It’s Time for a Big Change with Nebula… This is what 2016 looks like

Whew! A person never really knows where they will be in the future. Briefly re-looking over our blog makes me real proud of what we have achieved since 2012. Kurt and I have manifested our dreams in a way that we didn’t necessarily predict, and now it is time for us to expand our vision and take the next steps on our personal journey. This is what 2016 looks like for us.

Me, kind of smiling for the camera. With a beard.

Kurt hides his good looks.

Towards the end of last year we had to accept that Nebula doesn’t have enough funding to continue its projects in Gugulethu and Valhalla Park. This is a story I didn’t anticipate I would have to tell, but it is a reality. Coupled with the challenges we face as individuals and as an organisation, this fact is actually the beginning of a necessary ending and a new journey.

Tutoring sessions with Nebula Gugulethu

If you follow us on Facebook, then you may have heard about Nebula Vietnam which was started by my good friend Andrew, shortly after relocating to that side of the world. My plan is to join him in February to increase our impact and pursue further opportunities for Nebula. Kurt is an extremely talented illustrator who is behind Effect 14 and all of our graphic and clothing designs. He is now focusing on building his already damn awesome portfolio and career in illustration and graphic design. (PS hit him up for any branding or related work you need done!)

Andrew tutors English in Vietnam

This is sad for the 30+ kids we have worked with last year, but also not the end. One thing I have always known when it comes to raising children is that the most you can do is plant seeds for their future. The environment that they grow up in plays a huge role in where they are in the future, and if one only has limited time, there is only so much one can do… Nebula Gugulethu and Valhalla know very well our philosophy of a Nebula Skate of Mind and we know it will never be forgotten. But it is sad that this is how our story moves to the next chapter.

Check-in session with Nebula Gugulethu

Pep talk before a skate session in Gugulethu

Journalling in Valhalla Park

The start of Nebula Valhalla

Toufeeq gets geared up

The 11 kids we started with in Valhalla Park

The kids from Gugulethu and Valhalla Park

A blog post about how we need financial support is obviously not the solution for sustainability in an early-stage NPO, yet our challenges have to be expressed as in the last blog post. I deeply wish that Nebula could have achieved what it wanted to since the beginning, but another reality we have had to face in 2015 is that we can’t do everything!… The journey with Nebula has taught me so much about myself which is why I believe in entrepreneurship as a vehicle for self-discovery. Of course, that is not the goal of traditional business, but it is the goal of the visionary and passionate creative. I wish that we could continue our projects here in South Africa but it is just not possible without the capacity, resources and capital.

Alas, this is not the end.

Anele taking a breather at Langa Open Streets

After a lot of reflection and self-coaching throughout the year, we have discovered the value of what we offer in our personal and organisational capacities. My recent trip to Kimberley was a testament to that and the kick I needed to inspire my trip to Vietnam, along with everything else that was happening in my life. And I embrace it – eager to have the experience and share it with you!

Thank you for reading and sharing the journey with us!

Your feedback and comments are welcome below

To 2016 with a Nebula Skate of Mind!

Rayne

Making Dreams Come True at the Kumba Skate Plaza

Earlier this year, I was approached by the Kimberley Diamond Cup to run the Nebula programme at the Kumba Skate Plaza in December, while also filling in for Mike Chinner while he is away in the States. With everything that was going on with Nebula at the time, it was a great opportunity to increase our impact and build on the relationships I had established when I was here in June earlier this year. In this blog, I will share my experience and hopefully inspire you to grab hold of any opportunity you get to use your skills and talent to make a difference from wherever you are in the world.

The Nebula programme is about inspiring young people to follow their dream and showing them how possible it is by working towards a Dream Project. The Kimberlaaities’ (the name for the group of local skaters) Dream was to have what we called the “Nebula Fun Day”. The Fun Day included a street skate mission, visit to the local swimming pool, a skate jam at the skatepark and ending off the day with the annual Christmas Dinner at the Skate Plaza.

