Page 35 - KZN Top Business Women 2019 eBook

Make a difference

for our youth.

in essential life skills, business and personal finance But the Gap Academy has provided another
Founder and Director,
of the Gap Academy management and develop emotionally to cope with unexpected opportunity too. The business sector
life after school. and other potential sponsors can see the worth of
the Gap programme and get involved by financially
RENDA HORNER, is the founder and director “There’s so much going on in matric,” she points
investing and assisting students. Lecturers are
of the Gap Academy which provides school out, “and the pressure to make a decision about
Band university leaving students the privileged the following year is enormous. It often leads to selected on their reputation and professionalism
opportunity to realistically assess, discover, plan and hasty, ill-informed decisions. Teenagers often have and invest their time and knowledge in lecturing
create for their future career and life paths. no idea what they want to do. They simply don’t the students and giving back to the emerging youth.
have the knowledge, experience or exposure to the Finding the balance
A Greytown farm girl, Brenda has lived most of her
realistic information they need to make the right
life in the KZN Midlands and attended high school “I don’t always achieve a good work/life balance,”
in Pietermaritzburg. After school, she studied a four choices.” admits Brenda, “but it’s probably been easier for me
year degree in food and clothing technology and a To attend the Gap Academy, students need to be than many women. When I started this business, my
physical education degree for high school teaching. 17 years or older (there is no upper age limit - their children were grown, so I had fewer demands on
Brenda has followed an interesting and diverse oldest student was 42). “We prefer our students to my time. But I still need to plan for family time and
career path from teaching, lecturing, and designing have their matric,” says Brenda, “but it’s not essential. me-time.”
and manufacturing of wedding dresses, clothing They do however require a good attitude to their Acknowledging that she’s very fortunate, Brenda says
and soft furnishings, to owning her own consulting work and colleagues, and they must want to attend that her gender has never been an issue for her. “I’ve

and manufacturing interior design company for 27 Gap Academy to plan and achieve for themselves! never found being a woman a disadvantage; not in
years. During this time, she compiled also an interior At the end of the year, our students will have more my industry.” Conceding that it may be more of an
design course for a correspondence school, raised focus and clearer goals. They’ll know what they issue in male dominated industries, she points out
two children and played competitive sport. want to do and have a plan to start the journey to that it’s probably more important to be committed

As a parent and an ex-educator, she was deeply get there.” and to do what needs to be done. “Whether you’re a
disturbed by the number of students leaving Inspired every day man or a woman, you need to be at the top of your
school who did not know what they wanted to game to succeed.”
do, or were not prepared for the ‘real world’. She Brenda is inspired by her students, both past and Asked whether there’s anything that she’d do
was equally concerned by the high numbers of present. “Looking at our students, I can see the impact differently, if she was to do it all over again, she
we’ve made; that we’re doing something really
students making the wrong career choices and hesitates. “Maybe I should have started this Gap year
needed in our society. I see past students who’ve
not completing their tertiary studies, and the many gone on to great things and I know we’re making a programme sooner. I’ve achieved what I set out to
students wanting to study but unable to do so due difference. And I can see it in our current students do, and I can see the results, so I’m very proud of that
to financial constraints. and I’m happy. It’s great to know that you’re making
too. I walk their journey with them every day. It’s
Identifying the huge void after school, Brenda remarkable to see their growth in one short year, and a difference in someone’s life.”
founded the Gap Academy in 2006 to provide it’s wonderful to know we’re instrumental in getting But she’s not done yet. The Gap Academy has provided
students with a planned and purpose-driven gap them onto the right path. They leave us with goals, an invaluable service to students (and their parents)
year. Students have time to assess their career options plans and purpose. We give them a platform for life, in the Pietermaritzburg area, but there’s plenty of
and are equipped with knowledge and experience and that’s all the motivation I could ask for.” potential in other areas too.

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