Explore every episode of the podcast The DGMT Learning Lunch

Although obstetric violence is recognised as a form of gender-based violence in South Africa, it is not explicitly codified in law as a violation.

This type of harm takes different forms — from physical abuse to subtle violations of autonomy, dignity and consent. It occurs in labour wards — high-stress environments where life-threatening obstetric emergencies demand intervention — yet the rights and dignity of women in labour are frequently disregarded.

Black and working-class women, migrant women, and adolescent and HIV-positive women are disproportionately affected because of intersecting vulnerabilities.

Survivors can lodge complaints with medical institutions, the Health Ombudsman, and health professional bodies and councils. They can also sue for malpractice, but this requires hiring a lawyer, which is costly. Although these remedies exist, limited awareness, resource barriers and legal complexity stand in the way of accountability. These mechanisms also do little to prevent violations.

In this podcast, we discuss the topic of accountability in maternity services to ensure empathy, respect and dignity for pregnant women and post-partum mothers. We talk to Julie Mentor, the Project Lead of Embrace, an organisation advocating for respectful maternity care, as well as legal and policy reform for the benefit of mothers.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/birth-without-violence to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Stunting is more than a height problem — it’s a sign that something deeper is wrong in society. Despite being an upper-middle-income country, South Africa ranks among 34 countries that make up 90% of the world's stunted children — among them are countries that have been set back by civil unrest and war.

In South Africa, nearly three in 10 children under the age of five are too short for their age, because of chronic malnutrition, often beginning in the womb, and made worse by repeated infections and a weakened immune system. Stunting affects how a child’s body and brain develop.

High rates of poverty and food insecurity are to blame, compounded by rising food prices and inadequate access to basic services — all of which affect stunting. This tells us that the problem is multi-layered, and no single intervention is going to drastically reduce our stunting rate. Instead, we need a national plan of action — a mission to tackle stunting.

In this podcast, we talk about why stunting is not an individual problem but a societal issue that we need to confront with a national mission-driven approach. We talk to Liezel Engelbrecht - a dietician and Nutrition lead for the Hold My Hand Accelerator, and Armaan Ujra, Innovation Director at DGMT supporting early childhood development.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/the-mission-to-end-stunting to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Growing up in poverty doesn’t only mean fewer opportunities because of structural barriers — it also means growing up in conditions that make it harder to handle stress and rein in impulses. These stressors affect self-control — being able to govern one’s thoughts, emotions and behaviour — and self-regulation — the underlying capacity that makes self-control possible.

Children growing up in adversity, with household instability and poor access to basic services are exposed to chronic stress more often, and intensely, than children in better-off families. Consequently, chronic stress floods a child’s body with stress hormones, negatively affecting their ability to self-regulate and control impulses.

These soft skills are so important to child development that they can predict academic performance in school and even criminal behaviour later in life.

In this episode, we dig into what research tells us about self-regulation, how it’s affected by poverty and adversity and what this means for caregivers, NGOs and educators providing services to children and young people. We talk to Tracy Winde, Founder of Heartshine, Wendy Lessing, Director of Khululeka Grief Support and Amanda Edwards, Programme Lead at DGMT.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/wired-for-stress to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Gender-based violence is a national disaster in South Africa, reflecting the scale and urgency of the problem that has social, public health and economic costs.

Preventing violence before it happens is a critical part of building safer communities in the long run. This means investing in the social conditions that shape behaviour, relationships and how boys and men understand power, respect and masculinity.

From early childhood socialisation to positive role modelling, programmes that challenge harmful gender norms and promote healthy forms of masculinity can address the risk factors that drive men’s perpetration of violence.

South Africa has committed around R21 billion over the medium term to implement the National Strategic Plan on Gender-based Violence and Femicide, including measures to strengthen women’s economic empowerment.

In this podcast, we explore what it would take to strengthen South Africa’s focus on violence prevention, why community-based interventions matter and how investing in boys’ development can help build safer societies. We talk to Kgahliso Mangoale, Project Lead for GBV Initiatives at DGMT and Kolping Mbumba, Director of Operations at Heroes Academy.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/stopping-violence-before-it-starts to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

https://dgmt.co.za/what-science-tells-us-about-babies-brains/The first 1 000 days of life — from conception to age two — is a once-in-a-lifetime window to shape physical growth, brain development, health and the foundations of future learning. During this time, nutritious food for mothers, optimal infant feeding practices, access to healthcare, income support for pregnant women living in poverty, and responsive caregiving all work together to build the foundations for a child’s life.

Brain development begins in the womb. During pregnancy, a baby’s brain grows at an astonishing pace — producing around 250 thousand new nerve cells every minute. By the time a baby is born, their brain has about 100 billion neurons, connected through neural pathways. These early connections lay the foundation for how children learn, behave and make sense of the world.

But a baby’s development is shaped not only by biology — their social world matters too. From the moment they are born, the people and environments around them begin to influence how their brain develops. In the first months of life, the brain’s sensory pathways for vision and hearing develop rapidly, followed closely by the circuits that support language. These connections are strengthened through everyday interactions between babies and their caregivers known as “serve and return”. When a baby coos, babbles, smiles or reaches out, and a caregiver responds positively, this back-and-forth builds the brain’s architecture and supports early learning, attachment and development.

In this podcast, we talk about why the first 1000 days matter, with particular focus on the role of adequate nutrition and responsive caregiving. For NGOs working with caregivers, understanding this window of opportunity is essential — as is understanding what government, civil society and households can do to help young children thrive. Our guests from the Hold My Hand Accelerator are Liezel Engelbrecht, Nutrition Lead, and Mikhaila Steenkamp, Language and Learning Lead, along with Dr Chantell Witten, Health Systems Strengthening Director at Ilifa Labantwana.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/what-science-tells-us-about-babies-brains to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

What would it take for every child in South Africa to grow up with enough food, love, safety and brain power to reach their full potential? A new national strategy aims to make that vision a reality. The National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC) approved by Cabinet in December 2025, sets out the country’s top 10 priorities for improving the lives of children and teenagers. It identifies gaps in services and highlights interventions that could speed up progress. While government will lead implementation, the strategy makes clear that real progress will require a whole-of-society effort, that is championed through a national campaign known as Hold My Hand. There is a role for all of us: communities, faith-based organisations, business, trade unions and civil society.