To make this dream a reality, we raised money from running the Kimberlaaities Car Wash and selling bompies (ice juice) and ice cream at the skatepark. The money we made from these small businesses allowed us to cover the costs for the Nebula Fun Day while leaving us with a little extra to continue selling bompies and ice cream.

Realising the Dream Project was lead by The Musketeers – Charles, Siphiwe and Samkelo – with the help of motivated kids like Wadu and Kopano who were more than eager to make some cash.

In between all of the action we played music, danced, hosted Nebula’s Game of Sk8 while also introducing participants to games and skate challenges that encourage teamwork, support and positive communication.

After three weeks, the Kimberlaaities’ Dream Project became a reality for those who were actively involved in running the small businesses. At the Christmas Dinner, they were awarded certificates of achievement with The Musketeers receiving Nebula product and a skateboard.

As my time draws to an end here in Kimberley, I can’t help but think how you can’t put a price on making a difference – however big or small you think – in someone else’s life, especially our younger generation. If you have been reading our previous blog posts, you will know about the challenges we have faced this year, as well as our successes. I can’t say that it doesn’t take much to make a difference in your own unique way, but at the same time, I can. If you have skills and experience in something that you are passionate about, there is value in that. And if you can find a way to share that value with the world, then do it. Most people will not understand what it takes or everything that had to happen in order for you to have seized an opportunity like that. But one thing is for certain if you are able to do so – it inspires others to do the same. That is what Nebula is about, you know this. It’s a Nebula Skate of Mind!

We Need All The Support We Can Get! This Is Why!

For the past few months I have been faced with many challenges and questions about the work that we do here at Nebula, and I have been thinking to myself, “I need to put this out there”. Entrepreneurship is a very interesting path to walk – equally challenging and rewarding! In this blog, I am going share with you the reality of this path I walk, in the most brief way possible, and hopefully motivate you to support us by donating to our projects and sharing this story.

My name is Rayne Moses, the founding director of Nebula. And in case you didn’t know, Nebula is founded on my dream to own a skatepark. (Check out our Youtube Channel for more on our story and programmes). This past year has been personally challenging as I chose to pursue my dream immediately after graduating in 2012, as opposed to finding a job or pursuing a career. This year in particular gave me quite a reality check as I don’t earn what I deserve – none of us do – and I have an increasing responsibility to meet my own needs and that of my 5 year old son. This has been my biggest challenge this year, interfering with how I facilitate programmes and run the organisation. Which should not be happening, since it goes against the entire purpose for our existence – to support and inspire young people to follow their dream. Through everything that I have faced in 2015, I have come to ask myself, “In what way am I following my dream?” and”How am I taking care of myself so that I may take care of others?”

Starting an organisation from scratch is no joke and definitely not as wondrous as “following your dream sounds”! With deep gratitude, we have been blessed with various forms of support over the past 3 years that has brought us to where we are today. Entrepreneurs, especially those driven by social change, know this path all to well – coming up with a vision and then fulfilling 10 different roles to make it a reality! The truth is, without a substantial amount of capital to sustain myself and the organisation, the thing that brings me to life and makes me get up every morning, took everything out of me – to the point where I started questioning myself and why I am not being rewarded for the work I do and value I bring to the world… Many answers come to mind when pondering such a deep question – the system, my ignorance, my beliefs…

I know for a fact that finding a job is not the solution to the challenges we are facing. Not only because the thought of it makes me literally want to through up, but because my time and effort will be spent elsewhere instead of growing our organisation and making impact. Thus I find myself in a very hard place to be in – which you may relate to, or not… This is not to say working for someone else is a definite “NO!”. Its just being clear and ensuring that whatever I do choose to do, it has got be aligned with my purpose and vision. And I must get paid for it.

