Name and Surname: Lerato Mahlangu
Y4S Title: Independent Volunteer Team Leader
Lerato Mahlangu was a Team Leader in the enke Youth4Service program. She served as an independent volunteer in Gauteng, Sedibeng District.
Lerato was previously a volunteer at an ECD centre in her neighbourhood and says when she saw an advert about the enke: Youth4Service program on the SAYouth.mobi app. She was immediately drawn to the advertisement because she is passionate about volunteer work and has had experience in it. As such, when she learned about this opportunity, she knew she had to seize it.
When asked about the highlight of being part of the enke: Y4S program she said being chosen as a Team Leader was the biggest highlight and accomplishment…
“…because never in my life did I think that I would have the opportunity to lead a team! My mindset has shifted because I can now understand how to manage a team, I have learnt conflict management skills and I have really developed my own interpersonal skills. I am even more thankful for the technical skills I also acquired as I capture timesheets and other data, which is something that I was not exposed to before. This program has contributed immensely to my personal development in more ways than one.”
Lerato was asked more questions to which she responded and provided more insights about the program, the volunteers, and some of the challenges she and her fellow volunteers experienced in the program.
What changes have you seen in the volunteers as a result of this program?
Although volunteers are not the same, I have discovered that people need patience and understanding. Some people did not understand why certain things had to be done in a certain way and would get angry and impatient, but once I explain how things work from the ground up, then they were able to execute their tasks better and submit their timesheets on time. Our communication as a team has also improved as we did not know each other at first. A couple of volunteers also did not understand how to go about filling in the timesheets, but after explaining the process they are now able to do the timesheets very well.
What impact have you seen in your community as a result of the enke: Y4S program?
The organisation that I serve, an ECD centre, is performing very much better operationally. There was only 1 teacher and the principal within the organisation as staff members, and as such, they were very relieved by my service as this eased the burden of their staff constraints. The principal was particularly happy about the financial relief, which provided for an extra staff member being paid for by the program and creating an overall positive experience.
It is leaders like Lerato that inspire change in their communities while changing their own lives.