Civil society organisations are already active across the country, often stepping in where services are thin or absent. Through nutrition programmes, support for early learning, afterschool programmes and more, they are helping children and teens every day. With the NSAAC approved, the question is how these efforts can connect with and strengthen implementation of the strategy.

In this podcast, we talk about the role of civil society in turning a national commitment into tangible change. We ask Mesuli Kama, Mobilisation Lead for the Hold My Hand Accelerator for Children and Teens, how NGOs can contribute to the NSAAC’s priorities.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/reimagining-our-future to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Civil society organisations, particularly community-based organisations, are often on the frontlines of responding to complex social challenges. Yet, they face a host of obstacles that limit their impact. Many are under-resourced and overstretched, relying on small teams to deliver programmes, fundraise and manage administrative tasks without access to adequate training, systems and leadership development courses.

When core organisational functions are weak, interventions suffer. Considering their critical role in South African society, the sector needs strong, resilient and innovative organisations. Strengthening the sector is a shared responsibility among the organisations themselves, various players in the NGO space, donors and government.

In this podcast, we discuss ways to support civil society through funding, resources and strategies that won’t fall flat. We talk to Malibongwe Nkunkuma, Innovation Manager at DGMT. 

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/the-impact-engine to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Owning books can change a child’s life trajectory. This is a profound statement rooted in evidence from research around the world. Toddlers who are read to learn more words, aiding their ability to speak and read when they start school, and children who read for enjoyment perform well academically.

The advantage of owning books is significant — children with books at home have the edge on children who don’t, irrespective of their parents’ income or educational attainment. But many South Africans, mostly in poorer communities, are not experiencing the positive impact of book ownership since a quarter of households have no books at all.

There is a solution — giving books to children for free to support their early language development and emergent literacy. Other countries are already doing this; for instance, the United Kingdom gives families free books to encourage reading to children at home.

In this podcast, we talk about the value of owning books and whether our country needs a national book giveaway programme for our poorest children. Our guests are Kwanda Ndoda, Project Lead of Umncedi, Ongeziwe Nxokwana, Innovation Manager at DGMT and Dorette Louw, Director of Programmes and Operations at Book Dash.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/the-economic-value-of-free-books to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Youth development practitioners often focus on the supply and demand side of unemployment: greater investment in skills development and quality education on the one hand, with job creation and economic growth on the other.

However, in South Africa, a country with high rates of poverty and inequality, we often miss an important part of the conversation — the experience of poverty on a young person’s ability to identify, connect with, and hold on to opportunities.

Poverty is not just about material deprivation; it impacts every aspect of a young person’s life, including their confidence. The inner or hidden dimensions of poverty also require policy attention and investment in evidence-based interventions.

In this podcast, we explore how the inner dimensions of poverty reinforce the everyday material hardships experienced by out-of-school and unemployed young people. We talk to Simone Peinke, project lead of FETCH and Anwar Parker, Psychologist for the Year Beyond programme, about how these compounding challenges trap them in cycles of exclusion and what we can do to help them break free.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/the-hidden-dimensions-of-poverty to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

There is no safe amount of alcohol consumption for teenagers. Early binge drinking has long-term consequences on brain development, health and wellbeing. It also stokes social problems as teens lose interest in school, engage in risky sexual behaviour and find themselves in dangerous situations.

Alcohol advertising contributes to this. Young people are influenced by marketing so much that researchers have found the more they’re exposed to advertising the more likely they are to drink. The alcohol industry also uses other ways to promote their products, like using influencers on social media which is popular with young people. This type of marketing could be restricted if lawmakers passed legislation banning alcohol advertising, except at the point of sale.

The social toll of heavy and binge drinking is felt everywhere, but it’s most acute in communities where violence, crime, unemployment and poverty are rife. NGOs in these communities experience first-hand the impact of teen drinking and have to respond to the problems it causes. At the same time, little is being done nationally to prevent these problems from happening.

In this podcast, we explore the impact of alcohol advertising on teenagers, and the impact of binge drinking on communities. We talk to Kashifa Ancer, Campaign Manager for Rethink Your Drink, an alcohol harms reduction campaign; and Aadielah Maker-Diedericks, Secretary General of the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA).

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/would-an-advertising-ban-reduce-teen-drinking to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

South Africa has a constitutional responsibility to uphold children’s rights. The government does this in different ways, by setting laws, delivering public services, allocating funding from the national budget and by taking decisions that affect children’s lives. What’s been missing for a long time is a shared vision for all children and teenagers which effectively places their interests at the centre of government decision-making.

This is where the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC) comes in — a high-level, shared vision aimed at improving the wellbeing and life outcomes of all children and teenagers in South Africa, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns that disrupted public services and people’s livelihoods.

This new strategy can only succeed if everyone gets behind it, including civil society organisations, many of whom are already delivering services in areas where government capacity is poor or limited, reaching people in their homes and remote communities.

In this podcast, we explore the type of strategic thinking needed to galvanise different sectors of society behind a common vision, with Noxolo Gqada, Strategy Lead for the Hold My Hand Accelerator, a project that supports the vision and priorities of the NSAAC. She talks about how the Accelerator is thinking about fast-tracking change for children.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/thinking-on-the-edge to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Mobile apps are designed to simplify and digitise almost every aspect of our modern lives. You can buy groceries from your couch, order take-out, catch a ride within minutes, or find a date online. Apps are not only convenient, but they have the potential to solve real-world problems, which is why civil society organisations are turning to technology to magnify the impact of their work.

In recent years, civil society organisations have shown eagerness to invest in tech solutions to address the everyday challenges of those working with young children. In response, DGMT invested in developing a suite of digital tools that could serve the needs of multiple organisations and cover a range of early childhood development services. With the support of behavioural scientists and experts, ECD Connect was born. The base version is free to use and customisable, allowing it to be utilised by a broad community of people, from early learning practitioners to community health workers. 

In this podcast, we discuss the challenges and benefits of developing tech solutions for civil society from the perspective of the developers of ECD Connect. We talk to the project’s lead, Peter Schutte, about the evolution of the app; its social purpose and its potential to radically change the traditionally paper-based environment of early education and community health.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/is-there-an-app-for-that to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘social protection’? For many, it’s social grants or government assistance programmes. But at its core, social protection is a safety net that keeps people from falling deeper into poverty, benefiting individuals and society. 