Today, I am typing this from the Kumba Skate Plaza in Kimberley, South Africa, listening to the locals shred outside. For the most part, I find myself living my dream. Except that I don’t “own” this skatepark, and I am in Kimberley and not Cape Town. Haha! Getting here was not easy and required a lot of inner work as well as networking. I am here for a few more weeks to run the Nebula programme before heading back to Cape Town and continue the search for a place to stay that can accommodate myself and Akin (my boy). So it is only a matter of time before I wake up from this dream I am living. Hence, I am seeking the support of you and the rest of the world to help  us continue doing what we do, but making sure that we can live comfortably so that we can be our best when we are with the kids we work with.

In 2016 we plan to double our impact by running our programme over a period of 6 months, instead of a year, in Gugulethu and Valhalla Park, recruiting new participants every cycle… No lies – we need your help!… Often I feel like Nebula is perceived to be well off with everything that we need, but that is a result of practicing the, now questionable, philosophy of “fake it until you make it”. And I am done faking it. I want to make it! When I started Nebula, my goal was to run programmes, host events and manage a clothing brand – the idea is that our clohting and events would generate income and contribute towards the sustainability of the organisation. Pssshhht. Yeah right! Too big of an expectation to set for myself, and unrealistic with the limited resources we have. Hence, we have failed to organise all the events we had planned for 2015 and not produce clothing the way we want to. We failed in that regard!

None of this means that we stop, or we give up. Those phrases are not in our vocabulary. It simply means that we must work SMART and focus on what really matters to ensure our long-term sustainability. We have achieved a lot over the past 3 years and it is time to plan the next steps forward. At the time of writing this, it seems that when I head back to Cape Town I will have to manage things on my own but this is my goal. To have setup a volunteer programme that ensures the continued operations of our programme and for me to focus on fundraising. In order for this to be a reality, we will need funding for the following:

Salary – R15 000 x 12 Months = R180 000

Volunteer Stipends – R15 000 x 12 Months = R180 000

Airtime and Data – R350 x 12 Months = R4 200

Fuel – R1 600 x 12 Months = R19 200

Skateboards, Shoes and Gear – R1 300 x 80 beneficiaries = R136 000

Art Supplies – R7 250

Musical Instruments – R 15 500

Dream Project Capital – R1 500 x 4 projects = R 6 000

Total – R548 150

There are 3 ways that you can support Nebula in 2016:

Monetary donations can be made via PayPal or directly to our bank account via these details:

Bank: FNB

Acc no: 62440994178

Branch code: 250655

Reference: Your/Company Name

OR

Volunteer your time at our programmes in Valhalla Park or Gugulethu. For more information, please email me via rayne@nebulaskateboarding.co.za or call +27 72 727 0041

OR

Donate skateboards, gear, shoes, musical instruments and art supplies to:

Nebula

19 Eden Rd

Observatory

Cape Town

7925

Not too long ago, I wondered if I had achieved everything I could with Nebula. And the answer is yes! I have given my everything into building this organisation and spreading our ethos of a Nebula Skate of Mind. And once you have reached your dream, the best option is to create another one! If you read or heard about our programme when we started in 2013, you will notice the changes in what we do and how we do it… Nebula engages young people in creativity, entrepreneurship and experiential learning.

2015 has brought about much learning as individuals and as an organisation with deeper impact being made in the lives of the kids we work with. And I believe that 5 – 10 years from now we will be able to prove the difference we are making, just in case we haven’t already! Thus, I deeply encourage you too support our mission as we contribute towards a society where young people are socially and economically active, creating solutions to the challenges we face in our community.

That being said, we look forward to another year of skateboarding, making music, art and dancing with a Nebula Skate of Mind!

