On May 13, 2024, IPMA-SA held its first IPMA Kids Workshop in South Africa, targeting young learners aged 6-7 years from Vredekloof Primary School in Cape Town. The workshop, which took place on the school premises, saw the enthusiastic participation of around 120 Grade R students. The event was expertly coordinated by a team of teachers and the school principal, along with IPMA-SA’s IPMA Kids Programme Director, Anelda Jonker. Special thanks to the 20 Grade 7 students who acted as team leaders and significantly contributed to the workshop's success!
The workshop featured external experts Jim Adams, NASA Deputy Chief Technologist (Retired), and Samuli Karjalainen from IPMA, who provided valuable insights and guidance.
Workshop Activities
We kicked off the workshop by discussing the core responsibilities of a team/project leader, emphasizing the importance of taking care of the team and treating everyone fairly. The concept of a project was explored through interactive discussions, with examples ranging from building sandcastles with friends to family cleaning projects and constructing garages at home.
The highlight of the workshop was the "Paper Tower" project. In groups of 5-7, the children were tasked with building tall and sturdy towers using the provided materials. Jim Adams explained the significance of launch towers for NASA rockets, enhancing the children's understanding of the activity. Older students and roaming assistants, including Jim Adams and Samuli Karjalainen, acted as "project consultants" for the teams, while Anelda Jonker facilitated the activity.
Workshop Outcomes
The workshop was filled with excitement, laughter, curiosity, and collaboration. The children experienced moments of success and challenges, with some towers collapsing multiple times before standing tall. Ultimately, every team succeeded in building a paper tower, showcasing diversity and creativity in their designs. The main focus was on teamwork, mutual support, and completing the project within the given timeframe, which all teams achieved.
We gathered reflections from the learners, encapsulating the essence of the project:
"Maybe we should have talked more about how to build our tower together.”
"Sometimes I went to another group to see what they do, when I should have stayed with my team.”
”Our tower fell down four times before we finally got it to stand! Then we were very happy!”
To conclude, Jim Adams showed additional videos about rocket launches and countdowns, capturing the attention of the entire hall, including 120 young learners, teachers, and the principal.
Acknowledgements
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Vredekloof Primary School for their collaboration. Based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback, this is just the beginning of many more IPMA Kids Workshops.
About IPMA-SA and the IPMA Kids Programme
The IPMA Kids Programme is dedicated to the holistic development of children through engaging and hands-on learning activities. Targeting various age groups—Kids (6-9 years old), Teens (10-15 years old), and Juniors (16-18 years old)—the program focuses on:
Encouraging independent thinking and problem-solving skills.
Developing project management skills through practical experience.
Promoting teamwork, collaboration, and communication.
Fostering creativity and innovation in project planning and execution.
By involving children in meaningful project activities, we help them build a strong foundation in project leadership and management that will benefit them throughout their lives. The programme is based on the ICB4Kids competency framework, adapted from IPMA’s standard ICB 4 – Individual Competence Baseline, which underpins the IPMA professional certification model.
Anelda Jonker
IPMA-SA Kids Program Director
STEM Educator and Trainer
At IPMA-SA, we pride ourselves on our agnostic approach, focusing solely on enhancing competences across project leadership, business, and management. Our commitment is to elevate skills and drive excellence, regardless of industry or methodology.
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