Community Outreach
Khula Nathi
Preparing young children for grade R by building physical, social, and cognitive skills through a structured social circus programme.
School readiness support programme for ECD centres, providing children with alternative quality early learning experiences through circus arts and activities. This programme runs in partnership with 6 ECD centres per cycle.
Social Challenge
A significant number of young learners entering Grade 1 in South Africa have not reached the required level of readiness for formal learning due to inadequate early- learning experiences. As found in many studies worldwide, these learners are often traumatised because they cannot keep up with the pace and requirements of the formal learning situation, putting them at risk for academic failure.
Programme Goal
To support ECD centres by providing alternative quality early learning experiences for participants to reach the required stage of school readiness. To contribute to the body of knowledge and practice on early childhood development
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IMPACT
The programme supports Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in preparing learners to enter mainstream schooling, and the methodology of learning through play is a very effective vehicle through which to encourage development. Activities helped the children learn balance, dexterity, movement and dance, which complemented activities offered at their respective ECD centres. Children learned through observation, listening and mimicking as they were challenged to complete tasks. The Zip Zap instructors represented new authority figures, which was essential in acclimatizing participants to new environments while also reinforcing healthy discipline. All the participants thoroughly enjoyed the workshops and teachers reported that they displayed greater confidence, appear to engage better with their peers and are more inclined to participate in physical activities. Most of the children (97%) displayed improved language and communication skills, which positively influenced their abilities to follow instructions to enable them to execute tasks.
Teachers were encouraged to replicate activities at their respective ECD centres to ensure continuity.
“The children use the skills they learn at the Zip Zap workshops when they play on the school jungle gym.” – Teacher
Beneficiaries
Sessions
Instructors
Coaching Support (2 Alternating)
“For the past 29 years we have seen stars in the eyes of all children entering Zip Zap. That ‘spark’ is what we work for, to ensure it continues shining until they become independent, caring, responsible adults. It is worth cultivating because only once each child knows their worth will (s)he be on the path to growth. We have seen many times that participation in our programmes overcomes low self-esteem, anger, frustration, despair, and rejection. More than 15,000 young people have gone through that process with us over 29 years.”
– Zip Zap Co-founders
Programme Success
Zip Zap is proud to have concluded the first 2-year programme in partnership with 6 ECD centres located in the Hout Bay area. The programme provided a more focused approach to improving levels of school-readiness of participants.
We received consistently positive feedback from teachers that the programme had contributed to increased levels of confidence and creativity among the children, as well as improvements in physicality.
For more information on how to join one of our programmes, email
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