NMMU – new HEADS leader, Senior Counsellor Charles Persence
We take pleasure in welcoming Mr Charles Persence, who will be leading the Higher Education Access and Development Services (HEADS) Unit at the NMMU George Campus as Senior Counsellor, from 1 July 2016.
With a career of 25 years under the belt, Mr Presence, a masters graduate and registered Educational Psychologist brings with him a wealth of experience in education (teaching), career guidance, counselling, career development and learning support. This includes twelve-years’ experience in psychometric assessment, working with a wide array of psychometric assessment instruments for aptitude, personality, career interest and emotional intelligence amongst others.
Prior to joining NMMU, his substantive experience includes five years at the University of Pretoria as Senior Student Advisor where he was involved in executing a strategy for recruiting and retaining excellent undergraduate students. Before that he held the position of Senior Education Specialist at a number of education institutions, including the Western Cape and Mpumalanga Education Departments. He also served for more than a decade in the schools sector, as a Guidance Teacher and Counsellor at the Swellendam Secondary School.
Furthermore, his professional part-time experience includes, amongst others, being in Private Practice as a Psychologist since 2007, lecturing part-time at the University of the Western Cape and the Cape Town University of Technology.
Mr Persence, who believes in the principles of lifelong learning and continuous professional development, boasts an impressive academic track record, with, amongst others, BA Psychology and BEd Educational Psychology degrees from the UWC; FDE:Ed from the University of Pretoria; and an MEd Educational Psychology degree from the University of Zululand in 2007.
He has also completed the Certificates: PACE Career Advisor and Mindfulness for Counsellors, as well as short courses relevant to his field of specialisation, including Human Resource Hiring Practices. His published works include the book: Inclusive Education Training and Support from a South African Perspective, which is based on his masters degree dissertation.
He enjoys registration with all major professional bodies, such as the Health Professions Council of South Africa, the South African Addictions Medicine Society, the SA Council for Educators, the Psychological Society of SA, and is also a Registered Assessor with the relevant (ETDP) SETA.
His community orientation and leadership qualities is evident from his involvement as volunteer at Ubomi Youth Foundation and his work as Lay Minister in the Anglican Church amongst several other leadership positions.
Mr Persence is married to Berenice, who is a banker, and the family will relocate to George from Cape Town. Prof. Johnson, Campus Principal, warmly welcomed Mr. Persence, and wished him a fulfilling tenure with Team Madibaz!
The HEADS Team, as well as the students will certainly reap the benefit of his expertise and continue to grow as a transformative unit aimed at supporting and developing students to attain their full potential.
We wish to thank Dr Bridget Johnson for supporting the University as Educational Psychologist, at the request of Prof Cheryl Foxcroft (Dean – Teaching and Learning), and for her work in the field of Inclusive Education. She will continue to support HEADS on a part-time basis, as Mr Persence takes up the reins of leadership from 1 July 2016.