Year Highlights 2023

South Africa
University of the Free State, 14 October 2022

On the 14 October 2022, Alfi Moolman and Karen Venter, members of the Service Learning and Community Engagement team at the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein, celebrated with participants in the first Leadership Development pathway for young people offered by UFS in conjunction with the Knowledge for Change (South African hub) and GULL. The pathway design focuses on relationship building for community-based research and explores aspects of civic and social responsibility. The methodology draws on participatory action learning and action research and also on frameworks refined by Karen in her own work. The group enjoyed the experience and they have decided to continue to Diploma level in 2023.

(Above left) Alfi and Karen with the group

(Above right) Young leaders with their certificates, including a GULL level 2 Certificate

 

Bolivia
El Alfarero, 5 December 2022

El Alfarero is equipping people to serve in a variety of Christian ministry roles and its El Aprendiz (Apprentice) programme seeks to integrate people, services and ministries to facilitate community transformation. The programme has two specialisms in Biblical counselling and Developing self-sustaining projects and it is encouraging that El Alfarero’s work is expanding to Spanish speakers around the world via an online version of the programme. This runs alongside the face-to-face programme offered at the centre in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. El Aprendiz is based on individual mentoring relationships which enable change and transformation both personally and intellectually. The programme consists of 20 subjects in 6 study areas that combine the theoretical with the practical.

(Above Right) El Alfarero leaders Debbie and Graham Frith (back row) pictured with eight of the 2022 graduates and their GULL certificates.

 

South Africa
North-West University, 24-26 November 2022

Lesley Wood who lives in Potchefstroom with husband Joe, leads GULL’s work with universities in South Africa and among many others in recent years, Lesley chaired an international conference: Facilitating Knowledge for Change through Participatory Research and Learning at North-West University in late November. Lesley invited Richard Teare to speak about GULL’s approach to designing pathways for self-help and after the event, Lesley, Joe, Karen Venter and Richard spent a weekend in Clarens prior to Karen and Richard’s road trip to visit the University of the Free State Qwaqwa Campus to brief staff and community members about GULL.

(Above left to right) Richard, Karen, Lesley and Joe

(Above) Richard and Karen visiting a community township in Qwaqwa, Free State.

 

South Africa
Central University of Technology with the University of the Free State, 29 November 2022

The Community Engagement team at the Central University of Technology (CUT) in Bloemfontein, led by Jeeva Munsamy organised a GULL community briefing event on 29 November in the remote area of Nogas Post, supported and attended by Tribal Queen Kgosi Gabo Moroka and her team. The Queen is a champion of the community work undertaken by CUT and the University of the Free State (UFS) with GULL and the aim of the briefing was to outline GULL’s approach with application examples from other rural communities that have led their own change initiatives.

(Above left) Tribal Queen Kgosi Gabo Moroka with Karen Venter

(Above right) Singing and prayers in the briefing venue – a village barn.

South Africa
Central University of Technology (CUT) with the University of the Free State (UFS), 29 November 2022

The CUT and UFS briefing with GULL included sessions facilitated by Karen Venter (UFS), Jeeva Munsamy (CUT) Bruce Damons, Nelson Mandela University and Richard for GULL. At gatherings like this one in Nogas Post, it is important to provide practical illustrations so that briefing participants can envisage the possibilities and as we drew to a close the questions from community members were mainly about getting started with GULL! Jeeva for CUT and Karen for UFS said that the plan was to begin in early 2023 with a first stage graduation on 30 June 2023.

(Above, left) Post briefing photo

(Above right and pictured left to right) Bruce, Jeeva, Richard and Karen.

 

Papua New Guinea (PNG)
20 May 2023, Port Moresby On Friday

On Friday May 12, 2023, The Weekender newspaper reported that Samuel Tam Snr (‘Papa Sam’) had delivered his 200th Personal Viability (PV) course. In 1995, the late Rev Sir Samson Lowa asked Papa Sam to help low income members of his congregation at the Rev Sione Kami Memorial Church, Gordons, NCD. Now 26 years later, Papa Sam has run 200 PV courses and many thousands of people have attended his holistic human development course in all provinces of PNG and in the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. GULL supports the PV process and Richard Teare was able to attend the graduation event.

