False Bay TVET College students seem to have a knack for electing inspirational leaders. Public Management student and current Vice-President of the Student Representative Council, Darren Maybe, became the latest in a long line of student leaders to be recognised when he was awarded the annual MOT Are Hovstad Award at the MOT Annual General Meeting on 30 June 2021.
To contextualise the enormity of his achievement, consider this: Not only did 9 350 youth from 49 different education institutions qualify for nomination, but nominees for the prestigious award typically include MOT Youth, Young Motivators, MOT Coaches, MOT Coordinators and Principals. MOT annually recognises participating institutions and individuals who exemplify the MOT Values, Courage to Live, Courage to Care and Courage to say No. Aside from the Are Hovstad category, there are also awards for the TVET School and Coach of the Year.
The MOT Programme, which originated in Norway, aims to equip students with life skills to help them develop into strong and resilient members of society. At False Bay TVET College, the Programme has been a powerful motivator and participants have achieved improvement in many areas of student life.
MOT participants are encouraged to:
- Live life by being themselves and proud of who they are;
- Show respect for themselves and others;
- Care for themselves and others;
- Speak out when it is needed the most; and, above all,
- Stand by their values.
Currently doing his N5, Darren completed his NC(V) Safety in Society programme in 2017 and then undertook the National Diploma in Public Management. He also served as SRC Vice-President in 2019. He was nominated for the award by members of the College Student Support Department whose motivation partly read: “Darren’s ability to practically implement the MOT values has been a great pillar of his leadership strength. Over the years he portrayed professional and high-class leadership qualities from which the MOT Programme became one of his major learning platforms.”
On hearing the news, several members of the College community were lavish in their praise of the likeable student leader.
Student Support Manager, Dumisani Lutweyi, says: “Mr Maybe is a great leader, who showed amazing leadership qualities over the years as our SRC Vice-President. He possesses humility and love for others; this is his strength as he grows. He is a very shy and quiet person but very influential. Like they say, ‘The quietest river is the most powerful’. Throughout the years, Mr Maybe has shown resistance towards failure and fear and that has been his winning strategy. He certainly has a bright future and we are very proud as False Bay TVET College to watch him grow through MOT and within our student leadership structures.”
When asked to describe Darren, Christine Thomas, a Student Support Officer at Fish Hoek Campus who won the 2019 Are Hovstad Award, says he’s a “friendly person of good character who is very passionate and committed in humble servitude. A young person with great leadership skills, always shows respect and values everyone as worthy. One who goes the extra mile and lives by the spirit of ubuntu. A young person of good standing, very spiritual and always rising above his circumstances. A true ambassador of False Bay College, always flying the FBC and MOT flags high.”
Sashen Naidoo, Student Support Officer at Westlake Campus and an award nominator, was instantly impressed with Darren when they first met in 2017:
“I knew right off the bat that Mr Darren Maybe would be an influential leader and an asset to the SRC student body and a remarkable young MOTivator for MOT SA. He displayed immense enthusiasm and always had a vigour for life that was palpable every time he was involved with advocating for student leadership. During his term in office as an SRC chairperson and MOTivator, he remained his authentic self and led his team with humility. Darren embodies empathy, fairness, integrity, passion and tenacity, which is seen in his engagement with people from all walks of life. Being the true leader that he is, Darren uses his shortcomings as stepping stones to succeed in life and this has catapulted him into being the dynamic and vibrant leader that he is today.”
Congratulations on your well-deserved success, Darren!
