THE OFFICIAL GAS_STUDIO STRATEGY DOCUMENT

GAUTENG ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS

GAS_STUDIO

THE OUTLINE

LIST OF TOPICS ABOUT FOUNDER MISSION WHO HOW WHAT OUTCOME CONTACT

BUILDING SISTERHOOD

This is a platform for Gauteng Architecture Students, specifically female students wishing to support, share and care for one another during their career period and after.

It is a safe space for students involved in space design to voice out their thoughts, ideas, and battles and to help one another gain the confidence needed to get through their course leading to obtaining an architecture degree and to prepare the students for the work environment.

GAS_STUDIO is where we will remind ourselves as individuals and the women around us, why we chose this career path to begin with and this can only be achieved if we as GAS get together and create that space for ourselves, hence students from TUT, UP, Wits and UJ studying architecture, interior architecture/design or even involved in any space design field are needed to bring about this change.

This platform is hoping to create a community of confident goal-driven female designers who are not afraid to sign-up or get themselves involved in any male-dominated profession. It is also hoping to create a culture for designers in Gauteng who will one day start their own businesses and even meet their life business partners within this community..

ABOUT GAS_STUDIO #metoofemelle

BUILDING SISTERHOOD I am Tiisetso Mofokeng, an archituecture student, studying at the Tshwane University of Technology. This is my final year as an undergraduate student and I have been studying this coarse for 5 years now (foundation year + 4 years of undergrad). I attended and matriculated at the Pretoria High School for Girls and that is probably where I got the interest in pushing women to empower one another. Leaving high school and going into tertiary I have always thought things would be the same (safe, motivating and fair), but I guess also ending up studying Architecture, I should have known that it is a male-dominated profession (Built and Engineering Environment) and that it wouldn’t be as easy as I thought it would be. Going through the years, studying and continue not feeling confident or rather scared of what the future holds, I thought maybe I am not alone, maybe there are other female student who feel the same way and so, I thought maybe starting a multi-diverse support group for female students who are involved in space design wouldn’t be such a bad idea. It is time for us as females, at very young ages to stand up for ourselves, build that sisterhood and fight for space in society together. It is time to create spaces that we would like to grow and flourish in. GAS_STUDIO could be where we start, where we break out of our comfort zones and challenge society and what the world has to throw at us together.

BUILDING SISTERHOOD

FOUNDER

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MISSION

SUPPORT

BUILDING SISTERHOOD

CARE SHARE #metoofemelle

BUILDING SISTERHOOD

MISSION

support VERB 1 to keep something from falling or sinking 2 to give help or encouragement to 3 to provide with the necessities of life >supporter NOUN >supportive ADJECTIVE support NOUN 1 the action of supporting 2 a person or thing that supports_ at GAS_STUDIO undergrad students will ensure post-grad students get through their studies smoothly by helping build models, come up with thesis ideas and poster-making. And post-grad students will guide undergrad students by giving them advice and helping them with their portfolios and other school/career related issues.  care NOUN 1 attention and thought 2 protection or supervision take care to be especially careful take care of to look after care VERB 1 to feel interested or concerned 2 to feel affection care for 1 to have in your care 2 to be fond of  share VERB 1 to give portions of something to two or more people 2 to have or use or experience something jointly with others OXFORD

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PRETORIA TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (Undergraduate students, post-graduate students, alumni’s, professionals, in the space design field)

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA (Undergraduate students, post-graduate students, alumni’s, professionals, in the space design field)

BUILDING SISTERHOOD

WHO

JOHANNESBURG UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND (Undergraduate students, post-graduate students, alumni’s, professionals, in the space design field)

UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG (Undergraduate students, post-graduate students, alumni’s, professionals, in the space design field)

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BUILDING SISTERHOOD

HOW

SHORT TERM HOW TO GET INFORMATION This support group is fairly new and is being tried out for the first time, hence things will be running on social media and the input of the representatives themselves will be highly appreciated.