Yours in making dreams come true

Rayne

Skate and Art Missions with Nebula Youth

As always, much has been happening with Nebula, especially in the background. Sadly, I haven’t been able to write something because of life’s distractions, but nonetheless, lemme tell you whats been going down – in our minds and in reality…

I want to start by sharing the joy of running the Nebula programme in Valhalla Park (VP)! If you have been following us, you will know we ran a crowdfunding campaign for this project which was sadly unsuccessful and brought about much learning for the team. Fortunately for us, we had also approached the City of Cape Town and proposed a partnership to pilot programme in VP! Since April, we have been cultivating a Nebula Skate of Mind with 12 boys from the community and look forward to the journey ahead! These guys literally stay around the corner from Cape Town’s biggest skatepark, so it is a given that some of them are really going to make a name for themselves in skateboarding and life!

Gugulethu was where we started. It is at the core of Nebula and influences so much of what we do. Packed with highs and lows, the group of boys we work with have been steadily progressing on their skateboards and we thought it would be a good for them to experience what level the guys in Valhalla Park are at! During their school holidays we organised a trip to Valhalla Park and ran Nebula’s Game of SK8 which got them really amped to take their skating to the next level!

Another damn awesome highlight over the past month was our collaboration with SK8 for GR8! We were approached by SK8 for GR8 to have 8 of the kids participate in their series of workshops that would take place over two weeks leading to a fundraiser on 20 August. What was so significant to me was the timing of when this happened! As you may have read before, we are including different elements of creative expression in our programme, so it’s not just skateboarding. It was a wonderful opportunity for those who participated to learn more and hone their artistic talent with a group of designers from around Cape Town. In both Valhalla Park and Gugulethu, we ran a “Design Your Deck” competition to select the 8 boys who would participate in the workshops. We look forward to the event taking place in a few weeks where funds raised will go towards the Nebula programme. Follow SK8 for GR8 for more details!

In closing, I would like to say that you can expect some changes with Nebula over the next few months as we focus on building our brand. We will be creating a series of products which you can purchase and in turn contribute towards the impact that we are making. Nebula is a social enterprise and should be perceived that way. There is immense value in what we bring to the communities we work in, value with no price on it. But the reality is, we won’t be around in the years to come if there is no monetary value in what we do. And now we are going to find a way to bring that value to you! Our fans. Our followers. Our supporters!

Please leave any comments below or contact us via Facebook or email (rayne@nebulaskateboarding.co.za) with any queries.

Most importantly, keep pushing with a Nebula Skate of Mind!

Thanks for reading

Rayne

In Kimberley with a camera and a Nebula Skate of Mind by Michelle Perkins

Young and born free, my name is Michelle Perkins from Kimberley,  home to the Kumba Skate Plaza and South Africa’s diamonds. After passing matric in 2012 with a BD, I became part of the teenage pregnancy statistics and gave birth to a little boy at the end of 2012. This obligated me to take some time off school and raise my  son during his early years. At the same time an urge grew within me to start following my passion – visual imagery. Moving to Cape Town in 2014 to study photography, I left my family and son so that I could go out in the world and pursue my dreams.

On June 9th I met Rayne Moses, founder of Nebula, travelling home to Kimberley. He told me he was asked by the Kumba Skate Plaza to manage the skatepark while they were away on the Skate for Hope tour through the Northern Cape. After Rayne had learnt that I am a photography student he promptly asked me to document his time in Kimberley with the young skaters. I agreed to his request and started to get to know Nebula, its functions and how Rayne is associated with this organisation. During our discussions, Rayne explained to me how he was anxious that he didn’t know anyone in Kimberley and no one really knew him, but saw this as an opportunity to get to know a new place, new skaters and inspire a Nebula Skate of Mind!

The skaters of Kimberley were unfamiliar with Rayne as an outsider. But a connection was soon ignited when they learnt that he is just a very laidback person who wanted to share his wisdom and skating knowledge with them. During his first weekend in Kimberley, Rayne introduced Nebula’s Game of SK8 to Kimberley’s young rippers also known as the Kimberlaaities. Peter Hale, Alec and Brad Balie won in the beginner, intermediate and advanced divisions, respectively.