(Above, left) Choir pictured with Richard

(Above right) Sam and Dawn Tam with leaders of the United Church of Papua New Guinea.

 

Australia
21-24 May 2023, Brisbane

Ortrun Skerritt, a prolific author on the concept of action learning and research and a GULL champion from the outset, hosted with colleagues a workshop at Yeronga village, Brisbane on 24 May. Film-makers in the USA are working on a documentary and had asked for some new descriptors. We came up with: GULL’s system for community engagement enables self-determination for participants with practical pathways enabling them to influence and/or create their own future, not dependent on external funding. The process is always locally facilitated using local languages to build on traditional knowledge and fully respect local culture and uniquely different ways of learning.

(Above left, L to R) Ortrun, Maureen, Richard, Judith

(Above right) Some of the participants at the GULL workshop, Yeronga, with Richard Teare

 

Malaysia
Wisma MCA Auditorium, Kuala Lumpur, 28 May 2023

Dato’ Vincent Tang GULL Regional President, Asia was instrumental in securing an array of endorsements for GULL’s work in Malaysia in 2008/09 and in 2010, conceived and developed a partner network that has flourished in Malaysia.

It is a real privilege to attend the annual GULL award ceremony in Malaysia – they are so well organised thanks to Vincent and his team of administrators, caterers, Master of Ceremonies and photographers.

(Above, left) Vincent Tang (L) and Richard Teare (R) present and award for outstanding work

(Above right) Richard providing a GULL overview and update to the audience

 

Malaysia
Annual GULL graduation, Kuala Lumpur, 28 May 2023

Over a period of more than a decade, Vincent Tang, GULL President, Asia has developed a large partner network of Malaysian Skill Centres. As Malaysia does not have an established Further Education sector, these Skill Centres provide vital technical preparation for a wide range of vocations. Additionally, via GULL the Skill Centre staff equip their students with action learning skills for on-going personal and professional development. On 28 May, 87 graduates received their GULL awards (pictured below) and it is encouraging to know that the majority of these young people secure jobs in their chosen field. Congratulations to all our partner Skill Centres and the Class of 2023!

 

Kenya
Church & community mobilisation (CCM), 16 June 2023

Josephine Chavaseki writes: The CCM graduation for Msingi Trust facilitators was a joyful event attended by a large audience who heard thrilling stories of change from the community. CCM founder and GULL champion, Francis Njoroge presented the GULL awards with support from Gladys Wathanga and other Tearfund Kenya office staff, friends, relatives and church and community leaders. The 16th June is also ‘African child day’ and so Francis invited two children to help him present the certificates. The team of 18 facilitators are bringing change and success stories related to social justice for transformation, community conversations and the mobilisation of resources to improve education for children, mental care, sanitation and food security. Josephine added that the team is delighted to join the GULL global family.

(Above left) The graduating group

 

Jamaica
Montego Bay, 24 June 2023

Ibrahim Ajagunna, Deputy President, Caribbean Maritime University, Norma Taylor, GULL National President, Jamaica and Richard Teare met in Montego Bay on 24 June to discuss and confirm new candidates for the GULL senior practitioner programme in Jamaica. Norma has led GULL’s work in Jamaica since 2010 and we are looking forward to the next graduation event in 2024.

(Above) Ibrahim Ajagunna (centre), Deputy President, Caribbean Maritime University, Jamaica is a champion and supporter of GULL’s work in Jamaica, pictured with Norma and Richard.

 

Eurest
26 June, New Jersey - graduation 26 June (DVR, ME, J&J regions)

Eurest has been working with GULL since 2008 and this year, 105 associates completed the GULL program, joined by 30 associates from another Compass USA company, ESFM. In response, the GULL program team organised 17 graduation events throughout the USA during June. At the GULL graduation on 26 June, each award recipient shared aspects of their learning journey and here is one example: I used to be very shy and unable to make eye contact with people I didn’t know well. Now, I can say that I love my work and the opportunity to interact with people. I’ve not only learnt about myself, made positive changes and found better ways to interact with my co-workers, I’ve learnt about all aspects of my job, our marketplace and the company.

(Above left) Graduates with senior leadership

(Above right) Graduates with family members.