In South Africa, even though this principle is embedded in the Constitution, there are still gaps in our social protection system. Pregnant women living in poverty are falling through the cracks. Without financial support during pregnancy, women living in poor communities face greater economic hardship, limiting their ability to work and making it harder to afford nutritious food and healthcare. Right now, South Africa doesn’t have a dedicated social grant for expectant mothers living in poverty. Yet research shows that providing financial assistance during pregnancy leads to healthier babies and better long-term outcomes.

This matters for NGOs working on the frontlines of social development. The people most in need of social protection are often the very same communities that NGOs serve — whether in maternal health, early childhood development, or food security.  

A Maternal Support Grant (MSG) wouldn’t just change lives at an individual level; it could also ease the burden on NGOs because stronger state support for pregnant women has the potential to break cycles of intergenerational poverty.

In this Deep Dive conversation, we look at what a Maternal Support Grant could mean for South Africa, why it’s a social justice issue, and how NGOs can help push this conversation forward. We speak to Wanga Zembe-Mkabile, senior specialist scientist at the South African Medical Research Council; Julie Mentor, Project lead of Embrace and Daniel McLaren, a public finance economist at Ilifa Labantwana. 

Visit  www.dgmt.co.za/maternal-support-grant-its-social-justice to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Strategic litigation is a tactic that involves going to court to promote social change or human rights. This approach targets specific legal barriers that affect entire communities, aiming to reshape laws, policies or practices.

But when is strategic litigation the right tool for an NGO? In some cases, it's essential when there's a clear legal violation that requires judicial intervention to effect change — such as when governments fail to uphold constitutional rights. On the other hand, it may not be the best strategy when the legal system isn’t the right forum for the issue at hand, or when the political or public momentum is still building, and a different kind of advocacy could be more effective.

In this Best Bite podcast, we break down the factors that determine whether strategic litigation is the right course of action for NGOs by drawing on the experience of DGMT’s Alcohol Harms Reduction campaign (relaunched as Rethink Your Drink). We speak to the campaign’s lead Zimasa Mpemnyama about why they’ve decided that the courtroom is the best place to effect change.

Visit  www.dgmt.co.za/litigate-to-advocate to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

In the world of policy change, timing is everything. According to political science scholar John Kingdon, a significant policy shift happens when three things are in place. First, the problem must be well understood. Second, there must be a viable and feasible solution ready to address that problem. And third, there must be political will to deal with the problem.

When these conditions are met, a policy window opens, sometimes unpredictably. Having solutions ready at the right time is key to taking advantage of these opportunities. This could mean working for several years, even decades, building a body of evidence for your solution before an opportunity reveals itself.

For NGOs who have long been lobbying for systemic reforms to improve the accessibility and quality of early learning programmes in South Africa, a radical shift in the landscape presented itself in early 2024 when the minister of education called for an urgent push to register approximately 22 000 unregistered early learning programmes. Only registered programmes can access state subsidies for children in poorer communities.

Today, the mass registration drive (as it’s known to those involved in its design and implementation) is a collaborative effort between government and its social partners.

In this Nourish & Flourish conversation, we talk to Kayin Scholtz, process design lead for the mass registration drive about how social partners are rallying to support the Department of Basic Education’s efforts to expand access to early childhood development subsidies and the conditions that made all this possible.

Visit  www.dgmt.co.za/what-are-policy-windows to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Civil society is a vibrant ecosystem of interest groups, activists, advocacy groups and organisations delivering a range of social services. These groups are often the first to design and test interventions, learning from their successes and failures, and staying closely connected to the communities they serve. They conduct research, gather evidence, and develop innovative solutions to pressing social issues. In many ways, civil society is the originator of powerful ideas that can lead to significant social impact.

But how do these ideas get taken up by the state? Beyond the usual processes of public participation and opportunities to comment on policy and legislation, how are civil society organisations shaping public policy and perceptions?

In this Deep Dive conversation, we explore the makings of powerful ideas and how they gain political traction and social support. Our guests are Zoe Postman, head of communications for social change at the Equality Collective, and Phylicia Oppelt, project lead of Change Ideas – a DGMT initiative.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/the-anatomy-of-a-powerful-idea to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Imagine if solving unemployment was as easy as creating more jobs or ending food poverty by producing more food. It's never that straightforward.

In South Africa, around 3 million young people aged 15-24 are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), facing vulnerabilities that deepen when their situation remains unchanged for long periods. Wicked problems like youth unemployment are complex and require comprehensive approaches.

Enter the Basic Package of Support (BPS) programme — a consortium project with the Centre for Social Development (CSDA) and the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) designed to help young people who are NEET to reconnect with opportunities. Through personalised, face-to-face support and connections to support services, BPS aims to empower young people and improve their access to education and employment pathways.

Data-driven insights play a crucial role in the success of this project – not only in terms of understanding the NEET population and their varied needs but also in the landscape of state-sponsored and NGO-driven support services and understanding what it’ll take to improve access to these services and the quality of these interventions.

In this Best Bites podcast, we talk to Bridget Hannah, Innovation Director at DGMT. Bridget’s portfolio is all about supporting young people in our country to fully participate in society and the economy. In an unequal country like South Africa, there are many socio-economic reasons why young people drop out of school, struggle to find work and battle to build economic livelihoods for themselves. Bridget’s portfolio is focused on really understanding young people’s challenges and driving targeted interventions to support them to keep their grip on opportunities and build productive lives.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/what-does-tomorrows-workforce-look-like to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

In recent years, non-profit organisations (NPOs) have grappled with dwindling donor funding and reduced support from government departments, affecting their ability to provide crucial social welfare and development services to communities. These organisations are part of a care economy that supports children in places of safety, people living with disabilities and the elderly, to name just some of the beneficiaries of their work.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation worsened for many of these organisations due to delayed payments from government. Consequently, some had to sell off assets or retrench staff, affecting their operations.

Join us as we delve into the critical role of NPOs in providing social welfare services for marginalised and vulnerable communities and how they are impacted by government budget cuts, fickle donors and societal apathy.

In this Nourish & Flourish conversation, Nasiphi Zwakala, an Innovation Manager at DGMT, tells us why care is a good cornerstone of any economy. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of how we can strengthen our social fabric, support our care economy, and champion those who are providing care services to vulnerable and marginalised people.

