Youth

Youth

To help build a better nation there needs to be a focus on the development of our youth. This consists of helping the children of South Africa to become healthier adults. By helping to adopt a school, mentor a young person or begin a community aftercare facility, one can make a difference in the lives of South Africa's young minds and hearts.

IDEAS FOR ACTION

• It starts with you: in making a decision to support the development of South Africa's youth.
• Schools belong to the community, and where possible we should all do our best to ensure the grounds are well kept, the schools are safe and secure spaces, the learners are supported in all their endeavours and the facilities are well maintained.
• All youth need support and guidance. If you know of someone, in your family or community, who does not have a healthy role model then start a relationship with that person, so that they may benefit from the positive influence of a supportive adult in their lives. (Visit the Heartlines Youth Mentorship Programme for more details, at www.forgood.co.za).
• Give aid to youth foundations operating in your area. This need not be financial support, often an afternoon of your time can make a huge difference to the children supported by that foundation.
• Help promote youth foundations operating within your community; the more people know about them, the more effective those foundations can be. This also offers other members of your community an opportunity to get involved themselves.
• Report drinking establishments that sell alcohol to underage patrons, there is no room for alcohol in growing a healthy youth culture in South Africa.
• Report on "drug corners", and follow up until the authorities deal with them. This will help reduce the effects of narcotics on learners and young people.
• Take a stand as a family against child abuse, and educate the children within the home on their rights and responsibilities.
• Ensure that your community campaigns for better education facilities, support for orphans, safety in schools, well protected transport routes and most of all, a community based support network that will give the youth of South Africa hope.

RESOURCES

Heartlines Youth Mentoring Programme
Many people have a relationship with a young person, in their extended family or their community, in which they are a positive role model. If so they should join this programme. Mentoring means to use one's influence to offer guidance, support and encouragement aimed at developing the competence and character of a young person. It means making an emotional investment in a young person's life by initiating regular contact, and being someone that a young person can trust and respect.
Tel: 0860 - MENTEE (0860-636833)
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Children's Resource Centre (CRC)
CRC runs a programme for children by children. The programme includes health clubs and a Schools In Motion (SIM) programme, in schools in 7 of the 9 provinces. Contact them if you want to start a club in a local school.
Tel: 021 686 6898      
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Website: www.childrensmovement.org.za

Soul Buddyz Clubs
Soul Buddyz Club assist interested persons to established a fun and positive club for children (ages 8 -12), which respects their views and capacity as agents for change, and provides valuable health and social information. Soul Buddyz is available to help people set up clubs at a school in their area.
Tel: 011 341 0360      
Website: www.soulcity.org.za/programmes/the-soul-buddyz-series/soul-buddyzclub

TogetherSchools
TogetherSchools' vision is to help schools become safe, healthy, happy places of learning where results improve year on year. The organisation has developed a process that enables corporates/businesses to engage with schools on a "one-corporate-one-school" basis that ensures sustainability and ensures the relationship between the corporate and the school is fully empowered and contractual.
Tel: 011463 5713      
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Big Brothers Big Sisters South Africa
BBBSSA is a mentoring programme that matches youth in need with carefully selected and trained adult volunteers in one-to-one relationships that help them maximise their potential. By volunteering just one hour a week, one can influence the lives of these children forever, and give them hope for a better future.
Tel: 021 551 6996
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Website: www.bbbssa.org.za

Youth Mentoring Connection
An international community of mentors and mentees, that come together to help ensure successful adviser programmes and relationships. The website provides in depth information that enables the successful development of mentorship relationships.
Website: www.youthmentoring.com.au

Earthchild Project
The Earthchild Project places facilitators in schools to support those schools with holistic learning programmes. They are also involved with afternoon activities at the schools. Through their activities children learn about food farming, recycling, art, drama, and develop a variety of life skills. Earthchild operates in the Western Cape, with offices in George and Cape Town.
Tel: 044 873 2254 or 082 718 4334      
Website: www.earthchildproject.org

PASCaP (Partners with After School Care Projects)
PASCaP supports the development of community-owned after school care centres. It offers advice and training top anyone who would like to set up such a service in their community.
Tel: 021 713 0754 
Fax: 086 617 1378 
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Website: www.pascap.org.za

Thabiso
Thabiso's drop in centre, in Barkley West, organises after school activities for children and youth. Through games and discussions, children learn about HIV/AIDS, TB and substance abuse. The organisation also provides voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) for HIV, and runs a soup kitchen.
Barkley West office: Tel/fax: 053 531 1929      
Warrenton office: Tel: 053 497 5962        
Fax: 053 4975961

Something Magic Theatre Organisation
Any young person who wants to develop their skills in dance, drama and music can audition for Something Magic. It offers free training sessions, every week for young people, including homeless children, and helps them to develop their skills and find work in the performance arts. Their training programmes are part of a crime prevention initiative and are supported by the municipality.
Tel: 012 543 1128       
Fax: 086 520 0058
Website: http://somethingmagic.tripod.com

Wisani Community Project (WCP)
A community development organisation, Wisani Community project runs drop in centres for youth in Mpumalanga. The project also has a home-based care programme, to help youth steer clear of poor influences. Based in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga.
Tel: 013 774 0460 
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YMCA - Street Youth Mentoring
This programme is carried out in partnership with Umthombo, and offers Life-skills and mentoring to young people who have grown up on the streets of the City, and are seeking assistance to turn their lives around. The programme operates out of Durban.
Tel: 031 305 4496
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Umthombo - Street Children Youth Mentoring Programme
This programme aims at enabling former street children to help those still living on the streets. The programme seeks to empower these children with the skills required to live a full and beneficial life off the streets.
Tel:031-337-9222
Fax: 031-368-7632
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Website: www.umthombo.org

loveLife - groundBREAKERS
The goal of this programme is to develop young people through a one year leadership programme, who will then contribute to substantially reducing new infections of HIV, pregnancy and STIs among young people. groundBREAKERS are unemployed youth between the ages 18 to 25 who are trained and supported to mobilize 12-17 year-olds and take them through the loveLife style programmes until graduation. The programme aims to extend loveLife's reach locally by providing face-to-face interaction with young people to positively affect behaviour change. Volunteers can apply at the nearest loveLife site, or contact their local branch.
Eastern Cape
Tel: 039 251 0865 Fax: 039 251 0866
Free State
Tel: 057 361 3632 Fax: 057 361 8768
Gauteng
Tel: 011 850 2263 Fax: 011 850 2263
KwaZulu Natal
Tel: 039 972 0223 Fax: 039 972 0238
Limpopo
Tel: 013 795 5372 Fax: 013 795 5215
Mpumalanga
Tel: 013 698 1542/ 52
Northern Cape
Tel: 051 753 0312/0312 Fax: 051 753 0316
North West
Tel: 053 927 2781/0773 Fax: 053 927 2781
Western Cape
Tel: 021 695 1041/37/8/9 Fax: 021 695 1040

Khulisa Crime Prevention Initiative
Khulisa works holistically at all levels of the crime cycle - preventing crime, diverting youth from the criminal justice system, providing alternatives to imprisonment, fostering personal transformation for those who are in prison, and assisting with their transition back to society. Khulisa helps families and communities support victims who need healing and offenders who want to make amends.
Tel: 011 788 8237
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Website: www.khulisaservices.co.za

NICRO – National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders
NICRO is turning lives around by presenting life skills programmes to youth at risk and former offenders countrywide to achieve successful reintegration and reduce crime. Contact NICRO for a safe South Africa and donate to the solution-based programmes and break the cycle of crime.
Tel: 021 462 0017
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Website: www.nicro.org.za