Weaving Inspired Exchange

On Tuesday October 4, we put our tag line Weaving Inspired Exchange into action, as we held our first Partner Development Workshop. The workshop was part of our Partner Exchange Network programme, which brings together NGOs across sectors to exchange skills, resources and services with the aim of multiplying the available resources in the sector.

Representatives from 15 NGOs working in Cape Town attended the workshop, to learn more about how they could exchange with one another. It was an exciting day, as the participants came to realise the power of exchange and the potential it has to change the way NGOs work.

We started the workshop by asking everyone to close their eyes and draw an item out of a black bag on the floor and put it on. Peals of laughter filled the room as people donned Mickey Mouse ears, fairy wings, crazy hats and colourful zany wigs. Each person was wearing something silly or funny that naturally brought out the little child in all of us. We asked the circle to reflect on and share their thoughts on the wisdom of a two-year-old. People spoke about their energy and enthusiasm for life, the openness with which two-year-olds approach life and also their attitude that anything is possible. As we reflected on this, we asked everyone to approach the idea of exchange and partnerships with the spirit of a two-year-old. It was wonderful to see how the joy and laughter of a two-year-old opened everyone up and changed the atmosphere in the room.

The idea of exchange is based on giving and receiving. We introduced the idea of exchange by asking each person to reflect on what they bring to the world: to their families, friends and to their work. Each person traced their hands on a piece of paper, and inside them wrote all the things they bring. Then, outside their hands, they wrote the things that their organisations could offer to other partners in the network. Each potential exchange starts with the individual, it starts with them asking the question, What can I bring? By drawing the handmaps, participants started with themselves and then moved out to their organisation.
We shared the handmaps in the circle, starting with each person saying "I bring...." and completing the sentence. A beautiful silence filled the room, as each person willing shared their gifts: listening, openness, compassion, hope.

Next, people shared the skills, resources and services that their organisation could offer to other organisations in the network. As we moved around the circle, Nicole noticed that the potential of the network had not fully clicked in yet. She asked us to go around the circle one more time, and have people name one or two things their organisation needs. The first person said, "We need funding." With a few simple questions from Nicole, the representative named sports equipment and outings for their youth programme as a need. It became clear to everyone that while we all need money to run our programmes, there are different ways to find the equipment, skills and resources such as venues and outings that we need for our programmes. And as we continued going around the circle, faces lit up as people made connections between the needs being named and the skills and resources they had which could fulfill those needs.

The room was abuzz with ideas, excitement and chatter as we paired people off for "Speed Exchange Dating". Each pair had five minutes to talk about their organisation's work, explore potential exchanges and swap contact details. It was almost heart-breaking to tear people apart after five minutes. It was evident that people were making strong connections and finding concrete ways of supporting each other's programmes. Exchange can be as simple as offering a box of paper lying in your storeroom that you no longer have use for, to an organisation that needs it. It could also be as big as offering staff training to another organisation, in creative facilitation methods, for an outing for your youth programme.
After 40 minutes of Speed Exchange Dating, we called everyone back to the circle to explain how the structure and functioning of the Partner Exchange Network. The speed dating provided a taster and people were encouraged to continue their conversations over lunch, and to set up meetings to further explore their ideas. Already we have received an email from one organisation who is sharing best practice models for youth development, with another organisation as a result of the workshop.

In the closing circle, people said they felt 'inspired', 'enthusiastic' and 'hopeful' about the possibilities going forward. Thank you to our NGO partners who attended the workshop: AfriOceans Conservation Alliance, Artscape Resource Centre, Cape Leopard Trust, Catholic Welfare and Development, Driftsands CapeNature, Tulbagh CapeNature, De Hoop Cape Nature, Earthchild Project, Educo Africa, Extra-Mural Education Project, James House, Mamelani Projects, Medical Knowledge Institute, Novalis Ubuntu Institute, SANParks: Table Mountain National Park. For more information about our Partner Exchange Network visit our website or email yesiamsomebody@gmail.com



Photos: Kent Lingeveldt

Thank You's
We'd like to thank the following people whose generosity made the workshop possible:

• Empire Cafe in Muizenberg for donating the soup for lunch
• Knead Bakery Wembley Square for donating the bread for lunch
• Driftsands CapeNature Reserve for the venue
• Photographer Kent Lingeveldt for documenting the workshop
• Filmmaker Nadine Cloete for recording the workshop and doing a short documentary about it