MENTORSHIP
MENTORSHIP
The Future - Our Focus
“In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught.” Baba Dioum, Africa
What is Mentorship?
- Mentorship is the guidance offered by one experienced person to another
- A mentor shares knowledge, assists, and advises less experienced and often younger persons
- Mentors have experience and knowledge that others can learn from
What difference can I make?
- Members with positive attitudes and values are the best mentors
- Use opportunities to mentor friends and family members
- Encourage membership (Your benefits/our focus)
- Explain the comprehensive benefits of belonging to SA Hunters
- Invite to branch activities
- Youngsters under 16 years: Use the junior training manual – Mentorship Safari
- Advice on purchasing a firearm
- Practise shooting skills
- Accompany on the first hunt and demonstrate responsible hunting and behaviour
- Advise on processing and use of game meat
- Focus on persons in the 20 – 40-year age group who want to teach their children to respect and appreciate nature
- Your mentorship can be the start of a new lifestyle for fellow citizens at SA Hunters
- Every member can contribute to growing the membership of SA Hunters
What legacy do we leave to our children?
- Hunting, firearm ownership and a passion for nature
- Our ancestors – depended on firearms and hunting
- The San and Inuit –living in harmony with nature
- Sustainable use – use wisely and conserve for tomorrow
- Critics want to stop hunting and firearm ownership – “We no longer need it to survive”
- Urbanisation and the growing need for consumables threaten our wildlife heritage and destroy the habitat of animals and plants
- Hunters pay for the conservation of habitat
- Game farms in South Africa: 20 million ha – twice the area of all provincial and national parks added together
- Game species – since 1960, game numbers increased from 600 000 to 17 million animals (excluding parks and reserves)
- Hunting sector’s contribution to the economy – R15 billion p.a. and local hunters contribute R12 billion p.a.
- Inherited passion for shooting, hunting, and nature from father/uncle/grandfather as mentor
- Not everyone enjoyed this privilege (urbanisation, space, opportunity)
Develop young hunters and conservationists
Read the inspiring article by André van der Merwe (SA Hunters Manager: Branch and Shooting Affairs) as he reflects on his journey from early childhood, guided by his father and grandfather, who instilled in him a deep respect for wildlife and nature, shaping him into a responsible hunter and mentor to his children and grandchildren.
Send us your comments, questions or suggestions