1. Comments from mentoring programme attendees 2. Profiles on IEA directors Carr Newston & Penny Petersen 3. Diary of upcoming events



Knowledge is power "Knowledge is power, and power is strength, and that is what I gained through this course" So said an estate agent who took part in the pilot project of our mentoring programme, which ended a few weeks ago. The programme, aimed at empowering previously disadvantaged estate agents, is an IEA Western Cape initiative, and we are certainly satisfied with the results. The programme is a combination of mentorship, training sessions and research projects, spread over four months. Each participant is assigned an IEA director as a mentor, and can call on his/her mentor for advice and support. Each participant must also attend at least fourteen of the sixteen training sessions, and complete a research project. We asked the participants to give us their comments on the programme. "This has been the most informative three months since I started in this field," said one. "I feel this programme has not only enriched us with knowledge, but also skills to enforce a lot of the ideas we were presented with." Although the training sessions focused on nuts-and-bolts topics such as office administration, legal matters, business management, and sales and marketing, they also helped to forge a camaraderie among the participants, which several found highly motivating. "I have grown personally as an individual," said one of them, "and this course has given me that extra boost of self-confidence that I really needed. I will enrol on more courses that could help me grow." "My personal career has taken a change," said another. "I have finally realised my dream and I have started my own company. I feel very confident in the marketplace and my enthusiasm has grown in leaps and bounds." Another found that his horizons had broadened. "The course was an eye-opener to the possibilities that exist for me as a property consultant within my community, as well as extending my vision beyond what I had thought was a market restricted by the bigger companies." The twenty-four participants were awarded their certificates at the IEA Western Cape annual general meeting earlier this week. We thank all the participants, the course presenters, and the mentors, for making this pilot project work as well as it did. Its success will enable the IEA to implement the programme in other parts of the country. The potential exists to support and empower several hundred previously disadvantaged estate agents each year - a goal which will help our industry to achieve the transformation which it so urgently needs. To quote one of the participants: "Viva the mentorship programme, and let there be unity in strength." Enquiries: phone Vivien Marks at 021 531 3180. Meet your Directors Every month, we profile (in alphabetical order) two of the IEA Western Cape regional directors. Carr Newton Entered the property industry in 1970, after a career in public and military service. He was a pioneer in the new sectional title market which arose in the mid-1970s, and this is still his speciality today. He is currently sectional title manager for a Southern Suburbs property company. Penny Petersen Has been an estate agent since 1979, and specialises in residential property in the Plattekloof area. She joined the IEA in 1981, and served on the Northern Suburbs area committee for seven years before becoming a regional director. "It is my passion," she says, "to see professionalism in the property industry." IEA WESTERN CAPE DIARY Forthcoming courses and events: Northern Suburbs Area Wine Tour 10 October 2003 Super Seller Programme 11 October - 8 November 2003 (Saturday mornings only) EAAB Exam (English) Day Course 13 - 17 October 2003 EAAB Exam (English) Evening Course 9 October - 6 November 2003 Real Estate Sales Course 17 - 20 November 2003 Commercial and Industrial Course 24 - 27 November 2003 Enquiries and bookings: phone 021 531 3180