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BACKGROUND TO WORKSHOP
Leadership development of visually impaired and blind sportsmen and women has been identified as a key component of LOFOB’s Wellness Programme. LOFOB has recognised that sport for the blind requires not only dedicated players, but also dedicated capacitated visually impaired and blind administrators. In the past sport for the blind in South Africa and more specifically the Western Cape has seen the administrative tasks assumed by individuals who are not necessarily qualified or capacitated administrators but normally individuals who have volunteered to take on the task.
LOFOB’s vision is to increase the number of visually impaired and blind sports administrators through providing leadership and sports management workshops to improve the calibre of sports administration for sports for the blind. The workshop was facilitated by Armand Bam, Manager of the LOFOB Wellness Program and Presented by Dr Aubrey Webson, Regional Co-ordinator for Africa and the Caribbean, Hilton/Perkins Program, Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA, USA.
OVERVIEW OF WORKSHOP
Becoming and recognising leadership combines reflection of one's own life experiences and that of others to identify qualities of leadership and how those qualities are realised in modern organisations and communities. The workshop examined the development of a personal and professional mission, the capacity for continual learning, and the role of organisations in the development of leadership traits. Participants in the workshop considered their own leadership experiences, reflected on a community or specific national or world leader and considered the role of a leader in realising their own vision for their society and their community.
The workshop was officially opened at the LOFOB Annual General Meeting which took place on the 31st August. The workshop was attended by 34 delegates. The delegates were from the following regions Limpopo, Free State, Kwa Zulu Natal, Northern Gauteng, Western Province as well as Ghana. The delegates represented the following organisations The South African National Council for the Blind, South African Braille Chess Association, South African Tandem Cycling Association, KZN Blind & Deaf Society, Western Cape Blind Cricket, LOFOB and The Ghana Association of the Blind. The six Ghanaian delegates continued their stay for a further 7days at LOFOB to participate in the second South to South exchange programme between LOFOB and Ghana Association of the Blind.
The lecture series took place at the LOFOB head office. All notes were provided to participants in large print or Braille as requested. Dr Webson led the workshop over the three days according to the outline of the notes presented to the delegates. Delegates were required at times to work as individuals as well as in groups. No written submissions were required but delegates were required to do personal planning exercises on their own.
All participants were accommodated at the Holiday Home for the Blind in Strandfontein. LOFOB provided all accommodation and meals for the delegates who attended the workshop. A social braai and goal ball “tournament” was hosted on the Saturday evening after the days lecture.
WORKSHOP OUTLINE
This workshop engaged students in learning about themselves, the process of becoming a leader and the ideals that informs a particular kind of leadership. The intention of including this learning was to facilitate a broader connection between participant’s private selves and a public identity expressed through the stewardship of their leader behaviour. Participants were asked the following questions: 1) what is leadership? 2) What kind of leader are you? and 3) how do effective leaders develop?
OUTCOMES OF THE WORKSHOP
On concluding the workshop participants were able to:
- Identify what are often considered "typical" leadership qualities
- Recognise and reflect on their own leadership abilities
- Analyse how leadership capacity is developed and sustained
CERTIFICATE PRESENTATION
The workshop concluded with a certificate presentation by the Executive Director of LOFOB, Mr Philip Bam and Dr Aubrey Webson presenting all delegates and support staff with certificates in recognition of attendance and contribution to the Inaugural LOFOB Leadership and Sports Management Workshop.
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