What people say about Safe Hands’s various services…..
BUILDING WEBSITES
Vivien Horler
I needed to set up a website/blog for my BooksPage site without the least clue how to go about it. Renee Moodie and I had a preliminary meeting, at which she asked me to figure out the various categories I wanted. She saw me through the process of setting up an account with WordPress.
A second meeting saw us selecting a template from WorldPress and assigning content I had already written. This session also involved showing me how to assign pictures to the post. A third meeting had her show me how to cross-ref the blog to a Facebook page.
Throughout she was clear, patient and extremely capable. She listened to my frequently not-very-bright questions and explained everything I needed to know. For relatively complicated (complicated to me, anyway) actions, like finding pictures, downloading them, putting them on the page in the right format, size and place, as well as how to convert a PDF to a JPeg, she provided me with notes.
Since our initial meetings I’ve called her with a number of queries and she has always responded with patience and help.
I simply could not have done it without her.
Sharon Sorour-Morris
Renee is a journalism colleague but has been my “go-to” support person since I starting my blog. She is very practical and hands-on, and her no-fuss approach has been invaluable. She is patient and very knowledgable, and makes sure one has a good grasp of things before she leaves you to it. Another bonus is her wide range of knowledge, from tech issues to writing and editing copy for the web and internet trends. She is also extremely fair when it comes to charging for her services. I am grateful to have her on “Team Sharon & Co.”
EDITING
Renee’s attention to detail is second to none. I commissioned her work through an extensive list of references and she did an impeccable job. If you need an editor with a keen eye, a respectful hand and a methodical approach, look no further. Highly recommended.
TRAINING
Comments from participants in a 2018 social media training workshop run at various Tiso Blackstar publications*
* The session was very informative… believe it will assist me in maximising my use of social media. – Belinda Pheto
* The training was very informative and allowed us to have an open mind on sharing news on social media platforms. – Boitumelo Kgobotlo
* This was a brilliant workshop which should be done twice (at least) a year. – Bongani Fuzile
* Great overview. Enjoyed the insightful comments and exercises. Also feedback from team members – very useful. – Anon
* I loved how practical it was. – Anon
* Very well-presented course. Easy to understand and grasp various concepts. – Anon
* All participants were given the option to have their feedback used on this site. The comments here are from those who selected either of these two options: “Yes (with my name)” or “Yes (not with my name)”. Comments from people who said no, or who did not select an option, have not been used.
Monica Winter
I have had the privilege to attended two continuing education programmes that Renee has presented at Bergvliet High School. On both occasions our small classes were personal, intimate and comfortable. We received professional notes, tips and writing tricks. We listened, learned and left feeling enlightened having a better understanding on the relevant concepts. I would strongly recommend you to attend a course with Renee!
Mthunzi Mbatha
I still remember the lesson on a green Mac at IOL many years ago like it was yesterday. What was to follow was a great career in online, print and broadcast media because I stood on the shoulders of a giant called Renee. I hope you create more of us in your new journey…
Shaheema Barodien
Renee was an instrumental part of my journey into the world of journalism and copy editing. She has pretty much taught me all I know! She is such a patient teacher and coach. I value her mentorship greatly and am confident that she will ably steer many more up-and-coming writers and editors to achieve great things in their careers. Young aspirant journalists would be very lucky to have Renee as a teacher and colleague.
Nicola Mawson
Renee is among the most patient, competent trainers I have ever met. She has no qualms over repeatedly – sometimes endlessly – explaining how systems work, and has a thorough knowledge of every system she trains on. Renee has rescued missing articles more times than I care to admit, without scolding. Instead, she uses ‘mistakes’ to teach more. Her knowledge of the media landscape is, frankly, invaluable. If you want to turn out sentences that grip readers, blurbs that entice, or simply articles that are well crafted, you cannot go wrong with Renee. She also has a keen sense of attention to detail, and an admin ethic that is Super Woman-like when compared to most newsroom staff. I would happily recommend Renee for any training you need in this cut-throat profession.
Lou-Anne Daniels
Renee Moodie is probably the most patient, helpful trainer I have had in a long, long time. We have worked in large groups, small groups and on a one-on-one basis, and she never ceases to amaze me with her patience, how tuned in she is to individual needs, her understanding of people and the dynamics of working with difficult and often complex personalities. Her years of experience in journalism means she is both knowledgeable and meticulous. Renee’s attention to detail and sensitivity to the needs of the people she trains is legendary. I would have no qualms about using her as a trainer.
Janine Papendorf
I have known Renee for more than a decade and I’ve been trained and mentored by her on several occasions. As a trainer, she is patient and accommodating because she’s adept at assessing individual strengths and weaknesses. She is always professional, but she keeps the learning environment light and fun, which makes picking up new skills that much easier. Renee is a keen mentor who shares her in-depth knowledge of the media landscape with unparalleled enthusiasm, and her guidance over the years has been very valuable to me.
Alexandra Patrick
During her time as my manager Renee was patient and professional and she made learning new software and CMS systems a pleasure. She always had an open door and never made me feel silly for asking questions. I would highly recommend Renee to anyone looking to learn systems in a concise and professional manner.
Annette de Wet
I was in the fortunate position to be trained by Renee twice this year and I highly recommend her. She’s super professional yet caring and doesn’t waste any time. She taught me how to use our new CMS system in less than two hours which I will always be grateful for. I’m not the easiest person to train, because I tend to ask a lot of questions and come across as a know-it-all, but Renee has a lot of patience and did an excellent job! 10/10
Marchelle Abrahams
Renee was my manager for more than 5 years. During this time, she trained me up to work on two new software systems and CMSes. Her know-how and patient demeanour are characteristics that cannot be bought. I would recommend her without hesitation to other companies or individuals.