After the competition on Saturday, I informed Rayne that I needed to leave back to Cape Town for my Mid Year Photography exhibition and was not able to document the days to come. Fearing that I may have let him down, Rayne unquestionably supported me and encouraged me to be back for International Go Skateboarding day to finish what I had started with Nebula. He also fed my soul with some inspirational advice and instilled some confidence in me to be at my best and take pride in what I have worked so hard for. While I was away in Cape Town, Rayne and I stayed in contact. He shared the joy he was experiencing from chilling with the young skaters, despite being unfamiliar with his surroundings and the people, and how the skaters of Kimberley made him feel at home.

While interviewing Rayne, he acknowledged the hospitality by Mike Chinner and his team as well as highlighted the interesting and entertaining dynamics between the kids. “My time in Kimberley has been good, fulfilling and adventurous with Stuart popping a roof gap on International Go Skateboarding Day!” I spoke to a few of the young skaters and they expressed how impressed they were with Rayne and his positivity and how he had inspired and left them feeling much more ambitious about where they wanted to go with their lives and skateboarding.

It was refreshing to meet someone like Rayne, a person who works with young people to discover their dream and potential not because he gets paid to do it but because making a difference in other people’s lives, from doing what you are passionate about, is priceless. Nebula had given me the opportunity to explore my potential outside of my comfort zone and learn more about writing and skate photography. He reminded me that we are the architects of our future and that nothing should hold us back, especially ourselves! I look forward to having my son join the Nebula movement in the near future! Thank you Nebula for helping people like me and the young skaters of Kimberley realise our dreams and turn them into reality.

 

Photo’s and words by Michelle Perkins

What do we REALLY do? And where are we going?

Thursday marked the end of Nebula’s crowdfunding campaign on Thundafund.com. It was unsuccessful. We were unable to reach our tipping point and therefore had to refund our handful of backers whom we are truly grateful for connecting with. There is much we have learned from running a crowdfunding campaign. And if you know Nebula, an “unsuccessful” campaign is unlikely to stop us on our mission! After all, we don’t stop skating just becasue we can’t get a trick… Furthermore, we have established a relationship with local government and municipality to pilot the Nebula programme in Valhalla Park! However, sustaining our organisation is still critical and a challenge. And this is where we will continue to be need of your support – our community of followers, supporters and givers – as we continue to grow.

We are in an interesting time as an organisation. This journey we are embarking on and sharing with you, has a lot of potential which has been recognised and acknowledged on more than one occasion. However, over the past few months we have been asking ourselves a question that we all, perhaps, ask ourselves as individuals, but definitely as companies and organisations… What is it that we really do? What is the specific value that we offer? How do we do it? And most importantly, can we grow and sustain ourselves doing it?

Nebula exists to support young people in making their dreams a reality – making our dreams a reality. Skateboarding is how we started on this journey, using our passion, skill and talent to build an organisation and connect with young minds in Gugulethu… Realising the benefits as well as limitations of skateboarding in South Africa, we re-defined what we do and how we do it so as to include various forms of creative- and self-expression combined with entrepreneurial activity, to empower kids and youth in developing communities.

With the seed of Nebula being planted in Valhalla Park, the spark of Nebula Vietnam and continuous growth and shine of the kids in Gugulethu, we thank everyone that has supported us until now and ask that you continue to do so as Nebula starts to find its place in the world. This is our future that we are co-creating. This is still the beginning. The light that we shine from far distances in space has yet to reach Earth. Visible by a few (you), but soon to all.

2 Weeks with Nebula Youth in Photos

We thought that sharing a few photos over the past few weeks with Nebula Youth would speak more words than any one person could write about! Haha… Okay, maybe its just that so much happened that I can’t write about it all! But that was a good one! Hehe…

Here is a glimpse into the journey we share with a group of kids and youth in Gugulethu, Cape Town…

 

Visit our crowdfunding campaign to start Nebula Youth in Valhalla Park here: https://thundafund.com/nebulayouth

Making Dreams Come True – Local Brands, Dream Projects and Skateboarding

Every week there are stories to share about where we’re at and what has been happening on the ground – and in the air for that matter! We were involved with a local event showcasing local brands, our participants have been actively working on their Dream Project for 2015 and above all we’ve been skating and progressing!

