NICRO Annual Report 2003-2004

KHANYA MPUANG NATIONAL PROGRAMME SPECIALIST: OR

Offender reintegration is a crucial component of NICRO’s crime prevention strategy. Intervention is aimed both at the former offender and his or her family members, while work is also undertaken within the community to strengthen and build community resources and support systems. In addition to rendering comprehensive support services to walkin clients, which constitutes a pivotal element of service delivery, NICRO’s Offender Reintegration Programme comprises the following five components:

• The Tough Enough Programme (TEP);
• The Esther Lategan Study Fund (providing bursaries for imprisoned TEP participants as well as the children of imprisoned persons);
• The Creative Arts Competition;
• The NICRO Bus Service (in the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal); and
• The Working for Water Project (WFW) that was not implemented during this reporting period.

Highlights

Southern Hemisphere, an external research organisation commissioned to conduct an evaluation of the Tough Enough Programme in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Northern Cape and Western Cape, finalised its study in August 2003. The impact of the programme on participants was assessed in terms of three specific focus areas:

i. Relationships with family and individuals
ii. Impact on individual skills and characteristics
iii. Dealing with stigmatisation

A brief overview of the research findings, indicated by extracts from the report, follows:

i. Relationships with family and individuals: building relationships and forging new relationships with families The impact of TEP was that it played an influential role by strengthening the existing (healthy) network of family relationships, as well as building/forging new relationships since it helped the participants not only to accept support from their family but also to value it. The presence of valuable, nurturing and supportive family relationships exerted a powerful, positive influence to assist and facilitate their reintegration. Participants had a greater sense of responsibility for their families.

ii. Impact on Individual skills and characteristics: Research findings concluded that participation in TEP contributes positively to both the personal and economic empowerment of clients. TEP improved participants’ self-awareness/esteem, [as well as] anger management, communication, coping, decisionmaking, planning and problem solving skills.

iii. Dealing with stigmatisation: TEP proved to be instrumental in helping the participants deal with discrimination. Through the increase in self-esteem and awareness, participants are able to handle discrimination. Their ability to have a sense of self has increased the ability to put themselves in other's shoes. It makes it easier to handle other people and their attitudes.

All Offender Reintegration staff attended the annual national training workshop in Cape Town in September 2003. The purpose of this training exercise was to review the impact evaluation report and consolidate the Tough Enough Programme based on its findings. The inclusion of HIV/Aids as a priority area of programme intervention and the development of best practice models for the implementation of TEP featured prominently on the agenda.

A second National Indaba entitled “Offender Reintegration - A Legitimate Crime Prevention Strategy”, which coincided with NICRO’s Biennial General Meeting, was held in Cape Town in October 2003. The main objectives, as with the first Indaba, were to ensure that offender reintegration is considered as a significant strategy for crime prevention, and to encourage all government departments and stakeholders to take into account the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders in terms of their crime prevention programmes.

Statistics: 2003 - 2004

• 5,217 individuals (3,012 walk-in clients, 1,641 workshop participants and 564 TEP participants) benefited from the OR programme in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu- Natal, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West Province and the Western Cape
• 243 bursaries were awarded to the children of prisoners
• Cultural profile: African Black - 70.4%; African Coloured - 25.8%;
• African White - 2.7%; African Asian - 1.1%
• Gender profile: male - 57.8%; female - 42.2%.

The following verbatim comments from clients testify to the significance and impact of the Tough Enough programme:

“The first time when I enter the walls of the prison was dark, but since I attend this programme the light is on and the sun is shining for me. I can now see where I am going and that I am part of my family and community.”

“The programme showed me that people can life together by not committing a crime and to live in peace with each other. It changes your humanity and you can afford to reach your goals and make your dreams come true.”

“It served as an eye-opener in terms of respect for other people as well as giving me courage to face life challenges. It taught me not to disappear when things went wrong in my life, but to face it.”

“The programme developed my future, and I am proud of the programme because now I know so many things that I did not know before, like to abuse the society is not a good thing.”

This programme operates from the assumption that economic empowerment -whether through the acquisition of business skills to establish a micro-enterprise or placement in employment - is critical to the successful reintegration of offenders.