Meetings will be held once a month, however that will be discussed and communicated once everyone has sat down and agreed upon a certain day of the week and meeting place (in Johannesburg and Pretoria) that is suitable for everyone. An executive team is needed (at least two executive representatives from each institution). These representatives will be given the task to ensure that the information communicated on social media platforms reaches the members of the group clearly and in time.

ACTION LIST · 2 Executive Representatives from each institution · Executive Representatives to ensure they have contact details (email address, phone and WhatsApp no.) of the members from their institution and that everyone is on the GAS_STUDIO WhatsApp group. · Executive Representatives to record suggestions of topics and activities the members would like to do (short and long-term) · Executives Representatives to motivate members from their institutions to attend events happening at their sisterly institutions so that they can be exposed and to network beyond GAS_STUDIO

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BUILDING SISTERHOOD

HOW

LONG TERM GROWTH As the founder, I am hoping this studio grows and extends to other provinces such as the Western Cape (WAS), Eastern Cape (EAS), and Free State (FAS) etc…. I am also hoping space design companies eventually start recognizing what we at GAS_STUDIO and trying to achieve and will perhaps sponsor the events, trips and activities we would like to take place in the nearer future. This will hopefully make architectural or space design companies realize the importance of equality in work environments and hopefully create a more efficient and comfortable work environment for all.

ACTION LIST · Organize female designer to attend our workshops · Rotation of school talks between the 4 institutions · Travel and give talks at other institutions around the country · Visit High Schools and motivate the learners (let the learners know that it’s safe to do water you want as there are support groups that can help in building confidence) · Eventually start a group that supports males as well and have these groups (male and female support each other · Enter competitions and get involved in workshops and seminars that will challenge us beyond what we know.

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BUILDING SISTERHOOD

ACTIVITIES 1. AWARENESS MEETINGS Discuss issues being faced from the different institutions and come up with ways to get through school/work without being demotivated and distracted.

2. THESIS REVIEW (meet for discussion) Post-grad students to report back to the group after their crits with their supervisors and get a different perspective (ideas) from the group.

3. CAMPING Camp twice a year (Beginning and End), for planning and reviewing, mass meeting and workshops.

4. EXCHANGE MEETINGS Share ideas, comments and skills 5. EXERCISE EMPHASIS MEETING Programme learning to aid members in making their portfolios look professional etc.. (e.g Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, etc) 6. MAKE SPACE DESIGN LOOK AND FEEL FASHIONABLE WORKSHOP 7. BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS 8. DESIGNERS’ GAMES NIGHT 9. HEALTHY EMPHASIS MEETING FOR FEMALE DESIGNERS

WHAT #metoofemelle

BUILDING SISTERHOOD

ACTIVITIES 10. DESIGNGERS MOVIE NIGHT Show inspirational movies/ted talks 11. DESIGNERS TED TALK COMPETITION Get students to talk and gain confidence in preparation for their presentation exams and talking to clients 12. DESIGNERS PRAYER EMPHASIS Prayer Slot (up to the individual, at least pray twice a day, morning and night) 13. DESIGNERS MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME Post-graduate students to mentor the undergrad students

WHAT #metoofemelle

BUILDING SISTERHOOD

OUTCOME 1. CONFIDENCE 2. EXPOSURE AND MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE 3. FEELING UNDERSTOOD AND UNDERSTAND OTHERS 4. FEEL SOME SENSE OF BELONGING (TO A NETWORK OR COMMUNITY) 5. POSITIVE THINKING AND SPEAKING 6. NOT OVER-WORKING ONESELF 7. NOT BEING AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP & COMMUNICATING 8. LIMIT PROCRASTINATION TENDENCIES 9. NO LONGER HAVE SELF-DOUBT & LEARNING HOW TO SELF-CARE

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CONTACT

BUILDING SISTERHOOD

F O U N D E R (C) 0 7 9 - 1 8 0 – 7 8 3 7

(E) T E E M O F O K N G @ G M A I L . C O M

G A S _ S T U D I O (TO BE ADJUSTED SOON) I N S T A G R A M @ M E T O O F E M E L L E # M E T O O F E M E L L E

L I N K E D I N T I I S E T SO M O F O K E N G

F A C E B O O K T I I S E T SO M O F O K E N G

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