Visit  www.dgmt.co.za/caring-about-the-care-economy to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Social and economic incentives are powerful tools to motivate and influence behaviour in individuals, communities and organisations. Social incentives often involve recognition, belonging, or social approval, while economic incentives typically involve financial rewards, discounts, or tangible benefits. They have the potential to drive positive actions and encourage participation in activities that contribute to societal goals such as environmental conservation, community development, or public health initiatives.

So, how should we be using social and economic incentives to address South Africa’s waste problem? Much of our country’s solid waste is in landfills, including organic waste, such as food scraps, which could be composted instead. Addressing South Africa’s waste problem requires a joint effort from all of us, including everyday consumers, big producers, policymakers, municipalities, and waste treatment facilities.

Recycling larger volumes of waste relies on more people sorting their waste at home. Social and economic incentives linked to the things that are most important to people can encourage their buy-in, especially for those who don’t have regular waste collection and are dealing with other pressing service delivery challenges. But we also need infrastructure to support recycling, composting, and divert large volumes of waste away from landfills. Behaviour change and systemic change go hand in hand.

In this Deep Dive conversation, we talk to Chad Robertson, CEO and co-founder of Regenize, and Andrew Hartnack, anthropologist and researcher about innovative solutions and incentives to change social norms around dumping, littering and sorting your waste at home. This is part of DGMT’s Create Change campaign aimed at inspiring individual and collective action to reduce waste.

Visit  www.dgmt.co.za/using-incentives-for-change to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Civil society organisations are a catalyst for innovation and positive social change in communities – filling gaps in service delivery. To be effective, these organisations must be agile and able to adjust their programmes and products to meet the needs of their communities.

Sometimes this means going back to the drawing board, rethinking programme delivery, and iterating to achieve desired outcomes. But in pressure-cooker environments, many organisations don’t have the time, financial resources or capacity to stop, rethink and start again. After all, they rely on grants, donations and fundraising to keep their operations going. So, when a project is not going according to plan, the pathway to achieving the organisation’s objectives can become less clear and staff morale takes a dip. How do some organisations find their way while others struggle to get back on course? 

In this podcast, we talk to Nomfundo Calana, the project lead of JobStarter – a tech-based initiative that supports young people to get ready for the world of work. The latest version of the JobStarter website and app launched in 2023 after years of refinement. Although this is not unusual for a tech-based product, JobStarter is a non-profit facing similar challenges that others in civil society face, such as capacity constraints and keeping donors onside.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/when-projects-dont-go-according-to-plan to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Imagine a world where every child is loved, nourished, and protected—where they are read to, and encouraged to be curious. In this world, children don't just learn well, but they thrive, and so does the entire country. Nobel Prize Winner for Economic Sciences, James Heckman said: "Early childhood development is the most powerful investment in human capital that a country can make."  This is because early childhood development lays the foundation for a lifetime of success. But countries require synergy and accelerated delivery of services to ensure every child’s development needs are met, especially when poverty and inequality are high. 

In South Africa, essential services for young children are scattered across various state departments. They lack effective synergy and accelerated delivery. We are not the first country to recognise that collaboration and coordination are hurdles to overcome. In their effort to promote early childhood development and break cycles of poverty, a number of countries have established autonomous agencies specifically designed to manage key functions of early childhood development. Others have integrated ECD service delivery under a single government ministry. There are pros and cons to any approach.

In this podcast, we ask the question: What are other countries doing to put children first and what can South Africa learn from them? We speak to Kentse Radebe (Innovation Director in the All Children on Track by Grade 4 portfolio and incoming Deputy CEO), Senzo Hlophe (Director of Partnerships & Impact) and Shazly Savahl (Department of Psychology at the University of the Western Cape and Board Member of the International Society for Child Indicators).

Visit  www.dgmt.co.za/putting-children-first to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Community-based organisations (CBOs) are non-profits operating at the local level, albeit with limited resources at their disposal. They tend to be reliant on volunteers, responsive to the unique needs of their community and best placed to diagnose problems and identify solutions with residents. Many are financially excluded from donor funding because they operate in rural and far-flung areas with limited visibility and recognition; they don’t have established track records; and they don’t have the administrative capacity or know-how to provide the financial, monitoring and compliance documents that donors expect. But despite these constraints, they play a crucial role in grassroots development, community empowerment, and social change. 

To help CBOs overcome these funding challenges, DGMT is exploring a trust-based grant-making model that improves access to cash streams while also placing more decision-making power in the hands of the grantees themselves and the communities they serve. The trust-based funding model acknowledges that communities and organisations often have the best understanding of their needs and are better positioned to determine how resources can be most effectively utilised to achieve positive outcomes. 

This is why DGMT, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project have partnered to launch the Sukuthula! Unmute & Act initiative supporting community-based organisations that respond to gender-based violence in four districts in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo. 

Ultimately, this initiative aims to demonstrate that South Africa needs a coordinated funding approach at the community level to adequately respond to gender-based violence.  

In this podcast, we talk to Zandile Mqwathi, the project manager for gender-based violence initiatives at DGMT.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/trust-based-funding-for-ngos to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

If you work in civil society or the socioeconomic development sector, you have probably heard, or used, the term “community ownership” because it aligns with broader goals of promoting social equity, empowering local communities and sustainable development.

Community ownership goes beyond passive involvement or consultation and aims to empower communities to actively participate in decision-making and take responsibility for outcomes. In principle, civil society organisations and development experts use this term to describe communities with a significant degree of control and influence over projects, initiatives, or resources that directly affect them.

The principle underpinning “community ownership” is that people from within a community are more adept at articulating the barriers and enablers to their own development than technical experts from outside.

In this Nourish & Flourish podcast, we talk about barriers and enablers of community ownership. We speak to Sinazo Nkwelo, Director of DGMT’s Place-based Synergies portfolio.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/community-ownership-is-not-a-means-to-an-end to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Civil society organisations, in their form and function, are distinct from corporations and the state. But this doesn’t preclude them from using programmes and strategies that are also used by governments and businesses to shape societal outcomes. Running a fellowship programme is an example of this. Generally speaking, fellowships are funded, short-term opportunities, focused on professional, academic or personal development. Fellowships facilitate interpersonal connections and provide individuals with the opportunity for self-reflection, experiential learning, cultural immersion and community-building. These experiences can lead to the development of mutual understanding, trust, and shared values.

