Welcome to THE KTG FAMILY!

Dear KTG Students

We are pleased to inform you that your KTG Log Statements are now available for download from our website. You can access them in the same way you requested your hours summaries. If you do not receive the email in your inbox, check your spam folder.

Please note that all logged hours are final, and no further changes will be made. Be sure to download your log statement, as it is required for your Evidence Documents submission for the JCP module.

We are thrilled to announce that across all our programs, 86.8% of KTG-assigned students successfully completed their 40 hours. Every program had at least 80% of students completing their hours, including those who initially registered but never started or later deregistered. This is an incredible achievement, and we sincerely thank you for your efforts in helping us move closer to our mission.

Final Reminder: The Group Evaluations must be completed by midnight tonight (Monday 16th September). It is crucial that all group members submit their evaluations on time, as this directly impacts your assessment. Don’t miss the deadline!

Also, don’t forget about the Google Reviews competition KTG is running to boost our visibility and expand our impact. We encourage you to leave a review, and in doing so, stand a chance to win one of the many Takealot vouchers up for grabs! Your support goes a long way in helping us reach more people in need.


Thank you for your dedication and hard work! Enjoy your break!

Best Regards
KTG Team

Dear KTG Students

This is a crucial reminder to complete the KTG GROUP EVALUATIONS FORM (click here) by 23h59 on Monday, 16 September 2024. It is vital that all group members participate, as this evaluation serves as the primary tool for assessing both your group’s performance and each individual’s contribution.

Due to the almost 1000 JCP students involved with KTG this year, we rely on these evaluations instead of conducting one-on-one meetings like other community partners. This feedback plays a significant role in determining your final JCP mark, so the more responses we receive from your group, the more accurately we can assess each member.

NB: While many other factors relating to your submissions, communication with KTG, and attendance of events also contribute to our evaluation, if no group evaluations are submitted, the entire group will receive a default equivalent mark of 50%.

We urge you to submit the form on time—there will be no extensions, and as of today, less than 10% of students have completed it. Don’t miss this important deadline!

Best Regards
KTG Team

We are excited to announce a Google Reviews Competition that will help boost the visibility of Keep That Gold Shining (KTG) and the meaningful work we were able to accomplish together this year! This will assist more learners and schools in finding KTG so we can spread our impact further across the country and continent.

R500 TAKEALOT VOUCHERS WILL BE AWARDED TO THE BEST 3 REVIEWS (as decided on by the KTG Public Relations team).

Additionally, THREE RANDOMLY SELECTED 5-STAR REVIEWERS WILL EACH WIN A R200 TAKEALOT VOUCHER!

Guidelines for a Strong Review:

1. Describe Your Personal Experience: Share your involvement with KTG and how the organisation has influenced you and/or the community.
2. Highlight the Impact: Explain how KTG contributes to developing underprivileged learners and inspiring them to do things they never thought were possible and why our mission is important – particularly in 2024 South Africa.
3. Encourage Others: Mention why you would recommend KTG to learners or volunteers looking for somewhere to complete their community hours and how the initiative has inspired you to make a difference.
4. Be Authentic: Ensure your review reflects your genuine experience. Authenticity is key.

SUBMIT YOUR REVIEWS BEFORE THE 22ND OF NOVEMBER! Winners will be announced on the 29TH OF NOVEMBER FOR A CHANGE TO WIN!

CLICK HERE TO REVIEW NOW!

We look forward to reading about your experiences with KTG!

All the best!
The KTG PR Team

Dear KTG Students

We hope this message finds you well. As we approach the deadline for your JCP module hours, we would like to clarify some critical points specific to KTG students. Please read the following information carefully, as it is essential for the successful completion of your 40-hour requirement.

