STARTING FROM SCRATCH...CHILD AND YOUTH CARE IN SOUTH AFRICA

The post read, "To build something from nothing is exhausting".

It's "starting from scratch." Frequently also, are direct questions . "I want to start my own project. What must I do?' This is not a 'Do it yourself manual". Its my experience of setting up child and youth care programme in South Africa.

 I  have started up three projects from scratch. One faith-based. One had nothing but an enthusiastic group of ladies who wanted to do good. The third had some sort of "Head-start". The last two had some sort of committee and a so-called "Founder".

The head-start one was in a semi-rural village about 27 kilometres from the nearest town. In 2007 an approach was made by someone in my church. "Come see. Maybe you can start something. There is a building . It was built by  the government as a Hospice with dormitories, but never used. African people care for their own." 

The drive through the village was the first of a series of new experiences for me. It was a long and narrow, East to West  The streets were loaded with children of all ages... just hanging around . And it was in school term!!

The building was the next surprise and not easily accessible for community and especially not for children - a loooong walk. The building however was gem. Government had spent ZAR 4.5 m on it. In 2007, that was a lot of South African Rands. It was fenced, a so-called Community Hall and dormitories stood empty.

 First thought. "This is a Residential Children's Home". There was a Home-based Care Worker (HBCW) Project with a learner staff of 15 HBCWs The hall was used as their training venue and they reported to the "Founder".

A mornings were spent looking and talking. Then the threads came together. The need was for a Child and Youth Care service, but using the same model as the HBCWs. "Go to  them...they can't come to you." A community-based model of Child and Youth Care  existed in the best practice model of the National Association of Child and Youth Care Workers (NACCW) called "Isibindi", The building would be a training and gathering venue for case-studies and all that goes with the methodology of child and youth care work. including administration.

 From the concept, comes the .. "from Scratch "work. But it has to start with just that. A very clear written concept...the concept document. There was a set of requirements to be followed from the "I have an idea, an intention to start a project moment" to "up and running". .. Here's the exhausting part. It is laborious
* Existing Founder and Board to agree in writing.
* If there is no existing structure it is good to have a "Steering Committee" drawn from the community to be served.
* Notice of intent together with the concept document to the District Office of the Department of Social Development. The local office to give the intention a nod and to be kept informed and involved throughout.
* A community profile and a needs survey to give evidence that the proposed service, in it's concept, will indeed serve the real and tangible needs of the community. Statistics statistics statistics.
* Application to the holding body of any model that is to be used.In this case the NACCW. Otherwise written evidence that networks and partnerships with best practice models are possible.
*A business plan. This shows staffing structure,  administration systems the estimated cost and the plan to have these costs in some way covered. Can be a possible grant from the State.
* in the case of this being an independent non-profit organisation, a constitution which is compliant with the NPO Act 
* A funding proposal ... A request justifying funding. In this instance the request went to  the NACCW which was working in partnership with US AID.
* Request to the Provincial Department of Social Development to launch. They have to recognise the project and approve it.
* Receipt of the final agreement to go ahead from the Provincial Offices of the Department of Social Development. In this instance they said that it would be regarded as a "Pilot project"

The procedure was not a straight line and didn't go at all easily. It took OVER TWO YEARS!! Even then there was more to do. A tripartite contract had to be signed. The founding NPO, the NACCW who employed the staff and the funder.

In 2010 the learner staff were employed and given fixed term contracts. 15 on contract and 15 additional unpaid volunteers. 

A two year training programme was launched. I was the trainer and the "co-ordinator of the Isibindi project. The agreement was that I would after 2 years,"hand over" the project to the community, being the founding NPO and its' Board. Which happened. We were reaching about 500 children a year and providing professional services.
 Today, already qualified staff, registered with the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP) would have to be employed.

Now we must talk of the growth and development programmes. Model social service programmes in the community can seldom remain static. As you go along other needs are discovered. It could be a service of provision...feeding, clothing ,blankets in Winter. You see?  It never stops. Exhaustive and exhausting. The Isibindi Project had what were called "Add-ons". These then, expanded the community-based concept to make for more holistc care. The first is the Safe-Park. The idea was that children would come after school, weekends and in the holidays to a safe place where there was informal and formal play and activities. Considering  the long East to West lay- out of the village it became apparent that to be accessible there was a need for one at each end of the village. Not one...But TWO!!
 Process starts again . This time with the addition of having to get Tribal land. Application with supportive documentation, needs surveys and profiles needed..again!

Tribal chief,  NACCW and US AID agreed. Ole, Halala. The Safe Park and other related add- ons required contracted learners be especially trained as add-on specialities. Such as Toy Library, Disability, Girl child protection, Adolescent Development Programmes and eventually Early Childhood Development. 

Back to that Facebook post. To build something from nothing is exhausting". You have to deal with all kinds of politics (with a small "p).  In this project, ..a list:
*Rivalry and tensions between the Home Base Care Workers  and the child and youth care workers. ( commonly found).
*Founders and Board needing to assert authority over a field they were not familiar with.
*Tribal authority interest for accolades.
* Government feet-dragging, delays and bureaucratic controls.

But there we go. "to build something from nothing is exhausting.

But worth it.