The Community Engagement unit at Rhodes has been the cornerstone of relationship-building between the university and the Grahamstown community for many years.
The Community Engagement unit at Rhodes has been the cornerstone of relationship-building between the university and the Grahamstown community for many years.
Through its outreach and volunteer programmes, the unit has tried to enhance different areas of development within the community. This year Director Diana Hornby says the intention is to take it a step further, by building more reciprocal relationships between volunteer students and the community.
“There are a lot of ways in which we can have mutually beneficial programmes with the community, where we can co-create knowledge and in that way affirm what communities are doing," said Hornby. According to Hornby, Community Engagement aims to change the ivory tower perception that the majority of Grahamstonians have of Rhodes.
She said the focus on mutually beneficial relationships would make it easier for Rhodes to share resources and in so doing “become part of our community, as opposed to standing apart from it”. Linked to 37 community partners in Grahamstown – schools, non governmental organisations, community based organisations and various informal groups, Community Engagement aims to find out the specific needs and assets of their partners and match these to resources available from the university.
“Our role is to assist academic departments to find a suitable partner to partner with for service-learning programmes. The students come back informed, but they educate people and leave something behind,” said Hornby.
Another objective this year was to change the misguided opinions that people had about less privileged societies. Hornby said, “There is a perception that poorer communities do not have resources and assets. In fact, they have.”
Community Engagement week will run from 15 to 19 August. Hornby said this would give students time to get involved in various programmes. Hornby said, “There’s a major shift now to really educating students for life, hoping that they will leave Rhodes with the kinds of attributes that would make them really good citizens, to be able to participate meaningfully in transforming a society.”
The awards to be handed out this year include the Vice Chancellor's Distinguished award for community engagement, candidates for which are expected to be announced today, and the Student Volunteer of the Year award.