Through fellowships, civil society organisations can build energetic communities or networks that have a creative life of their own. However, the scaling properties of fellowships are notoriously difficult to define and measure.

In this Deep Dive podcast, we speak to Carol-Ann Foulis from DGMT’s Innovation Fellowship; Rumbi Görgens from the Mamandla Fellowship, and Andisiwe Hlungwane from Teachers Can about how they are using fellowships for social change.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/fellowships-for-social-change to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Many civil society organisations (CSOs) have placed promoting active citizenry at the core of their strategies. Generally speaking, active citizenry refers to individuals participating in the social and political affairs of their communities to promote equity and inclusion, improve living conditions and hold elected officials accountable.

The role of civil society organisations in building an engaged citizenry should not be understated. They play a crucial role by creating platforms, providing resources, and fostering an enabling environment for individuals to engage in civic and social activities. By harnessing the power of communications tools, active citizenry can be promoted effectively by increasing awareness, facilitating dialogue, mobilising individuals, and fostering a sense of collective responsibility and participation.

In this Best Bites podcast, we are talking about communications tools for promoting active citizenry. We speak to two people who are involved in digital advocacy and network building in civil society: Zamayirha Peter, Communications Manager atACTIVATE! Change Drivers, and Emma O’Shaughnessy, Project Lead of Amplify, Mobilise, Change.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/communications-tools-active-citizenry to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Gender norms are shared beliefs, ideas and expectations about how men and women are supposed to be and act, according to a classification system that categorises people as either male or female, known as a gender binary. These social principles are internalised from a young age and can shape people’s livelihoods and life chances by giving boys and men the advantage over girls, women and other genders. 

Gender norms are not static; they vary according to culture and can change over time. But harmful norms that perpetuate inequality and discrimination persist, impacting people’s access to healthcare, education, employment and other economic opportunities. Harmful gender norms also perpetuate power asymmetries between men and women, manifesting in different forms of gender-based violence (GBV). In South Africa, and the rest of the world, harmful gender norms and discrimination are considered to be key drivers of gender-based violence. 

This is why comprehensive strategies aimed at preventing GBV also seek to reshape gender norms in a positive way. Disrupting harmful gender norms requires strategies and programmes that challenge inequalities. It involves rethinking gender hierarchies, roles and binaries while questioning the root causes of inequality and systems of oppression. It must start early in homes, schools and communities. Although parents play a big role in enforcing or disrupting gender norms, adolescents are also heavily influenced by their peers. This is why we need to embed positive norms early in a child’s life in educational spaces. Outside the home, schools are spaces for socialisation and personal growth where young people are exposed to role models. 

In this Deep Dive podcast, we look at ways to entrench positive norms from a young age, starting from children attending creches to young adolescents in school. We speak to Lindokuhle Msele, Project Lead at Bumb’Ingomso; Kwanda Ndoda, innovation manager at DGMT, AND Wessel Van Der Berg, MenCare Officer at Equimundo.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/disrupting-harmful-gender-norms-with-role-models to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Civil society organisations and innovators are rightly concerned with scaling their interventions to reach more people. In the socioeconomic development sector, terms like scaling up, out and deep are commonplace. But depending on who you speak to you may get a nuanced interpretation of each term. For instance, ‘scaling up’ typically refers to output, but it could also mean impacting laws and policies. ‘Scaling out’ generally refers to replicating projects in different settings, in so doing impacting a greater number of people. And, the term ‘scaling deep’ refers to the quality of the intervention or its rootedness in culture and practices. 

Clearly, experts have varying opinions on the topic. Lately, researchers supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) are questioning our inherent assumptions about scaling, and are forcing us to think about whether ‘bigger is always better’. Their approach known as ‘Scaling Science’ is understood as a justified and coordinated focus on impact at optimal scale, and it may already be part of your work in one way or another. 

There are different ways to think about scale and it’s useful to think about the topic with a specific real-world challenge in mind. The food system is an ideal example. We all need nutritious food to live healthy lives so it stands to reason that the topic of scale and food are inextricably linked. But the global network of diverse businesses, growers and suppliers has scaled in such a way that it’s had negative consequences for people and the environment. More than a third of global greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to the way we produce, process and package foods, according to a study backed by the United Nations.

In this Best Bites podcast, we explore different ways to scale by looking at interventions to promote sustainable food systems. We speak to Scott Drimie who has been part of the leadership collective of the Southern Africa Food Lab since its inception and is also an adjunct professor at Stellenbosch University’s Department of Global Health.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/what-does-it-mean-to-scale to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Mobile technology has the potential to transcend structural divides and enhance access to services that could accelerate socioeconomic development. However, apps and digital offerings that could link marginalised groups to much-needed resources are not being used effectively because prepaid data is unaffordable to most South Africans. Yet, if they had access to the information and services offered online by public benefit organisations, it would improve their quality of life and grow our economy. 

Amid persistent lobbying from organisations like DGMT for zero-rating, new regulations began to take effect in 2020. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic made zero-rating all the more urgent. The forced closure of schools and early learning centres across the country meant that teaching and learning had to move online.

The National State of Disaster and provisional spectrum regulations forced mobile operators to zero-rate a wide range of websites. Although these obligations ended in April 2022, there have been positive developments since. The biggest breakthrough coincided with a multibillion-rand broadband auction. One of the conditions of new spectrum licences is that all mobile content provided by registered public benefit organisations (PBOs) must be zero-rated, with the operational costs borne by the network operators.

However, the mechanism to facilitate this is not yet in place. So, DGMT has offered to set up and maintain a single registry for PBOs (to register PBOs and monitor digital content) or to provide funding for ICASA to do so.

In this Nourish & Flourish podcast, we talk about why mobile network operators have a legal obligation to zero-rate the content of public benefit organisations, and how civil society can make sure this obligation is met. We speak to Mignon Hardie, Managing Director at Life Choices and the former executive director of FunDza Literacy Trust – an organisation that offers free reading resources to young people online; and David Harrison, CEO of the DG Murray Trust, which has long been lobbying for zero-rating.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/zero-rating-a-bridge-across-the-digital-divide to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, social employment emerged as one of the levers that could stimulate the country’s economic recovery. As part of a host of publicly funded interventions, the South African government sought to centre and support the work already being done by civil society organisations to enable community-driven solutions to local problems through a Social Employment Fund (SEF). This kind of work includes health and caregiving work, food security and nutrition, youth support and recreation, community safety and interventions to stem gender-based violence, among others. Typically, these are activities that contribute to the “common good” rather than private goods and services.

