By Lynn Hotz
The Eliot Osrin Leadership Institute (EOLI) serves to honour the visionary leadership and strategic foresight of the late Eliot Osrin. The institute aims to facilitate the next generation of Jewish leaders in the community, shaped by Jewish values and ethics with a Leadership Development Programme.
The cohort groups identify a recurring challenge in the community that pertains to a communal organisation and work as consultants with the organisation, towards a sustainable solution. This then culminates in a summative presentation to communal leaders which took place in September of this year.
Desrae Saacks, Josh Friedman and David Cohen, participants on the 2022 cohort, aimed to rediscover, improve and optimise the Bargains Galore store so that it may better achieve its aims.
The Bargains Galore store is a second-hand charity shop based in Sea Point that serves to provide sheltered employment and raise funds for Jewish Community Services (JCS). JCS is in dire need of funding to ensure the continuity of its range of operations and welfare that it provides to its constituents and beneficiaries. This especially considering the far-reaching economic consequences that COVID-19 has had on the individuals in the community and by extension, JCS.
Desrae, Josh and David embarked on a journey to re-invigorate the Bargains Galore store floor space and generate a digital social media strategy to drive customers to the store and reshape its brand and personality as a vintage destination store.
Josh, who works professionally as an HR Business Partner at Cape Union Mart Group, enlisted the input of the Cape Union Mart Regional Operations team. This led to a series of site visits at the store and two separate ‘clean up’ sessions early in the morning before trade. Together with the rest of the team, JCS and Bargains Galore staff and the Cape Union Mart Operations team collaboratively spearheaded the re-merchandising of the store floor.
As a result of the new look, extra space was created and merchandise was categorised into product sections, making a better shopping environment for our customers. This resulted in not only an increase of sales, but the staff having been injected with greater enthusiasm by learning some new merchandising skills and store layout principles from the operations’ team’s input and guidance. The staff are proud of their new environment and are energised into devising new systems and methods for the store with their newly acquired knowledge and skill set.
This is an excellent example of an incredible collaboration between JCS, EOLI and the jewish community! We urge you to discover the hidden gems that can be found at Bargains Galore – a destination for vintage and valued items for you or your home.
Please remember to donate any unwanted clothes, houseware, general bric a brac and furniture to Bargains Galore, and help us to give back to the vulnerable members of our Cape Town community.
To donate, please drop off goods at the store, 65 Regent Road, Sea Point, or call Bargains Galore on 021 462 7004, where our dedicated staff members Beauty, Maurice, Martin and Tanya will assist you. We also offer a free collection – please contact the JCS office on 021 462 5520 or email shuli@jcs.org.za to arrange for collection.
Jewish Community Services website: www.jcs.co.za | JCS Facebook | JCS Instagram
• Published in the October 2022 Digital Edition – Click here to read it.
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