1. KTG Hours Submission: The only hours that KTG acknowledges are those reflected on the KTG hours summary, which you can download from the KTG website. Hours recorded on Edusourced, the UP portal, or any other platform will not be considered towards your 40-hour requirement.
2. Manual Review of Submissions: Our standard turnaround time for reviewing submissions is 1-3 working days. However, due to the test week and the upcoming deadline (Sunday, 1st September, 23h59), we will have a team reviewing submissions tomorrow. Please note that any submission made after 14h00 tomorrow will only be reviewed next week. We strongly recommend that you submit any additional hours opportunities before this time. Should your submission not be approved due to not following all specifications, lack of effort, or quality, it will be your responsibility. Please remember that these additional hours opportunities are meant for students who did not complete the initial tasks allocated to each program.
3. Final Hours Submission Deadline: Anything that does not reflect on the hours summary downloaded from the KTG website by 23h59 on Sunday will not be considered, with the only exception being for Mentorship students attending the event on the 14th of September. If your hours say “PENDING”, it is fine. All submissions can take up to 15 minutes after submission to reflect on your hours summary.
4. Email Communication: We are receiving a significant number of emails daily, where the answers can be easily found in the project guide or previous announcements. While we have always strived to respond to all queries, we must now prioritise our team’s time and resources. Therefore, effective immediately, we will no longer respond to emails where the answers are readily available in the project guide or past announcements. Please make sure to consult these resources before contacting us. They are all available on the KTG website.
5. How to Contact Us: After reading the project guide and all announcements, if you still require assistance, please feel free to contact us. Please review the announcement about our communication policies first because our team has been instructed to ignore anything that does not follow them.

Lastly, we must emphasise that KTG will not make any “special exceptions” for students who did not complete their hours due to their own oversight, such as failing to read the project guide or follow instructions correctly. This is to uphold our organisational values and maintain our duties as a registered NGO and partner to the University of Pretoria. Our mission is to help those in need, and we must protect our relationship with the University and our sponsors.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the many KTG students who have worked consistently and diligently throughout the program. Your commitment has made our work more manageable, and we wish you a restful and well-deserved weekend.

Thank you for your attention to these matters.

Best Regards
The KTG Team

Dear JCP Students

This is a final reminder that all your hours for the community partner component of the JCP module must be logged and verified as correct by 23:59 on the 1st of September 2024. Please note that this is a KTG-specific deadline, regardless of any due dates given by the JCP module. We require all hours to be completed and verified by this date to allow us sufficient time to finalise your reports for submission to JCP. No excuses, including test week, will be accepted if this is not done. This deadline has been clearly stated in every project guide since the first day of JCP this year.

Please take the time to ensure that all your hours are logged and correct. You can verify this by requesting an hours summary on the KTG website.

If you have received an email indicating that you have less than 35 hours but have since checked your hours summary and confirmed that you have 40 hours, you are in good standing. We recommend downloading your hours summary as proof. The reason for this is most likely because you had logged hours with an incorrect student number but the correct email address at some point.

If you find any discrepancies, please do not panic! Log a query on the website detailing what task(s) that have the issue. As long as your query is communicated to us before 23:59 on the 1st of September 2024, it will be looked into and rectified if there is a problem.

Finally, please remember that any rude or disrespectful emails will be ignored entirely. You are all adults and are expected to maintain respect and professionalism, even when frustrated.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Good luck to all the students who are writing tests next week!

Kind Regards
The KTG Team

Dear KTG Students

You are welcome to take advantage of an additional opportunity to fulfil your 40-hour requirement. This initiative is designed to assist those who may have missed events or other assignments, providing a pathway to complete the necessary hours. As of today, there are no planned additional events for any programs outside of what is stipulated in the project guides – this is your extra opportunity.

Please review the extra hour opportunities document for detailed information on how to participate in this extra-hours opportunity. We encourage you to take advantage of this chance to stay on track with your requirements. If you have any outstanding hours after this, we cannot assist you. The hard deadline is 23h59 on the 1st of September 2024.