In November 2021, civil society organisations applied to be part of the SEF. By 2022, 28 ‘Strategic Implementing Partners’ (also known as SIPs) were chosen from various parts of the country. In its pilot phase, the Social Employment Fund sought to create 50 000 jobs in a range of sectors as diverse as education support and infrastructure development. The jobs created by the stimulus package must contribute to work for the common good and should be accessible to unemployed people without formal education or prior work experience.

In this podcast, we explore the concept of social employment, what civil society organisations have learned about driving social employment, and what it will take for greater public investment in social employment initiatives. We are joined by Katie Huston, Head of Research, Innovation and Impact at Nal’ibali, Sibongile Khumalo Executive Director of the Learning Trust and Andrew Boraine, CEO of the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/scaling-up-with-social-employment to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Young people make up a third of South Africa’s population and are a key demographic for social, economic and political change. According to South Africa’s National Youth Policy, as well as its National Youth Commission Act (1996), the demographic of ‘youth’ is anybody between the ages of 14 and 35 years. As a category of analysis, this demographic is far from homogenous, yet young people are often perceived in the public imagination as an idle, unruly, and terrifying group of people who threaten the stability of the country.

It’s not surprising that many young people are distrustful of the government, because of a breakdown in service delivery, corruption at different levels of government, and the scarcity of opportunities for upward income and social mobility for young people in low-resource communities.

When the government is considered to be out of touch and untrustworthy, young people aren’t likely to respond favourably to state-sponsored information, even if it’s in the public interest and for the common good. Instead, they tend to rely on information from their peers and professionals or influencers their own age. However, too often, older people, or those far removed from the reality of young people, are the ones making decisions on their behalf.

So, what does this mean for civil society organisations trying to motivate healthcare-seeking behaviour, active citizenry and agency among the youth?

The #keready campaign was confronted with this question when it launched in February 2022 with the objective of encouraging youth participation in the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations. Initially, #keready positioned itself as a ‘youth COVID-19 vaccination movement’ with its #keready2flex Challenge, but it has since evolved into a movement that seeks to enhance healthcare-seeking behaviour among young people.

#keready aimed to put young people in control of the message, creating incentives for their participation in vaccination programmes and public health activities, as well as offering unfiltered health information.

No jargon and no judgement – these are some of the #keready principles for communication and mobilisation. The creative minds running #keready are part of DGMT’s Demand Acceleration Task Team, who were tasked with driving public communication and awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine programme. These creatives worked with the National Department of Health, but they were determined to make sure that #keready was branded as an initiative for young people, by young people – not a government-branded project. The initiative’s frank, unfiltered approach of providing health information from young doctors for young people, bolstered its credibility. The initiative’s use of ‘kasi’ lingo made the communication palatable and relatable to its target audience.

In this Best Bites podcast, we hear from Lebo Motshegoa, youth mobiliser and content lead for the Demand Acceleration Task Team about #keready's strategy for driving positive behaviour change among young people. We also talk to Dr Saira Carim, a young doctor who is part of the #keready team.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/keeping-it-real-with-keready to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Inequality of opportunity means that every child does not start their life with the same chances. Inherited circumstances such as race, gender, socioeconomic status and place of birth affect their likelihood for upward income and social mobility. A growing body of research is telling us that people’s social connections predict mobility. Harvard researchers have mapped the childhood roots of upward social mobility, demonstrating how neighbourhood factors shape human capital development. Pathways to social mobility are weakest in fractured communities with high levels of poverty. In South Africa where 10% of the population owns 80% of the wealth, the bottom half of the population is socially and economic disconnected from the rest, setting them up for life-long underachievement and exclusion.

The economic value of social connections is not a new concept; but two new studies out of the United States are reigniting public interest in the topic. Building on their previous work, Harvard economist Raj Chetty and a team of researchers found that cross-class social connections are among the strongest predictors of upward income mobility. They call this economic connectedness.

For many people, exclusion from influential and powerful social circles are shaped by factors outside their control, including their race, gender, level of education, class and geography. However, connecting to people you would not otherwise interact with has the potential to spark innovation and create new economic value.

Social connections have economic value but they also have the potential to shape the political and social fabric of the country. Experience has shown us that social networks of unlikely people have the potential to spark positive change. The bigger the network, the more energy they have – because they draw on a growing diversity of ideas and expertise.

In this podcast, we explore strategies to promote social and economic connectedness in all its forms with Rejane Woodroffe – Director at Bulungla Incubator, Adam Cooper – Senior Researcher at Human Sciences Research Council and Lihle Mbikwana, programme manager at the Vibrant Village initiative.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/social-connections to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Doing voluntary work carries several benefits for the volunteers themselves, for the organisation hosting them, and for prospective employers. Volunteer work can help young people to gain work experience and explore their passions and strengths. If they volunteer in civil society, they learn about some of the country’s most pressing social issues. There is also a business case to be made for companies to support youth volunteerism.

With more than 250 thousand non-profit organisations registered with the Department of Social Development (DSD), these organisations have the national footprint to upskill young people by making them central to the delivery of programmes. Volunteers working in civil society participate in programme delivery, marketing and even fundraising. So, to meet the social service needs of beneficiaries, it’s important for civil society organisations to understand the needs and motivations of their volunteers to allow for effective knowledge sharing, transfer of skills, and of course, retention of their volunteer complement.

However, keeping volunteers committed and engaged can be a challenge for capacity-strapped NPOs. If they are not paid, what makes volunteers sustain their work? What keeps them motivated?

Researchers have attempted to understand the factors that influence motivation, with most organisational theories beginning with the idea that the key to continued volunteer involvement lies in matching individuals with organisations that can make it possible for them to meet their goals.

