NICRO Eastern Cape’s comprehensive victim support interventions include individual counselling services, with a specific focus on victims of rape and domestic violence, trauma counselling and debriefing, in addition to marital and relationship counselling for those affected by domestic violence. Our holistic approach to domestic violence includes a therapeutic group work programme for perpetrators, an educational group work programme for first time offenders and support groups for victims of domestic violence. The needs of children affected by domestic violence are also addressed.

Trained community volunteers render emotional support and offer advice to victims of crime and violence at established victim-friendly facilities located at police stations and other community venues, while witness support and court preparation services are also rendered at the Queenstown Magistrate Court. In addition to providing information and much needed support throughout the court process, the witness support programme offers witnesses of crime a safe place in which to wait before testifying in court.

Other activities include the sensitisation and training of a wide range of relevant service providers including members of the police force, personnel from the Department of Justice, health workers, church groups and other interested parties.

Diversion and Youth Development

Diversion services are offered from NICRO’s offices located in Port Elizabeth, East London, Mthatha and Queenstown, with the latter two offices serving predominately rural communities in which there are few if no other youth organisations active.

The Diversion and Youth Development Programme incorporates a comprehensives range of interventions:

Mapping the Future – an eight-session life skills programme for first time young offenders;
Pre-Trial Community Service;
Family Group Conferencing;
The Journey Leadership Programme;
The South African Young Sex Offenders Programme (SAYStOP);
Crime prevention programmes in high schools;
A parental skills programme; and
The Angry Child / Children from Abuse Families Programme.

Economic Opportunities Project

The Economic Opportunities Project is offered in four Eastern Cape towns: Port Elizabeth (for the New Brighton, Kwa-Zakhele, Motherwell, Uitenhage, Kwa-Nobuhle and Walmer communities); East London (Duncan Village, Scenery Park, Amalinda and Wesbank); Queenstown (Queenstown Central Business District, Lungisi, Ezibeleni and New Valley); and Umtata (Umtata Central Business District, Zimbane, Qweqwe, Ngangelizwe, Ikwezi, and Waterfall).

Our entrepreneurial skills training and economic empowerment services include the presentation of Business Awareness Workshops to create an awareness of the opportunities available within the informal sector to establish micro enterprises, skills audits, the Generate Your Business Idea workshop , Start and Improve Your Own Business skills training programmes and the Empowerment for Employment Programme.

Offender Reintegration

In addition to rendering support services to walk-in clients, many of whom are former offenders or family members of persons serving a prison sentence, our Offender Reintegration Programme includes the following components:

The Tough Enough Programme (TEP) offered in the Port Elizabeth, East London and Mdantsane Prisons;
The Esther Lategan Study Fund (providing bursaries for both imprisoned TEP participants and the children of imprisoned persons);
The Creative Arts Competition;
The Mentorship Programme (operating from a care centre for released offenders in Kwa-Nobuhle); and
Family support groups.

NICRO Eastern Cape’s Offender Reintegration services are rendered in Port Elizabeth, where we serve the communities of New Brighton, Kwazakhele, the northern areas, Uitenhage and Kwa-Nobuhle, and in East London for those residing in Duncan Village, Amalinda, Scenery Park, Wesbank, King Williams’ Town and Mdantsane NU1.

Forthcoming Events

The launch of the new care centre at Kwa-Nobuhle, a focal point for services rendered by community mentors to released prisoners, in 2005

The Eastern Cape Creative Arts Awards ceremony is scheduled for October 2005

Roll of Honour

NICRO Eastern Cape would like to pay special tribute to and thank all our donors and benefactors, in particular:

The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, for its generous and ongoing support of our core services;
South African Breweries, for their kind support of the victim-friendly facilities in Port Elizabeth;
Themba Lesizwe, for their financial support of the Programme for Perpetrators of Domestic Violence;
The Port Elizabeth Business Forum, for its welcome donations-in-kind to the victim friendly facilities;
The Department of Correctional Services for being a steadfast partner in the NICRO Creative Arts Competition and supporting in our offender reintegration services;
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation for its ongoing and substantial support of the Tough Enough Programme;

Community Chest Nelson Mandela Metropole and East London for assistance to new and innovative programmes in Port Elizabeth and East London.

We are also deeply grateful to our volunteers who selflessly share their time, energy and inspiration without expecting anything in return. NICRO Eastern Cape’s Management and Staff are truly grateful to all of them, for without their support and invaluable contributions we would not be able to serve the many communities that we do.

Would You Consider Helping Us to Make a Difference?

NICRO Eastern Cape has a small staff compliment of only 27 personnel. Volunteers greatly assist us to increase our capacity and render more widespread, effective services. If you are able to volunteer your services or expertise, please contact our provincial office and offer your assistance, or e-mail gerhard@nicroec.co.za

Volunteers are needed:

To assist us in facilitating the life-skills component of the Youth Empowerment Scheme and Journey Programmes for young offenders;
To mentor young people;
As business mentors for clients with newly established micro enterprises;
As counsellors and advisors at community victim support centres;
To provide witness and court support services;
As community support people for those who are being released from prison;
To mentor former offenders;
As administrative and fundraising assistants;
As event organisers; and

To assist with building maintenance.

Alternatively, any donations in cash or kind, no matter how big or small, would be deeply appreciated. We are in urgent need of:

Toiletries for care packs for victims of sexual assault,
Toys for our children’s corners,
Refreshments such as tea, coffee, sugar and instant soups for our victim-friendly facilities,
Any stationery such for the centres,
Sponsorships for the printing of pamphlets and brochures, and

Computers for all our Care Centres.

News Flash – A Success Story, One of Many

M K was serving a prison sentence for armed robbery in the Port Elisabeth Prison when he first heard of NICRO’s Tough Enough Programme, which he then decided to join. He successfully completed the programme, which also inspired him to further his education and take a course in electrical engineering. He was released more than six years ago and has successfully turned his life around. Today he is a responsible, law-abiding citizen, who despite the challenges of securing full-time employment, secures regular part-time work and has steered total free of crime.