Kind Regards
The KTG Team

Dear KTG Students

We hope this finds you well and in good spirits as you prepare for your upcoming exams. We would like to inform you that there may be delays in responding to logged queries and emails, as well as in reviewing hours, from Monday, 10th June until Monday, 22nd July.

We wish you all the best of luck with your exams and hope you have a relaxing recess to recharge and get ready for the second semester.

While you have a little bit more time on your hands, please take this opportunity to review your hours as they currently stand. You can request your hours summary on the website; ensure your email address and student number are correct to receive it.

Please review your hours to ensure that you are on track and have been correctly granted all your hours. Remember, for group submissions, you are ALWAYS required to submit proof of your group submission to earn those hours, as clearly stipulated in the project guides. This is a fundamental requirement from the JCP department and ECSA (Engineering Council of South Africa) that you record all of your own hours, and we have already automated the process as much as we can.

If there are any discrepancies in your hours, please log a query on the website so we can review this for you. Ensure that you have first checked the project guide to confirm that you followed all specifications correctly before contacting us.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Best Regards
The KTG Team

Dear KTG Students

Transparency is essential for any organisation, particularly NGOs. We have received some comments regarding the transportation we use to take students to and from events and would like to address why we choose to use mini-buses (taxis) instead of large commercial buses or rental cars.

Firstly, cost is a significant factor. With a budget of R380 per person, renting a car or a bus is not feasible. Allocating all our funds to a single event would leave us unable to support other activities throughout the year.

More importantly, safety is a key consideration. Navigation apps often do not work well in townships, and residents are generally less inclined to befriend outsiders. Using local transportation with drivers who live and work in the area is much safer for everyone involved.

Lastly, JCP aims to uplift South Africa not only through our programs but also through our financial decisions. It is crucial that our funds support local communities and help families in townships, rather than contributing to the profits of large transportation companies.

All the taxis we use are inspected regularly, and we have conducted thorough due diligence on the drivers, who have been working with us for many years. We hope this provides you with a better understanding of our decision.

Thank you for your attention.

Kind Regards
The KTG Team

Dear KTG Students

We are implementing strict communication protocols to ensure efficiency and professionalism in our interactions. Please take note of the following guidelines:

1. Contact Methods:
   • Website: Please use our JCP website for any queries: https://keepthatgoldshining.org/jcp
   • Email: Alternatively you may email us directly at jcp@keepthatgoldshining.org. Take note of the information below.
2. Email Etiquette:
   • When emailing the JCP account, your email may be ignored if you do not include at least the following details:
     • Student number
     • Group number
     • Name and surname
   • Review this attached email etiquette guide to ensure your emails remain professional.
   • Inappropriate or disrespectful emails will negatively impact your final JCP mark and may be ignored.
3. Avoid Common Mistakes:
   • Do not send emails to the wrong accounts or log queries on the main KTG website, as these will be ignored, and penalised.
   • Ensure the email address you use when logging queries on our JCP website is correct to avoid non-replies.
4. Phone Call Protocol:
   • You may NOT call us on our public telephone line nor may you call any KTG representatives on their cellphones without their expressed permission.
   • Calling our team at inappropriate times (e.g., 11 pm before a deadline or 4 am before an event) is unprofessional and will negatively affect your final JCP mark.
5. Group Communication:
   • Please communicate these protocols within your groups.

We are managing nearly 1,000 students in our JCP program alone and do not have the capacity to follow up on improperly submitted queries or inappropriate communications. This negative points system will be in immediate effect from 12:00 today.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Best Regards
The KTG Team

Dear KTG Students

As test week approaches, we want to wish the very best of luck to all of you who will be writing tests. Your hard work and dedication have brought you to this point, and we are confident that you’ll do your best and achieve great results.

Please note that KTG services will be limited during this time, as many of our team members are also writing tests. We are still available to support you, but there may be slight delays in responses.

