We welcome 26 newly trained MOT Coaches to the MOT Family!

In March, MOT SA hosted its first MOT Coaches’ Basic Education for the year at Fairmount Second School in Grassy Park. A total of 26 participants: principals, educators, social workers, and community volunteers have been trained as MOT Coaches from Fairmount, Zeekoevlei and Lotus High Schools, and in addition three community organizations: JP21 Foundation, Amy Foundation, Mbekweni Youth Centre and Steenberg Rotaract.

MOT South Africa has partnered with The Rotary Club of Wynberg, Haugaland Upper Secondary School, Karmøy Rotary Club and Rotary Districts 2250 and 2275, the Rotary Foundation and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to roll out our Courage to Care Global Grant project.

The project was created to invest in our future leaders by training educators to empower the youth with leadership and life-skills to master their own lives and shape the future they want for themselves. MOT SA aims to develop robust youth to be resilient role models in their communities.

MOT SA is extremely proud to share that the Western Cape Education Department has fully endorsed this “values-driven programme” that was created to teach our future leaders positive life skills within our community.

Inspiring Feedback from participants

Louise Wheeler, an educator from Zeekoevlei High School shared that she admires that the MOT Programme focuses on how to prevent challenges such as bullying, violence, teen pregnancy, and substance abuse as the focus is usually on rehabilitation.

MOT Brand Ambassador, Businesswoman, and Entrepreneur, Ency Litsoane joined the MOT Basic Education. Ency said “What attracted me to MOT was the core values. It resonates in my life and the values I live by, especially since I am a mother. I love that MOT focuses strongly on prevention rather than cure.” Ency shares she is extremely proud to have witnessed the MOT sessions in action.

Other brand ambassadors and public figures who unfortunately could not attend the MOT Coaches’ Basic Education, include:

Former Professional Cricket Player & Founder of JP21 Foundation, JP Duminy; World Kungfu Champion, TV and Radio Host, MJ Li, Radio and TV presenter, Ayanda Dlamini; Professional Rugby Player, Siya Kolisi; South African Singer/Songwriter, Janice; Radio and TV Personality, Carl Wastie; South African motivational speaker, Robin Banks.

Gary Speelman, Young MOTivator Alumnus and MOT Coach shared his MOT Journey which started in 2015 when he was a MOT Youth and Young MOTivator from False Bay TVET College.

Gary shared that since he has become involved with MOT, his life has changed in a positive way and that many people around him have seen the changes within him. He further shared that he admires that MOT does not tell our youth or force people to change, but through the tools, activities, and group discussions, MOT plants a seed that eventually sprouts and grows when willingly accepted. He advised that the tools provided by MOT are relatable and things that humans deal with daily and that can help them overcome. Gary shares that until this day, he still uses the MOT values and principles and continues to use them in his daily life and community. “MOT is a way of life. MOT has inspired me to encourage and motivate other young people in my community through its values.”

Stacy Edwards, the Wynberg Rotary Project Manager shared that she admired the passion, enthusiasm, and drive to invest in the youth that the MOT Coaches have shown over the two days. She gave a special thanks to Odd Henning in Norway for his contribution in getting the project started.

Brian Dalton, MOT SA Board Member and ex member of the Wynberg Rotary and a Past President of the club welcomed all new MOT Coaches to the MOT Family and shared that they will not only be contributing to the growth within the school but the whole community.

Programmes and Training Manager, Andiswa Makha shared that the MOT Programmes inspire the youth to be courageous and self-aware and she looks forward to more youth being impacted. “MOT Coaches become our youth’s role models whom they whole-heartedly admire and creates a space for them to feel safe and comfortable. Using your positive influence as a MOT Coach will help to reach our young people in a youthful, innovative and sincere manner,” said Makha.

Mr. Terence Klassen, Principal of Fairmount Secondary School and MOT Coach thanked the MOT Team, Rotary International, and Wynberg Rotary for the opportunity to invest in the youth in their communities. Mr. Klassen encouraged the new MOT Coaches to continue to nurture the MOT seeds, which are MOT’s 3 core values – the Courage to Live, the Courage to Care, and the Courage to Say No, in their daily lives and into the lives of the youth.

The MOT Programmes make use of activities, reflections, stories, and group discussions, to create the magical atmosphere and inspirational experiences that contribute to strengthening youth’s ownership to the MOT values courage to live, courage to care, and courage to say no – which in turn strengthens their ability to build themselves and others.

The new MOT coaches are eager to show the youth what it means to live with courage. Using the MOT philosophy and core values, our MOT Coaches are equipped with the tools to develop and strengthen the next generation to be self-aware, active citizens and leaders.

Thank you to the friendly staff at Fairmount Secondary School for your hospitality and assistance when it was needed. A special thanks to Rotary Foundation and International for the opportunity to get this wonderful initiative off the ground.

All the best to our brand-new MOT Coaches. We look forward to seeing new magical experiences forming through this beneficial relationship within the Grassy Park Community and having the #Courage2Conquer any challenges thrown our way.

View some of the quotes from our MOT Coaches’ summaries below:

• The MOT programme has a very strong message to pass on to the youth and the ones that are suffering in terms of their confidence, to be able to change their weakness to become their strength just by believing in themselves. 
• MOT has made it clear that their team is strengthened, and it has become a powerful weapon for our youth to fight and to face anything that challenges them in their lives. 
• The MOT Coaches Basic Education was informative, encouraging, and makes me feel like I am a part of something bigger than “just” a teacher. 

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