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Biography
of Tony Saddington

Tony Saddington has been an adult education, training and development practitioner in South Africa and internationally for over 35 years. Up until March 2003 he was the Director of the Centre for Extra-Mural Studies at the University of Cape Town, where he taught adult educators for 21 years. He was responsible for the university’s large non-formal public education programme, which developed and ran the successful Summer and Winter Schools.

Tony continues to teach adult educators and trainers in various sectors such as higher education, community and industry. His work focuses on adult learning, experiential learning, educational design, group work, team building, mentoring, coaching, project management and organizational development. He works with organizations on staff training and capacity development, through custom-designed workshops and consultancy interventions including mentoring and coaching. In addition he organizes events, conferences for organizations and arranges visits for overseas academics and student bodies.

In 2004 Tony was elected a life member of the steering committee of the International Consortium for Experiential Learning (ICEL). He has served on this committee since its inception in 1987.
Link to ICEL webpage.

Tony lives, with his wife Marianne, in McGregor. This tranquil village is situated on the edge of the Klein Karoo, some 180 kilometres from Cape Town (2 hours drive) just off the R62 route through Robertson. Route 62 is reputed to be the longest wine route in the world and annual festivals (Robertson Wacky Wine Weekend, McGregor Apricot Festival and McGregor Food and Wine Festival) are added attractions to this area.
Link to McGregor Tourism.

Current and recent clients include:

  • School of Education at the University of Cape Town - teaching on the Advanced Certificate in Education in School Leadership for School Principals. Mentor a total of 33 principals in the Breede River and Winelands district for this programme.
  • Fundamentals Training Centre (FTC) - train on their Integrated Life Management courses including focuses on time management, conflict, management, self awareness, goal setting and planning , understanding organizational cultures and the workplace.
  • Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town - teach on the graduate short courses on Transactional Analysis.
  • Western Cape Provincial Government Department of Transport and Public Works - training of mentors and mentees (120 students in engineering and the built environment at universities in the Western Cape).
  • Community Development Resource Association (CDRA) - various consultancies and training interventions with staff over the past five years.
  • Centre for Higher Education, (CHED) at the University of Cape Town - teaching on the Diploma for Educators with students from the CTFL SETA, TELKOM and NGOs and CBOs in areas such as materials development, organizational development, adult learning and educational practice.
  • Training workshops for NGOs and CBOs both independently and through the UCT’s Centre for Extra-Mural Studies and the Centre for Open Learning and Non-profit resource training (NPRT) - facilitation training , project management, time management, educational design and facilitation and meetings and minutes.

Other past clients include:

  • Clothing, Textile, Footwear and Leather SETA - a one-year coaching course for supervisors.
  • Land Restitution Commission - a 3-day project management workshop for project officers.
  • Stress and time management workshops for the staff of St George’s Grammar School and Vista Nova School
  • Strategic Planning and goal-setting workshop with the staff of Temenos Retreat Centre
  • Teaching students at the Old Mutual Business School about the use of experiential learning methodologies and reflection.
  • Oxford University Press - stress and time management workshop for staff
  • Trade Union Spring School at UCT - leadership, facilitation and group skills workshop for shop stewards
  • Early Learning Resource Unit - leadership, facilitation and group skills workshop for staff
  • UCT Medical School staff - leadership, facilitation and group skills workshop for staff
  • UCT Wardens - counsellor training
  • Old Mutual Training Department - leadership, facilitation and group skills workshop for their trainers
  • National Training Board - work on the Recognition of Prior Learning process and principles for SAQA and the NQF.

Strengths I bring to a training & consultation intervention are:

  • my ability to communicate and work with people
  • my understanding of how people learn and my belief in the importance of their experience
  • my ability to develop people’s capacity through giving them knowledge and practical skills
  • my own knowledge, skills and experience in leadership, team work and diversity issues
  • my 21-years experience of an academic institution as an administrator and academic

Some Workshops by Tony Saddington

Working with groups:

Education and training:

Personal and organizational development:

To get in touch, see my contact details or to send an e-mail use the e-mail contact form.