The SHAWCO Khayelitsha Centre (K2) is the first of the SHAWCO centres to implement the first consolidated and increasingly comprehensive All Round Tutoring Education model. At this centre, a range of academic, life skills, IT and extra-curricular activities have been implemented with the view of producing “SHAWCO Super Kids: who can have access to tertiary education and jobs after leaving school.

After much needed construction, the centre now boasts a fully equipped Computer Centre, a well-stocked Library, a hall and an area of wetland adjacent to the Centre.

SHAWCO project participants (also referred to as learners) are recruited from local schools. The primary schools involved are Eluxolweni, Kukhanyile and Yomelela Primary schools. The high schools involved are Masiyile, Thembelihle, Siphamandla and Bulumko Secondary Schools (with Sangweni & Luhlaza having been involved until the end of 2006). The participants are recruited primarily for the academic tutoring programmes (Step, Stepping Out, SMART and Masifundisane) and are then offered the chance to participate in a range of extra-mural activities as well, such as Arts, Sports, IT and the Holiday Programme. Once all academic participants have signed up for the extra-mural activities, if there are still vacancies for learners, learners not involved in the academic programmes may register. The reason behind giving academic participants first choice of the extra-mural activities is to promote the idea of an all-rounded individual: the SHAWCO Super Kid.

The academic programmes make full use of the computer centre, library and wetlands in their curriculum, and learners involved in the programmes can access the library and other resources as the need arises.

Tutoring takes place at the SHAWCO Centre and in the classrooms of the neighbouring Eluxolweni Primary School. SHAWCO Volunteers are bussed in from UCT with SHAWCO buses, leaving UCT at 14h00 and coming back at 17h00 every week day and on Saturdays.

Centre Staff assist in running the library and computer centre, participant recruitment, project coordination, administration, parent-, teacher-  and community-relations and various other areas of support for students and learners alike.  Staff members also arrange various workshops for unemployed young adults in the community, such as IT and CV-writing workshops.

In addition to the student- and staff-run projects there are several NGOs operating at the Khayelitsha (K2) Centre, such as Nonceba (offering Rape Crisis Counselling), the Volunteer Centre, Masibambane (offering support in nutrition and gardening projects) and a person providing legal services to local residents. In addition to this, churches and burial societies utilise the space over the weekends and people from the community hire the covered courtyard for meetings and workshops. In the evenings, different youth groups make use of the Centre’s space for different activities, such as boxing and dancing.

Projects Run from SHAWCO Khayelitsha (K2) Centre