshops are run by trained community facilitators who offer a structured program from their homes or community places such as the community hall. In addition to the open workshops, the facilitators will offer smaller groups to enhance artistic as well as social skills.
Small Group Artist Mentoring
Identified children and youth with talent and enthusiasm for art will be mentored in small groups by a local artist and exposed to a variety of art disciplines.
Arts & Cultural Outings
Small groups of children who are coming regularly to the existing groups will be taken on arts and cultural outings to participate and experience exhibitions and events. Examples: take them to the arts festival in Hermanus, taking them to Stanford Hills for a nature walk and painting in the forest, attend concert. Outings make sense to the overall program.
Creative School Support
Curriculum support for local schools by bringing specialist artists into the school to teach art techniques and mentor children in fields such as music, drama, visual arts & poetry. In addition, to facilitate teachers with art workshops on themes such as how to teach art in a confined space with limited materials, which art techniques to use at certain ages and how to make art with scrap material.
Weekly horse interactions for groups of children. Children will receive instruction on caring for horses, maintenance of equipment and riding skills and will be trained to be confident responsible riders. Bring the children into the beautiful natural surroundings to give them a sense of place and appreciation for nature. Age group: 10 to 18 years.
School Holiday Program
To offer a safe but stimulating space for children aged 5 to 13 during the school holidays. In the workshops we offer a variety of creative activities including beading, printing, painting, crafting, dancing, puppet-making and puppet shows, dance and free movement sessions, yoga, drumming, pottery, make-up art, creative writing, reading and storytelling. Fresh fruit, some food. Keep them safe from harm, and boredom. 10:00 to 14:00/15:00. Do not pay. Oversubscribed every holidays.
Intensive version of all the programs that are running throughout the school year. Many of the children who attend during the year also attend the holiday program.
Creative Skills Factory currently runs school holiday programs in Stanford and Masakhane for 1 to 2 weeks during each holiday with up to 30 participants at each program. We are planning to extend this program to additional areas in the Overberg, particularly rural communities.
Occupational Therapy Program
Creative Works is led by Regina Broenner, an Occupational Therapist. Occupational therapy services are provided to individuals and groups at three primary schools in the Overberg region.
Future Vision: The Play Bus
The Play Bus is a collaborative platform for health professionals and artists to collaborate and use art as a healing tool. A mobile education and play centre that aims to reach children and their families in under-resourced areas all over South Africa / the Overberg, while offering educational activities on a regular basis or in the form of workshops and projects. The Play Bus is a minibus equipped with a small library, educational games, toys and play and craft material, as well as educational programs that aim to educate rural community members on health and equip them with life skills and early childhood development. Would run every day of the week. Also work with the health department to link with the mobile clinic. About play and education re pregnancy prevention, HIV etc. Team on the bus 3 permanent people, young people from the community who are trained up, extensive training required. Need to have a trained social worker or similar qualified person as part of the team. Would link in with the existing programs.
Make a Donation
Creative Skills Factory is entirely funded by the generosity of our donors. Just R150 can make a big difference in the life of some of our most vulnerable children.
Creative Skills Factory is a registered NPO and PBO and s17A certificates can be issued for all donations.