Can children change the programme?

Dillon could not have been much more than 7years old. When he sat at the Boardroom table his head was just above table height. Why and how he was elected by the juniors to be a "junior representative" at "BRIDGE" became clear over time, but he seemed a strange choice at first. ... too young,  too small!.

"BRIDGE" was the Forum for the children and young people in the program. It was the link between our clients  (the children) and management,...  their (almost) direct link to the Board of Management . After all, the customer must be heard!!  Two child care workers were always present, as was the Director. The Chairperson ... a very specially selected member of the Board.  I thought would be ideal if the children represented themselves by sitting on the Board of Management itself, but it was far too early in the minds of  Board Members for that!  So, the children had this Board member to speak for them.

After all the general business , the senior representatives and the junior representatives were on the agenda. They had previously held meetings among themselves and now had a chance to speak for the children in care.

It was Dillon's turn.

This little voice, just above the table said  " Why can the girls bath and the boys can only shower?"

There was a noticeable stiffening in the bodies of the Chairperson Board member, the Director and the child care workers sitting at that table. It was difficult to think that in our program, boys don't ever get to bath.

I was the first to break the silence, using a typically defensive Director's tactic... " I didn't know that 'til now," and turning to the child care workers " Is it true?" "Why?"

" There is not enough hot water for the boys and the girls to bath" one said.

" But can't we work out a roster so that the boys get to have a bath?"

This was starting to become uncomfortable.

The Chairperson  correctly interrupted. " If there is not enough hot water, then let's get an expert opinion on how much hot water is needed for the number of children in the houses and if we have to.. we can get quotes on what it will cost us to install more geysers."

More geysers had to be installed in every house at a cost of about ZAR 11,000 per unit. In "those days" a lot of money.

And the whole system changed.

Dillan could not have been more than seven years old. When he sat at the Boardroom table, his head was just above table height.