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Cheryl Holmes Provincial
Director
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The past year has been a very challenging one for NICRO Gauteng.
High staff turnover, resulting primarily from personnel leaving
the organisation for improved financial prospects, has had
a direct impact on service delivery. Jacques van Zuyden,
a member of the Board who conducted an assessment of the
situation, highlighted the following critical issues facing
the NGO sector in this regard:
Social work skills are in great demand, mainly because
other countries are recruiting South African social workers
at a growing rate. The government, in turn, recruits its
work force from NGOs thus further depleting the skills
base.
The generally poor compensation of social
workers is a major human resource challenge
for the non-profit sector.
It is the government’s view that compensation related
incentives should be introduced in combination with longer-term
solutions such as improvements to the working environment,
effective career management, and the development of skills
and competencies through the provision of training opportunities
as well as bursaries and learnerships.
In his proposal to the Board of Management, Mr Van Zuyden
has recommended that NICRO would do well to take cognisance
of this strategy in its attempts to improve the salaries
of social workers.
Despite its high staff turnover NICRO Gauteng has nevertheless
continued to reach a high volume of clients in all facets
of service delivery, an achievement made possible by very
committed community volunteers. Services to victims of
crime increased by 57% in comparison to the previous financial
year.
A significant highlight during the year under review was
NICRO’s implementation of a pilot Urban Regeneration
Project. Urban renewal or regeneration is aimed at contributing
towards the eradication of poverty across South Africa
through the utilisation
of sustainable development approaches. The purpose of
this initiative is to provide financial and human resource
support to targeted poor communities especially in areas
where women, children and the youth are most vulnerable.
Operating within the integrated Rural Development Strategy,
the initiative has been launched in collaboration with,
and in support of government efforts to eradicate poverty.
A key intervention strategy involves collaboration with
a range of civil society organisations including inter-governmental
organisations.
The programme has various components, one of which is
the establishment of two pilot urban regeneration initiatives
in each province, with a focus on developing long-term
skills, recreation opportunities and job prospects for
500 young individuals from each of the identified urban
areas with the highest social crime situations in the province.
The criteria for funding of the programme include projects
that demonstrate a commitment to eradicate poverty; have
the potential to be replicated; are well grounded within
communities; are innovative in their approach to development;
are able to co-operate with other development initiatives
and are in line with the financing policy of the Department
of Social Development.
NICRO Gauteng was approached to implement and manage one
of the pilot projects in Eldorado Park and the surrounding
areas of Slovo Park, Kliptown, Freedom Park and Soweto.
An amount of R1.5 million was approved to target 500 unemployed
youth over the three-year period April 2002 to March 2005.
NICRO was approached to undertake this work because of
the organisation’s vast knowledge and experience
in working with youth in conflict with the law and the
innovative nature of its crime prevention programmes.
A planning workshop was conducted with all youth organizations
in the area to develop a strategy for the implementation
of the project. A comprehensive business plan was developed
incorporating life and leadership skills; job creation
and skills development; sports and recreation; the establishment
of a youth information centre; the development of strategic
partnerships (to sustain the project and link youth to
relevant resources) and participation in awareness campaigns
and youth events in order to market the project.
The programme was subsequently presented to community
leaders and a door-to-door survey was conducted to determine
the number of unemployed youth in the community. The survey
enabled us to develop a database currently comprising 695
unemployed youth.
NICRO has trained and skilled seven unemployed youth to
cofacilitate life skills training workshops, for which
they receive reimbursement.
Over the past year a number of young people have benefited
from this initiative: 60 attended a leadership camp; 112
received life skills training; 60 received counselling
and support; 16 received computer training; 10 were referred
to CTM Tiling Training Academy and have completed a tiling
course (they have also been sponsored with tools and are
in the process of receiving entrepreneurial skills training);
22 received training in the catering field; 10 received
call centre training; 398 participated in the youth summit
facilitated by the Gauteng Youth Directorate, and 25 young
women have established a soccer team, are registered with
SAFA and have already played in a number matches.
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Individual |
Workshops |
Total |
| CVS |
19969 |
1472 |
21441 |
| DIV |
4252 |
1778 |
6030 |
| OR |
548 |
657 |
1205 |
| EOP |
1546 |
294 |
1840 |
| Total |
26315 |
4201 |
30516 |
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