Page 12 - IFV Issue Issue 9_2022

Today’s Child

COTLANDSIGNITE™ PROMOTES

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

BY AMANDA PILLAI

Cotlands believes that robust ECD learning CotlandsIgnite™ is the result of Cotlands’
programmes are vital to building South Africa’s 86 years of experience in nurturing

leaders and a skilled workforce for the future. young children and, in particular, their
focus on early childhood development
t first, when I heard about the for children. [Back in 1936, before the in the last 10 years.
activities that CotlandsIgnite™ Second World War, Mrs Reece found an CEO of Cotlands, Dr Monica Stach,
Apromotes, I was a little confused. abandoned baby on the doorstep of her comments, “Children develop 50% of
Cotlands, from my understanding, home. This sparked the establishment their lifetime’s learning capacity before
used to be a sanctuary for unwanted of a sanctuary for abandoned babies – the age of 7, but more than a million
and abandoned babies and unmarried which gave rise to the name ‘Cotlands’.] children between 3 and 5 years old
pregnant mothers. Having since done don’t have access to early learning
the research, I realise that I’m more than THE SWITCH TO AN EDUCATIONAL programmes. South Africa needs at
a few years behind the times! Cotlands FOCUS least 350 000 practitioners to meet
stopped admissions to its children’s In 1999, the Board of Directors of our growing needs. Developing a
sanctuaries and HIV/AIDS hospices in Cotlands concluded that, in order to nationwide focus on empowering the
2011 and these units were closed in remain relevant within the context of our ECD workforce is imperative to fostering
2015. changed society, the organisation had to future leaders and professionals.”
The motivation behind the be radically transformed. Switching their
organisation’s transition makes a lot focus to Early Childhood Development HOW CAN YOU HELP?
of sense – their experiences over the [ECD] and training of the education Optimising the early years of children’s
years showed that the costs of caring practitioners, Cotlands has now become lives is the best investment that any
for children in dedicated facilities was an accredited training provider, offering society can make to secure its future
approximately ten times higher than the Level 4 Occupational Certificate success.
providing support for children within in Early Childhood Development Part of the CotlandsIgnite™
the context of their own communities. through the CotlandsIgnite™ platform, programme is to seek sponsorships
Putting costs aside, they also concluded which is an online learning facility. and learnerships for underprivileged
that ‘institutionalised’ children are more They also offer a SETA-accredited New applicants wanting to become qualified
likely to experience developmental Venture Creation course, to qualify ECD practitioners. Sponsors could either
barriers and that their emotional, entrepreneurs wanting to specialise in be from companies or individuals, so if
intellectual and social needs were often toy librarianship. The course equips the you would like to be part of the solution,
not adequately met when they were participants with additional business to improve the potential of our future
isolated from society. skills and prepares them to set up toy workforce, be sure to visit the Cotlands
However, the legacy left behind by libraries in their communities, as well website to find out more.
the Cotlands founder, the late Matron as manage and market their play-based
Dorothy Reece, remains at the core of early learning programmes. For more information, please visit:
what Cotlands is all about today – caring Designed by leading experts, www.cotlands.org/cotlandsignite

10 • Issue 9 2022 • The Villager