By Jennifer Tallack

We try to have a Facilitators' Gathering three or four times each year. The first on the Dependable Strengths Foundation calendar this year was on 31 March 2007. This is the beginning of autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

Our purpose is partly social and partly functional. It gives facilitators a chance to meet and greet new friends and old, and to keep up with events. The March gathering included some facilitators who have been with DSF from inception to some recently trained. They came from different areas and brought with them a variety of experiences.

The programme opened with a showing of the video of the process in Soweto while the Seattle team were here in 2000. It was a great reminder of the power of the process, and was enhanced because some of the facilitators who featured in the video were present.

Facilitators shared a recent good experience with a facilitator who was new to them. Familiar excitement was generated as the new partners identified their strengths.

Jenni Lewis spoke about Operating Groups. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and it was agreed that this was the way forward in the spread of DS throughout SA. We then had report back of practical experiences in Alexandra and Soweto.

Lerato Kepadise represented three facilitators running workshops for the unemployed in Soweto. He gave a moving account of the work there.

Lerato has recently begun to feel comfortable in facilitating. This has taken commitment and dedication. Therefore, it was awesome to watch and listen as he shared his passionate feelings about DS and its effect for the people in his community.

Lerato said:

"DSAP is a treasure given to us, and every time we look upon it we see our dream in our hand. When we participated in the DSA process the first time, the three of us [from Soweto] were in the same group. When it came to the Partnership of Excellence exercise, we decided that we wanted to implement the DSAP in our community; and I am happy to say that this is what we are now doing as a Soweto group."

Pinkie Barnett is a young woman who works with youth in the inner city and beyond. She talked about her first participation in the Discovery Course. Pinkie said the course helped to place her in her work with young people. It gave her clarity. She has organized and run her first DS workshop.

Groups wrote down challenges and ideas for furthering DS in South Africa. These will be taken to the Executive and the Board to seek ways for funding and for implementing.

Jennifer Tallack is Executive Director, Dependable Strengths Foundation, Johannesburg.

Visit the Dependable Strengths Foundation at: www.dependablestrengths.co.za.

For information on South Africa, click here.