In this podcast, we speak to Tiffany Schouw, Programmes Assistant at Action Volunteers Africa (AVA). We also hear from Romy Heldsinger CEO at forgood.co.za – an online platform that connects people to causes. Lastly, we hear from Bulelani Futshane, Programmes National Coordinator at Nal’ibali. We also speak to volunteers about their personal experiences. Each contributor brings a valuable angle to the discussion.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/keeping-volunteers-motivated-and-engaged to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Civil society is made up of thousands of different actors with varying degrees of formality. These actors play different roles in society; some look long term at broader structural issues, others are focused on short-term goals, such as ensuring access to food relief.

These organisations have different strategies for engaging with government depending on their objective. Some focus on holding government accountable and transforming the state by rattling the status quo. Others play more of a collaborative role to boost government’s capacity.

Given the composition and size of the sector, civil society can be relatively quick in responding in times of crisis with a nuanced understanding of community needs. Whereas governments are large and slow bureaucratic entities with onerous legal and administrative obligations. The ongoing challenge in the working relationship between government and civil society is that too often government prefers to treat civil society exclusively as a service provider instead of a partner for innovation.

In this podcast, we explore whether there is a ‘sweet spot’ to working with government, particularly for those organisations supporting government’s capacity. Our guests, DGMT’s Senzo Hlophe and Professor Shafika Isaacs, Associate Professor of Practice at the University of Johannesburg, talk about their experiences of dealing with government during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/is-there-a-sweet-spot-to-working-with-government to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

In South Africa, young people continue to be disadvantaged in a labour market where the youth unemployment rate is higher than the national average. In increasingly tough times, unemployment statistics paint a bleak picture. Unfortunately, and counter-productively, young people are often blamed for their own predicament. There is a prevailing perception of them as lacking drive, optimism and motivation. But this could not be further from the truth.

Many organisations in the youth development sector are working to change these perceptions and unlock opportunities for young people. The sector is no short of innovation, but it lacks a unifying strategy to get behind. It needs a high-level plan of action modelling the key levers that will unlock possibility for young people from the individual level to systemic change.

This is where Youth Capital is making a difference by seizing an opportunity to build momentum around an ‘Action Plan’ for the sector. Youth Capital is a campaign that advocates for youth-centred and evidence-based responses to youth unemployment.

The ‘Action Plan’ combines data with young people’s lived experiences, and identifies the 10 key levers that have the potential to shift gears on youth unemployment. Youth Capital has the objective of framing youth unemployment from the perspective of young people, elevating their voices and experiences to shift gears on policies that can have large-scale impact.

In this podcast, we speak to Kristal Duncan-Williams, Project Lead for Youth Capital about their work to address youth unemployment through building coalitions in the sector. We will also hear from Sharmi Surianarain, Chief Impact Officer for Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, and Sandiswa Gwele from the Ukhanyo Foundation. Both Harambee and Ukhanyo have signed the Action Plan.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/stronger-together-building-strategic-coalitions-in-civil-society to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

How can we explore and create new approaches for achieving a more equal society that tackles both social and environmental challenges? How can we reimagine social systems and institutions to bring about positive change? We need to start at the very beginning, by challenging the premises on which existing social structures are based.

Systems thinking is about investigating what set of factors and interactions are contributing to or could contribute to a possible outcome. The world is complex, so our thinking should be complex as well. By making it a habit to consider and reconsider how our own role might be connected to others, we can mitigate impact and work together to create better solutions.

Systems thinking is a great tool to remind us to always consider the bigger picture. While it's easy to see how to take things apart, it can be much more challenging to understand how the individual parts interact to make up the big picture. Before sitting down on your own or with a team to devise a project, make a change, or solve a problem, consider the different systems your ideas could impact.

In this podcast, we share the most helpful lessons on systems thinking for social innovation from the Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The Bertha Centre is an academic centre that works with leaders who are catalysts for social and economic change and human rights. The centre educates students, entrepreneurs and leaders in social innovation, social entrepreneurship, impact investing and systems change.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/systems-thinking-for-social-innovation to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, or the Arch as he is fondly referred to, once said on hope: “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness” and on being a wise leader: “Wisdom is when you are able to use your experience for not repeating the mistakes that you have made or others have made. Wisdom is being able to affirm others and knowing that you are not a one-man band. Wisdom is recognising that others are wiser than you.”

Amidst trials both past and present for civil society, and with the Covid-19 pandemic amplifying these trials, this podcast seeks to reinstill hope. We focus on the wise leadership values of Archbishop Demond Tutu by speaking to those who worked closely with him in civil society. We examine how he handled moments of pressure and conflict from the opposition and within, and how he continued to be a beacon of light, mobilising groups and encouraging them forward even in the darkest moments in South African history.

In this podcast, we will be speaking to two of the Arch’s colleagues, Edwin Arrison, who is the Arch’s long-time friend and Development Manager at the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, as well as Phumi Nhlapho, who is the Chief Operating Officer at the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation. They talk about how it was to work with him and for him, what responsibilities come with being a servant leader, how organisations can remain consistent with practising good values and how to handle conflicting relationships between government, civil society and its beneficiaries.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/leadership-lessons-from-the-arch to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Storytelling can be used in the non-profit sector as a means of listening and sharing, gaining trust within your network and shaping how you move forward with your work. In this podcast, Embrace Movement for Mothers shares their unique best practices when it comes to storytelling and making the mother a powerful ally in their activism - not only in relation to the child but as a key player socially, economically and politically in South Africa.

Embrace promotes a connected and thriving start to motherhood for every new mother in South Africa. They have adopted a people-driven approach to supporting mothers as the primary ‘simple, loving connection’ in their children’s life. A key part of this people-driven approach has been to instil a storytelling methodology that sheds light on the stories of willing mothers to build solidarity with the movement.

A good example of this: In 2018, during Women’s Month, Embrace decided to tell the stories of 31 mothers over 31 days.

Rumbi Goredema Görgens, Embrace Operations Manager writes, “In an effort to reclaim the public space of Women’s Month, littered as it is with pink-hued marketing ploys, we decided to find 31 women doing the always extraordinary and often mundane work of motherhood… When we began planning this campaign, we had a picture of the kinds of stories we wanted to find. We were looking for stories that are often on the margins. We were also looking to disrupt assumptions, for example, by telling the story of a teenage mom who is focused and is raising her child successfully, without state assistance. Some wise people in our network pointed out that by doing this, we were reducing participants to only some parts of their motherhood journeys. We would be narrowly framing stories that were not ours to frame. So we ditched our expectations, and we sought out existing circles of women and asked if we could bring them together for an honest conversation about motherhood. We found these circles in workplaces, leisure groups, support groups and other existing women-centred spaces… Within the stories, you will see the many faces and phases of motherhood in South Africa. You see women sharing the spectrum of their experiences, and, through their stories, fulfilling our collective yearning for connection with and support from other mothers.”

