Creative Skills Factory

About

Regina Broenner is the founder of Creative Skills Factory. The organisation was established in 2012 and became a registered NPO in 2017.

When Regina emigrated from Germany to South Africa she saw a need for an after-school service in the Stanford community. She began the initiative by launching creative workshops to teach children important life skills. Regina then developed the perception program which provides children with the basic life skills they need to start school. 

The focus of Creative Skills Factory is to help children with developmental issues and to provide occupational therapy for children who need it. Creative Skills Factory aims to get as many teachers and parents involved in the program as possible.

Goals

Creative Skills Factory has a holistic approach to education and has many goals they work hard on achieving. The goals of Creative Skills Factory are:

Programs

Creative Skills Factory hosts a variety of programs which are designed to enhance the educational quality of the youth in Stanford and Gansbaai.

Creative Works Program

The creative works program is the umbrella program that includes the following programs and workshops:

• Early learning program (school-based)
• Grade R Program
• Extramural creative workshops (ages 4 to 13)
• Skills development groups for foundation phase learners
• Teacher / parent programs
• Holiday programs for children from under resources communities
• School readiness program

It is important to note that Occupational Therapy services are also provided in the framework of school the readiness programme for pre-school children.

Creative Holiday Program

The creative holiday program provides a supervised and safe space for kids to learn, play and get creative during the holidays. Creative Skills Factory makes use of local venues that are easy to get to for the children. The program is made possible with the help of the community members that supply the necessary resources.

The creative holiday program may include the following activities:

• Reading
• Creative writing
• Storytelling
• Painting
• Beading
• Pottery
• Puppet making and having puppet shows
• Dance and free movement sessions
• Yoga
• Drumming
• Make-up art
• Printing

Therapy Room

Creative Skills Factory has set up a therapy room at the Die Bron Primary School in Stanford. 

The room was created to give children a safe, quiet space where they can learn and be creative under the guidance of an experienced occupational therapist. This environment is provided for them as a place where they can feel comfortable to be themselves. The room is 18 square meters and it is structured for the children to receive perception therapy. 

The therapy room also provides a space for Occupational Therapy and group interventions.
 

Future Initiatives 

Many children cannot take part in Creative Skills Factory’s programs due to their distance and lack of safe transportation. The organisation aims to help as many children as they can so they came up with the brilliant idea of the play bus.

The Play

The play bus would be a minibus that is equipped with mini-library, educational games, toys, art materials. This minibus would visit schools and crèches in urban and semi-urban areas with the following incentives:

• To educate the youth
• To facilitate childhood development and skills development
• To enrich the lives of the young 
• To involve the parents and other community members in active learning 

 In order for the bus to get on the road it needs funding, volunteers and support from:

• Educators
• Therapists
• Artists
• Musicians
• Locals 

How You Can Help

Creative Skills Factory needs your creative skills such as art, music, crafting, puppeteering, or knowledge on movement therapy. If you would like to get involved, you may personally phone Regina Broenner to schedule an appointment to assess if and where your skill can be best used to make a difference. There are many other ways you can support the organisation. 

Financial support

You can provide financial support by supporting sustainable funding initiatives by buying:

• Print cards with children’s art which they sell at Farm stalls and tourism establishments
• Crafty items made by the community facilitators for sale to raise funds

You can also attend annual children’s art exhibitions thereby also raising awareness.

Donations

What can you donate:

• Food 
• Craft materials
• Toys
• Recycled materials

Donation Points:

• Stanford Tourism Office
• Die Bron Primary School 
• The Cliff Lodge in De Kelders

Sponsor a Child

You can sponsor a child for the following options:

• 1 child for a 1-week holiday program - R150
• 1 child for 1-month after school program - R300
• 1 child for 1-year after school program - R3,600
• 1 child for 1-year art program - R3,000

Bank Details

Creative Skills Factory - NPO 2017/513502/08

Bank - Nedbank
Branch - Hermanus
Branch Code - 198765
Account Type - Current 
Account Number - 1158970595

Funders and Partners

Creative Skills Factory would like to thank the generosity of its funders and partners: