News24 reports that a new professional NGO qualification will give community workers the skill-set to make an impact on social problems at local level.  

Joan Daries, programme manager at Community Chest, explained as follows about the new qualification:  “It is comprehensive, multi-sectoral, and multi-disciplinary.  It draws from disciplines such as economics, sociology, agriculture and community psychology.  Community members trained in this way are able to lead sustainable solutions to community challenges through a broad range of strategies and tactics to achieve the common good."  The programme is run in partnership with the Cornerstone Institute and is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training.  While it will be offered at SA universities, funding will come from Community Chest with the support of the National Lotteries Commission.  Course participants will complete the qualification over two years, part-time, and Community Chest has provided scholarships of R32,000 each for an initial group of 30 students.  Daries commented further:  "My vision for the future is that 10 years from now, community work will be a recognised educational profession, where people are compensated properly in terms of the time and the effort and the energy they spend in the field, with proper policies in place to formalise this sector."

• Read the full original report by Duncan Alfreds on this qualification at News24

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