Local Scene was an event organised by Clock Art Events showcasing local talent and clothing brands, creating a much needed platform for artists, designers and entrepreneurs in Cape Town. Rayne Moses, Nebula’s founding director,  MC’d the event, highlighting and acknowledging what it takes to start a brand in South Africa – it ain’t easy! But with a Nebula Skate of Mind, all is possible!

The Dream Project for Nebula Youth this year is for everyone to own their own skateboard and visit one skatepark every month. The fundamental shift in our approach this time around is that, as an organisation, we are not doing the planning and organising. Our participants are taking ownership, responsibility and initiative to realise their dream for 2015! We look forward to supporting them in this process and witnessing the learning and growth that will be, and is already, taking place!

It isn’t news that skateboarding forms part of the foundation of Nebula… Nothing brings more fulfillment than seeing the joy that a skateboard brings to the lives of the kids that we work with! Witnessing their progression makes it even more exciting as we know that these guys are the ones that are going to be in skate magazines and videos, inspiring the next generation of skateboarders to go to the next level. This is a movement that we are proud to be a part of!

There are various ways in which you can share this journey with us! You can volunteer, share our story and support our crowdfunding campaign to be launched in the month of May! Most importantly, you can simply live life with a Nebula Skate of Mind! Until next time, keep pushing and grinding with purpose!

This is Nebula

Last week, Nebula had the opportunity to work with 5 masters students from Hanze University (Holland, Netherlands) to develop our sustainability strategy. At the same time we were trying something new with the kids in our programme. Building a social enterprise is not easy. It is critical that we build a sustainable organisation in order for us to realise our vision. I figured that with this going on and people who believe in Nebula, there is no doubt that we are on to something!

I have learned how building a business or organisation is a true expression of who you are. In order to grow, you must learn. When you learn, you grow. We discovered that there is still a world of possibilities for us to create and explore. And then the reality check occurs reminding us that there is much work to be done in order for us to truly explore our potential.

Nebula values Creativity, Interdependence and Responsibility. We believe these are the ingredients needed to create a world in which our dreams are a reality. Each day, it becomes more apparent why the world needs organisations committed to social change. We will contribute to a sustainable world filled with purpose and unimaginable possibilities! This is what we believe.

Children and youth are our future. Our reality is shaped by what we believe about ourselves and the world that we live in. Our beliefs are created from what we experience. And we create the space for people to experience their true potential. A space to dream, live, grow and skate! That is the reality we are living and creating.

Khule Ngubane Donates Shoes, Nebula’s Skate League and a Growing Organisation

The past two weeks with Nebula have felt like when you’ve just oiled your bearings and cleaned out those hard to reach places! Haha… We have tried new things and took it a step further with others. There are always different angles to an experience, but as a facilitator, this was what stood out for me.

We were able to raise just over R800 through raffles and event proceeds which will go towards supporting the Nebula Youth programme in April. This isn’t a mind-blowing number, yet the experience has provided us with learnings in money management, planning, communication and… skateboarding!

We hooked up with Khule Ngubane who donated a pair of his shoes and a deck to Nebula Youth. The deck went to the dude who raised the most money in our raffle and the shoes was used as a prize for a Game of SK8. This is a glimpse of the difference it made in Ayanda and Simtha’s life…

On Sunday we hosted Nebula’s Game of SK8 at Gardens Skatepark with a group of young guns who never seizes to wow crowds by demonstrating their rate of progression and consistency with tricks!

It has been an eventful, rewarding 2 weeks with Nebula Youth and it is with great thanks to our volunteers, sponsors, partners and ongoing support of the skateboarding community! It takes years for us to see the light of some stars we observe within our galaxy… we are starting that process! With skateboarding!