This is just one example of how Embrace was able to listen to the mothers in their network and rethink how they had initially conceptualised this campaign. There is power in the organisation’s willingness to self-correct and be lifetime learners, and this is one of the things that leads them to have such open, honest, vulnerable and trusting relationships with the mothers in their organisation.

In this podcast Rumbi Goredema Görgens, Embrace’s Operations Manager and Nonkululeko Mbuli their Communications and Advocacy Strategist, shares their best practices for ethical storytelling that takes others into the heart of other’s experiences and they give advice for making mothers powerful allies in activism.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/exceptional-story-telling-with-embrace to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Many NGOs work with children and young people – and mostly with children and young people who grow up in exceptionally difficult circumstances. Poverty and inequality often form the backdrop to a difficult and painful childhood marred by toxic environments of violence and abuse that leave children and young people traumatised. Waves for Change is an NPO with a very specific approach to dealing with trauma in children. Waves for Change shares practical advice for all of us who might work with children or young people who are traumatised – whether that is the core focus of our work or not.

Often our core work as an NPO is not necessarily to deal with the trauma of children, we might try to teach them reading, or we might provide school tutoring, but in the process, we discover how traumatised they are. We also may discover that, depending on the severity of their situation, we are often required to take specific action or at least to act in a very sensitive way, keeping in mind what they have been through and how it impacts their lives and their ability to do the work that we would like to do with them.

Waves for Change (W4C) has been operating since 2011 and introduces surf therapy to underprivileged children.

Founder Apish Tshetsha, who leads the Waves for Change programme in Masiphumelele township, will explain how W4C approaches their work with young people, and Sinda Thakathani, who started as one of the children participating in the W4C programme but is now a W4C instructor and the first black South African to represent South Africa in an international surfing competition, will talk about his personal experience being supported through W4C and together Apish and Sinda will provide helpful advice to all of us who find ourselves in a position where we need to provide support to traumatised children and young people.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/keeping-young-people-afloat to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Where lies our hope at the moment? The last two years have been challenging for civil society. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened the inequalities of South Africa and NPOs, as always, stepped in to offer a helping hand on the ground amidst a series of corruption reports and violent eruptions in KwaZulu-Natal. Individuals came together to do this while dealing with their own challenges within their organisations and their personal lives. To keep themselves going activists need to keep in touch with their vision for the wellbeing and prosperity of South Africans. However, in the context of South Africa at the moment, it feels as though the vision is becoming more and more out of reach.

There has been an overwhelming sense of exhaustion this second year of the pandemic (2021), within civil society and within the general public. While we have been trying to keep going, we have been dealing with feelings of disappointment with our government, guilt and pressure because we are not able to meet all the needs of our beneficiaries and hopelessness in our state overall.

This podcast does not seek to provide solutions to the challenges that NPOs may have faced during the pandemic, but it seeks to reflect and acknowledge. We hope that this episode will help create some space for people to share honestly. We want to let civil society know that we see and value their hard work and that we understand that it has been difficult.

In this episode Mam Ruby Motaung, Executive Director of TREE (Training and Resources in Early Education), who experienced a whirlwind of challenges in the last two years shares her story and what helped her to have hope and to keep going forward.

Dr David Harrison is the CEO of DGMT and in 2020 he wrote a book entitled Harnessing the Thunder which he dedicated to those who work in civil society organisations, who mobilised to protect and support families in distress during the COVID-19 crisis.

In the chapter Human Spirits, David says: “The next few years will be tough. There will be new storms and thunderous rumblings of discontent. But if we listen carefully, we will discern them as millions of voices asking to be heard, looking for opportunity, and seeking to be part of our common future. And no matter how dire the present, we always stand on the cusp of new opportunity for ourselves and for our nation. We should not feel threatened by the rumblings, but find ways to channel them into a more inclusive and innovative society. The problems may loom large, but they can be overcome if we are willing to think simply and radically. And at its most radical, a caring and creative spirit is all that is required to harness the thunder.”

In conversation with Mam Ruby, David shares his observations and insights to inspire us and give us hope in this Learning Lunch session.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/harnessing-thunder to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

As civil society, we see ourselves as drivers of change. But, sometimes we can get so bogged down in the day-to-day humdrum of our work, that we lose our energy and drive to explore new terrain – to find new ways of doing things. We also sometimes lose sight of the inner progression that is happening in ourselves, and our role in manifesting the future.

Developed by Otto Scharmer, Theory U is an approach to creating change based on a process of inner knowing and social innovation. Professor Scharmer says: “When you deal with managing change, the bulk of the job is moving people from a “silo view” to a “systems view” – or, as we would say, from an ego-system awareness to an eco-system awareness. In fact, what surprises me most is how reliably we can create conditions that allow for that kind of shift in awareness to happen. You can’t manufacture it. You can’t mould it like a piece of metal by hammering on it from the outside. But you can create a set of inner and outer conditions that allows a group, an organisation, or a system to make that move, to sense and see themselves from the emerging whole”. He continues: “There is a distinction between two types of cognition: normal (downloading from existing mental frameworks) versus a deeper level of knowing … to activate the deeper level of knowing, one has to go through a three-step process:  

1. Observe - Become one with the situation
2. Retreat - Go to the deeper source of knowing, Access that knowing and let it come to the surface
3. Act - Act swiftly for the deeper knowing

To help us understand Theory-U, we spoke to Hans van der Veen, a Clinical Psychologist who founded the Klein Karoo U.lab, which is based on the principles of Theory U. The Klein Karoo U.lab has taken on interesting community projects, including a Theory-U process with one of the high schools in Oudtshoorn to see if the participants who were teachers, parents, learners, could create approaches that would bring positive change to the school. With Hans, is Lisl Barry, a parent at Oudtshoorn High School, who participated in that process and who shares her experience and what she thinks they achieved at Oudtshoorn High School by using the Theory-U process.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/theory-u-create-the-future to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za