Whilst EOP initially focused on the transfer and development of entrepreneurial skills and, in so doing, equipping clients for ownership of a micro-enterprise, a more holistic approach is being planned. This approach focuses more specifically on economic re-engagement as a key objective in ensuring effective offender reintegration. Clearly not all clients possess an entrepreneurial mindset. Therefore a range of interventions, including local economic development initiatives, entrepreneurial development, empowerment for re-employment and skills development to name but a few, will be developed.

Given the critical role that the ability to generate an income plays in regaining a positive self-image and sense of self-worth amongst former offenders and victims alike, it stands to reason that economic re-engagement should be a cornerstone of the NICRO service portfolio.

The Economic Opportunities Project is currently offered in six of the nine provinces: the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, Limpopo and Western Cape. Financial constraints and a lack of appropriately skilled staff are contributing factors to the absence of this programme in the other provinces.

In the past year activities at a national level have centred on a comprehensive formative evaluation study to determine the appropriateness of programme design and the feasibility of the various programme components. This study has now been completed, and the upcoming phase will include the re-positioning of EOP within the new strategic direction of the organisation. Currently the National Programme Specialist position is vacant and attempts to secure funding for the post are ongoing.

Notwithstanding these constraints notable achievements have been recorded in the Economic Opportunities Project. The number of sustainable micro-enterprises that has emerged or improved as a result of NICRO’s interventions is slowly increasing. These small businesses represent the manufacturing, service, construction and retail industries. Garment-making, home shops, bakeries, motor mechanics and brick-making concerns are examples of some of the small businesses that have been established. Manufacturing microenterprises and those in the service industry proved to be the most impactful in terms of the job creation opportunities they have provided, especially for women and youth.

We are particularly pleased to report that growing numbers of former offenders have benefited from NICRO’s Economic Opportunities Project during the past twelve months, especially in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and the Western Cape, and that many have successfully started their own micro-enterprises.

One of the successful support services offered by EOP is the operation of a tool bank in KwaZulu-Natal. Although the tool bank project relies on initial donor funding to purchase the necessary tools and equipment, it works on a loan basis. Clients are afforded the chance of paying a nominal fee to rent what would otherwise be prohibitively expensive equipment. They are also able to purchase items once a certain lending period has elapsed. Equipment not purchased by clients is returned to the tool bank after the contracted period has expired. Several clients have successfully utilised the tool bank to start or enhance their micro enterprises.

One of the tool bank’s primary functions is to ensure that no former offender with a viable business idea, but insufficient resources to start a small business, is left unaided. After completing a seven-year sentence in Servontein Prison, Simphiwe Ndlela sought NICRO KwaZulu-Natal’s assistance to turn his life around. His dedication and commitment to embarking on a productive life resulted in his being accepted for the Start Your Own Business training programme. Armed with new knowledge and a viable business idea, he decided to build on the culinary skills he had acquired in prison and initiate a fast-food concern in his community.

To start his business Simphiwe needed a deep fryer and since he could not afford to procure this essential piece of equipment, the tool bank purchased it on his behalf. After starting out with little else besides the deep fryer, Simphiwe has expanded his business, purchased additional equipment and provided another member of the community with a business opportunity.

NICRO KwaZulu-Natal’s tool bank also assisted Meshack Mhlongo, a former offender who served eleven years of a 15-year prison sentence, to establish an electrical repairs business by procuring a toolbox with all the necessary equipment for his use. These are only two of several such success stories.

In Conclusion

It has been agreed that significant changes must, of necessity, be introduced to the Economic Opportunities Project to maximise its potential for making an impact on the economic lives of our clients. It is evident that EOP cannot continue to be an independent vertical programme, that it should specifically target the clients of other NICRO programmes, and that its focal objective must be to facilitate the successful reintegration of offenders and former offenders. It is for this reason that due consideration will be afforded to the placing of EOP within the ambit of the Offender Reintegration Programme.

The repositioning and strategic realignment of EOP will also explore the more effective utilisation of partnerships and working agreements with other service providers that have a proven track record in the field. Similarly, attention will be afforded to building the capacity of programme staff to ensure that critical skills currently lacking in this portfolio are acquired.

Statistics: April 2003 - March 2004