Cape Town: The Community, Arts and Culture Development Department of the City of Cape Town hosted a series of two-day workshops for high school learners on cultural diversity and building a positive sense of identity.
The Culture Craze workshops hit the spot this Heritage Month. Approx. 200 learners attended the workshops from five high schools in Pelican Park, Steenberg, Bernadino Heights, Saxonsea and Robinvale.
Reportedly, these six (6) workshops were held for two days at the Zandvlei Look-out, Zeekoeivlei, Witsands and Tygerberg Nature Reserves. The workshop provided learners with an opportunity to explore their cultural and heritage identity and assisted them with building confidence, positive decision-making skills, strengthening willpower and fostering a positive outlook on life.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services and Health – Councillor Francine Higham said that these sessions are so crucial to help young people develop soft skills to shape their development. It is also an opportunity to make new friends and build networks.
Higham said that he learned the lessons during these workshops will put learners in good stead for the challenges that lie ahead. The team hope that they will share their experiences with others who did not have the opportunity to attend.
There were some major topics which were discussed during the workshops. The organisers engaged arts-based activities, such as:
- Cultural Diversity and the Social Profile of South African Youth
- Cultural Identity and Heritage Awareness
- How culture shapes identity, touching on concepts such as nature v/s nurture, social development and the difference between individual and collective identity.
- Practical skills that include self-awareness and S.W.O.T. analysis
Furthermore, the Culture Craze is a newly launched programme where schools in various districts of Cape Town which were selected. The programme will be making its way to the other districts after in the financial year.
These workshops will help in advancing several skills of the learners and will enhance their thinking ability too. Programmes like Cultural Craze are beneficial indeed.