Adopt uThisha
Cotlands launches the Adopt uThisha initiative
Our Adopt uThisha initiative aims to build much-needed, skilled capacity in the ECD sector and it also sets out to improve the quality of early childhood development services in marginalised communities in South Africa.
Currently practitioners in the field require a gateway into formal education but this is not always accessible to most as they don’t have the funding to pay for their tuition. Due to the lack of formal knowledge and training in the sector it has a ripple effect on children as they receive poorer quality programmes leading to a vicious negative cycle. The lack of access to early learning opportunities has a significant impact on children as they enter formal schooling and it has a lasting effect on their academic performance throughout their school years leaving them with limited career options. By supporting and investing in our Adopt uThisha initiative you will help us create a more equitable society in marginalised communities and grow our human capital and skills base for generations to come.
Cotlands offers corporates the opportunity to partner with our organisation, under the skills development (SD) pillar through the Adopt uThisha initiative, benefiting from receiving points on your B-BBEE scorecard under Skills Development. We will require collective support from organisations, foundations and high net worth individuals to support our Adopt uThisha initiative to affect change in the sector. Research shows us that the investments targeted at the earliest years yield the greatest returns to the investment in human capital.
To address the skills shortage in the sector, Cotlands has developed and launched an innovative online training platform called CotlandsIgnite™ which offers accredited courses in early childhood development. Cotlands is an accredited training provider who is able to offer Occupational Certificate Early Childhood Level 4 and New Venture Creation Toy Library Skills qualifications either through sponsorships or learnerships. We are committed to pioneering online training in the ECD sector. Your investment will greatly assist us in giving learners access to an accredited course and after completing the course they will obtain a formal qualification.
The Adopt uThisha initiative uses the age old adage “Each one. Reach one. Teach one.” We want to encourage you or your organisation to help us build a stronger ECD workforce by following these three easy steps:
Each one.
Each one identifies someone in the community that requires formal training.
Reach one.
Reach one ECD practitioner and commit to sponsoring the learner.
Teach one.
We will teach one through our innovative CotlandsIgnite™ platform.
Please help us achieve our goal
Our goal is to build a skilled ECD workforce by 2030 so that all children have access to quality play-based early learning opportunities. We can’t do this alone. We need each one of you to play your part in helping us build our future workforce.