Highlights for 2009

We provided professional services in the face of stringent finances and limited resources.

• We provided professional services in the face of stringent finances and limited resources.
• The YCD programme was consolidated, and the annual gathering for trained young developers was the biggest event to date and was phenomenal.
• The Anti – bullying campaign in schools has been very successful and is growing steadily.
• There was an increase in requests for Employee Assistance Programmes resulting in an increase in the number of contracts with corporate organizations.

• Our recognition as an outstanding training institution was reaffirmed by the increased demand for internships and for training in companies.
• The counselling section dealt with issues concerning helplessness, frustration and anger, the financial challenges of the economic situation, as well as an increase in substance abuse.
• Family Life Centre played a leading role in developing working partnerships with both government and civil institutions, to promote community sustainability, and run new community development programmes.
• We embarked on an exciting fund raising initiative, and are actively recruiting corporate members and donors.
• Our team remained dedicated and highly motivated.

Top right: The Westbury office.

Above right: Hasmita with some Community Services Team.

 

Chandra a Seniour Counselling Social Worker employedin our Lenasia office received the following text message from a learner from Ennerdale Secondary who was a YCD for 3 years.

“Dear Chandra, this is Lizanne I would like to thank you for all your support and kindness you showed me. You’ve really been an inspiration to me for that I am really grateful and I would also like to tell you that I have passed my grade 12 and I have been accepted at Potch. University for Social Work. Thanks for everything and may you be blessed in the years that lie ahead.”

 

Annual General Report

Highlights and Interesting Happenings in 2008-2009

In the year under review we reached almost 8000 youth through the youth development programme which is aimed at youth between the ages of 13 and 25 years.

This year was the most successful year to date for the Youth Community Developers Programme (YCDs). We trained 17 new groups, which gave us a total of 726 youth community developers. 80% of those trained were retained and participated actively throughout the year. Our Annual YCD Gathering was the largest to date and the quality of this event and the support that it received is evidence of a higher level of skill amongst staff and a vested interest in this programme by the youth themselves.

The Youth facilitated many Community Development initiatives this year. These included facilitating awareness campaigns around the themes of National events such as Child Protection Week and 16 Days of Activism. Several groups also visited Children’s Homes, Homes for the Aged and informal settlements where they interacted with the residents, and in some instances donated food and other material items that were needed. Peer support programmes were initiated by the YCDs in their schools during lunch breaks and assemblies. Most of the groups have a dedicated educator who forms part of the programme, this too is evidence of the value that is attached to this programme by the schools.

Below - Youth Community Development, Annual Gathering in Lenasia 2009. Theme was celebration

We continued to offer numerous life skills programmes to youth. These are structured programmes aimed at heightening self-awareness, building self-esteem, making choices, relationship dynamics, and providing knowledge and information regarding sexuality, STDs including HIV/AIDS. Communication, self-management, conflict resolution and problem solving skills are enhanced through the programmes.

Once off talks and workshops to the Youth are frequently requested. This year we reached over 5300 youth. The talks and workshops are tailor made to suit the specific needs of the groups and include topical issues such as relationships, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, bullying and exam stress management.

One psycho-social support group which has been running for the past 3 years is continuing successfully and has, to an extent, been taken over by the members themselves. The membership has grown as have the members themselves and the group continues to be a source of great support to several youth who face many life challenges.

In the Child Development programme we reached over 30 000 children aged between 4 and 12 years. This figure bears testimony to the overall success of the programme which is fully supported by schools and the community at large.

One of the results of these services is that we have access to parents and educators which provides a more holistic intervention process.

Amongst other Civil Society Organizations, Government Departments and the community at large, Family Life Centre is seen as a lead organization in facilitating services to children and their families. We work in close partnership with all of the above so as to enhance service delivery within all our areas of operation.

Our knowledge and skills are reflected in our continuous updating of information contained within our programmes and our continuous endeavours to design and facilitate programmes to address specific needs identified through our work.

The Education for Living programme has been in existence for almost 55 years. The programmes popularity spanning over five decades bears testimony to its value and credibility. Whilst it has undergone several changes over the years in keeping with emerging needs and trends, the essence of it remains unchanged and is focused on the physical and emotional developmental changes in children and youth.

Our programmes to children are experimental, creative and interactive in nature and this contributes to its success.

Our challenge is to ensure that all information and skills shared with children is taken beyond the classroom and into their daily lives. In order to meet this challenge the involvement of educators, parents and other community services remains paramount.

The “Capacity Building with Adults programme” continues to grow. This year we have reached over 10 600 adults. The quality of our programmes is enhanced through our endeavours to keep abreast of current trends. Our accessibility to adults within the communities in which they live contributes to the continued success of the programme.

Referrals are received from many Government Departments and other service providers, for services such as “Parenting Programmes” and “Caring for the Carer” initiatives. On a weekly basis we receive numerous calls from interested persons wanting to volunteer their services in the communities under our supervision.

The number of referrals that we have received from Child Welfare and the Courts, to facilitate parenting programmes has increased. A lot of time is required for this type of intervention and this creates some strain on other services we offer. The focus of the Parenting Programme is on effective communication skills, understanding childhood development and therefore discipline; issues such as infidelity, maintenance, relationships, domestic violence and financial mismanagement often feature in the programme as well.

The use of volunteers is an integral part of our services. Volunteers are able to facilitate several of the life skills programmes which free the workers to engage in more intensive, growth orientated services to adults. Some of our community volunteers have been with the organization for over 12 years. We still face financial pressures with regard to volunteers and although we have trained many new volunteers this year, many others have gone on to seek employment or to study further, All our current volunteers are involved in some tertiary education for themselves and many have sought this only after they have joined the organization.

As indicated before, it is paramount that we work in collaboration with other service providers and community members so as to sustain the quality and extent of our services. We belong to many forums. The collaboration amongst most service providers including several Government Departments is reflected in the high numbers that we have reached through the National and International Awareness Campaigns.

More men are accessing services related to their personal growth and development and this has been very encouraging. However, we have encountered some challenges in growing our ‘Focus on Men’ groups, although the one existing group in Diepsloot is highly functioning and Family Life Centre’s involvement is more consultative.

We continue to reach large numbers of adults through our ‘life skills and awareness programmes’ and this in turn leads to an increase in the number of individuals, couples and families accessing our ‘family preservation’ programmes which focus on face-to-face counselling. The life skills programme is effective in disseminating valuable information and skills to adults who need this, and in this way it contributes to improving relationships and creating healthy families in the community. This is the core vision of Family Life Centre.

Our programmes remain geared toward each stage of the Individual and Family Life developmental cycles. Services and interventions are more specialised and we remain confident that we are seeing the benefits of years of hard work and perseverance in growing and developing these services to children, youth and adults.

Above right - Youth Community Development, Annual Gathering in Lenasia 2009. Theme was celebration