Remember to stay calm, focus on what you’ve learned, and believe in yourselves. Proper rest and self-care are equally important, so don’t forget to take breaks and keep your spirits up.

You’ve got this!

Kind Regards
The KTG Team

Dear JCP Students,

As you prepare your budget submissions for the JCP project, using the project guide tailored to your allocated program is essential as your primary reference. This guide will be instrumental in crafting an accurate and comprehensive budget for your group.

For your budgets, each member within a group is allocated R380. For example, in a group of five, the total allocation amounts to 5 x R380 = R1900.

Your budget should adhere to the KTG budget model, which allocates 65% for transport and 35% for materials and equipment. This model should guide you in allocating your funds appropriately. We encourage you to thoroughly detail the materials and equipment section by breaking it down into smaller expenses. This is where you can apply your understanding of your allocated program’s needs to determine the necessary materials and equipment.

It’s crucial to ensure that you fully utilise the allocated funds. Remember, KTG will directly receive these funds, so it’s important to account for the full amount in your budget proposal.

Should you have any questions or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to reach out. Direct any major questions to the Telegram groups and more specific questions to your mentor, or log a help query on the KTG website.

Warm regards,
The KTG Team

Please be informed that due to the demands of the upcoming EBIT test week, there may be slight delays in reviewing hours and responding to emails. We will be deeply involved in ensuring that all necessary preparations and evaluations are conducted meticulously to uphold the integrity and quality of our testing process. This means our availability to address inquiries and provide immediate feedback might be limited during this period.

Please rest assured that we will try to minimise these delays and address your concerns quickly. Your understanding and patience during this time are greatly appreciated.

As you delve into your final preparations, we want to extend our best wishes to each of you writing tests this week. Remember, the effort you put in now is the foundation for your future successes. Stay focused, believe in your abilities, and approach each test with confidence and determination.

If you have any urgent issues or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out, and we will get back to you at our earliest convenience. Let’s work together to make this test week a period of achievement and growth.

Good luck, and may your hard work be rewarded with excellent results!

Kind Regards
The KTG Team

Hi everyone! If you’re interested in earning a few extra hours at events and have experience in content creation especially TikTok and Instagram your help with growing KTG’s social media presence would be greatly appreciated.

Please join the following Telegram group if you are interested: https://t.me/+XcFqEW5JsKVlMTFk

Dear KTG Students

As previously mentioned, there are no “site visits” for KTG. All the initial information you require for your project proposals was explained in the KTG presentation on the Friday of JCP week. If you need additional information, please look at the KTG website as well as your project guide. Furthermore, you do not require a KTG signature on your project proposal. You should paste the KTG logo in place of the signature on your proposal.

Additionally, we ask that any communication between yourself and KTG be conducted through the KTG website’s contact form – on the KTG website dedicated to JCP, not the official KTG website dedicated to our stakeholders. Please avoid communicating with KTG through Edusource.

The KTG administration team has been instructed to ignore any further emails relating to the above information.

Dear KTG Students

For the project proposal that each group is required to submit to JCP. In the section designated for the community partner signature, you may replace it with the KTG logo (click here to download) and proceed with submission. Approval from us is not necessary.

Dear 2024 JCP Students,

Welcome to the KTG family! We are thrilled to have you join us for a journey of meaningful impact and transformative experiences. As you embark on your community hours with us, know that you are stepping into a vibrant community dedicated to making a significant difference in South African lives.

At KTG, we believe in the power of collective action and the profound impact that informed, passionate individuals like you can have on our society. Your energy, ideas, and commitment are invaluable as we work together towards our common goal of improving the well-being of communities across our nation.

We are excited to see the unique contributions you will bring and the positive changes we will achieve together. This experience will not only allow you to give back in a significant way but also to grow, learn, and connect with like-minded individuals committed to social change.

Once again, welcome to the KTG family. We can’t wait to start this journey with you and see the incredible impact we will make together.

Warmest regards,
The KTG Team