Sustainability Conversations ... Coaching, Training & Development

Sustainable development is the organizing principle for sustaining finite resources necessary to provide for the needs of future generations of life on the planet. It is a process that envisions a desirable future state for human societies in which living conditions and resource-use continue to meet human needs without undermining the "integrity, stability and beauty" of natural biotic systems. 

Sustainability isn't achieved by getting a few people in a room. You can’t just pay a consultancy and ask them to make your company sustainable. Maybe you think you can just show a simple training video to your staff? Unfortunately it doesn't work like that. It also doesn't help to just have all your  environmental compliance practices in place. Coaching, training and developing your staff in Sustainability is above and beyond. It means your organisation must be able to do business tomorrow better than they are today.... and start2 challenge the status quo!

Obtaining a quality education is the foundation to improving people’s lives and sustainable development

• Enrolment in primary education in developing countries has reached 91 per cent but 57 million children remain out of school
• More than half of children that have not enrolled in school live in sub-Saharan Africa
• An estimated 50 per cent of out-of-school children of primary school age live in conflict-affected areas
• 103 million youth worldwide lack basic literacy skills, and more than 60 per cent of them are women
  
  
  

According to the latest Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute report, South Africa has high growth rates and exceptionally high rates of product and process innovation, when compared to the global average of entrepreneurship data. Business could be booming in South Africa – if it wasn’t for the serious shortage in skills and start-up know-how. Sustainable Small Business support and mentorship is part of the answer.

A report released this year by the The Global Entrepreneurship and Development Institute (GEDI) ranks South Africa 52nd out of 132 countries worldwide and first in sub-Saharan Africa in terms of entrepreneurship and its development.

This despite South Africa’s “alarmingly low level of entrepreneurial activity in spite of high unemployment” according to a report released earlier this year by another institution, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM).

According to the GEDI, South Africa’s entrepreneurial environment – when compared to global standards – excels in terms of its product and process innovation, competition, growth rate, opportunity start-ups, opportunity perception, risk acceptance among entrepreneurs and internationalisation.

The report also highlights South Africa’s most dooming setback: a substantial lack of risk capital and start-up skills in South Africa.

   Exciting reasons to get involved with

 The iStart2 Training & Development Network as your Sustainable Development Partner

Our Projects are managed by successful and experienced entrepreneurs from a variety of small and medium sized sustainable businesses.

Integrating mentorship and motivational skills from high profile business leaders, high calibre well known artists and experienced facilitators.

 Unique experiential learning and training methodologies, incorporating the broader sustainability concepts (ie people, planet, prosperity) and the skills that make small business entrepreneurs sustainable in the long term.

 Experiential learning centred around bespoke community involvement (ie vegetable gardens in schools, waste management initiatives and others). We also uniquely involve arts & culture activations that inspire and speak to the minds and hearts of people.

In essence entrepreneurs will be taught to "create something out of nothing." Hence our training projects culminates in festival events in collaboration with co-operatives, the community and smaller and larger businesses. This event assimilates the various learning deliverables into a coherent hands-on result, to the advantage of all participating parties.

This week on the iStart2 Show we speak to some of our Training Partners about Sustainable Coaching, Training & Development.  We invite trainers, facilitators and organisations to contact us to become part of building a network of Green & Sustainability Training Partners nationally.

Keitu Gwangwa & Pierre du Toit host the iStart2 Show on Thursdays at 17h30. Radio Today broadcasts on 1485 MW (AM) in greater Johannesburg and countrywide on ‪#‎DStv‬ audio channel 869.
Radio Today also streams globally on www.1485.org.za.

 

 
A new African Civil Society Initiative has been in gestation. In the past few months, more that 3,000 interested people have been in conversation on different platforms on how to reinvigorate civil society across the continent.

Read the latest news by Kumi Naidoo on the African Civil Society Initiative  here

The Bad Touch ... David Bellamy, Simone & Douglas J Shaw

Artist, scientist, designer and environmentalist, David Bellamy is inspired by almost everything in the natural world... “and by ferocity, kindness, generosity, ambition, valour”.

Design meets Biodiversity

Rooted in the disciplines of science and art, his work reflects deeply held philosophical perspectives on humanity’s place in nature, ie a biocentrism that extends value to all living things and the environment in which they flourish.

“Our basecloths are either 100% Libeco Belgian linen or 55% linen, because linen has lower pesticide and water consumption impacts, as well as being very hard-wearing, with a long life. Linen is also renowned for the fact that it is biodegradable and does not produce landfill waste or sea plastic. “Our inks are made locally by Dala, and are low-toxicity, water soluble inks, reducing pollution and enhancing safety.

“The subject matter of the designs point to current South African issues, whilst participating in global conversations. The design ethos involves generating a “new African language”, which doesn't rely on appropriation of the work of other and older cultures, and stereotypes.

“If one thinks through as many dimensions of visuality, meaning, content, and production, anything can be made to participate in the restoration and repair of the biosphere, as well as intervening in the designing of human thinking and perception, probably the principal and most urgent zone of “design activism and intervention”. – David Bellamy, August 2016

The bbellamy&bbellamy shop in Main Road, Muizenberg houses an extensive curated collection of imported fabrics, hand-picked by David over decades, and is a treasure trove for local decorators, fabric lovers and tourists.

 Health and Home

Simone Prinsloo, a single mom with two children got diagnosed with breast cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. She lost her job and struggled to pay her house bond but tried holding on to her house in this difficult time. The Banksters and auctioneers then moved in and illegally sold her house with no regard to the Constitution or procedures required by Law. 

This brave woman tells her story on the iStart2 Show. We asked an Advocate of the Supreme Court, Douglas J Shaw,  to join us in Studio to give his opinion on the case. We have all seen the little heartless bot that will be running our lives at banks in future. It is time to bring back the humans?

 "No matter what you go through in life, 

you can make a difference"
- Simone Prinsloo on the iStart2 Show

To listen to the show, click play below:

Something to think about:

Make a difference out there this week :-)