NICRO Annual Report 2003-2004

SARAH NTHABISENG MOLWANTWA-MOGOTSI PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR:

As South Africa celebrates ten years of democracy NICRO North West, which commenced its operation in 1997, reflects on its contribution towards nation building and the creation of a safer country for us all.

NICRO regards crime as a threat to democracy and we are committed to preventing crime and reintegrating those already trapped in the cycle of crime. Our mission is to address crime in such a way that it no longer threatens social equality and the nation’s prosperity.

Our focus during this financial year has been on building the capacity of staff and re-establishing good working relationships with other stakeholders and government departments. Strong working partnerships were established with Tlhabane, Boitekong and Rustenburg South African Police Service, courts and the Department of Social Services.

Community Victim Support

Despite the challenges faced following the resignation of one of two permanent service deliverers, which invariably impacts on service delivery, new staff members nevertheless managed relatively high caseloads and afforded specialised individual services to survivors of crime and violence. The majority of our female clients who found themselves in abusive relationships were empowered to deal with their circumstances.

Our victim support services form an integral part of the Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP) and as a member of the provincial VEP forum, NICRO North West played an important role in educating all stakeholders about the Domestic Violence Act and training volunteers to support survivors of domestic violence. We enjoy an excellent relationship with the Network on Violence Against Women Abuse, headed up by Mrs T Motene in the North West, and are most appreciative of her support and that of other individuals.

An awareness and educational workshop sponsored by Themba Lesizwe was conducted for members of the police service and community members from Boitekong and Freedom Park.

Diversion and Youth Development

NICRO North West’s Diversion Programme has continued to do well and expand its reach. Our Rustenburg office now serves young people in conflict with the law from Rustenburg, Tlhabane, Hartebeesfontein, Freedom Park and neighbouring villages. The Journey Programme performed remarkably well and we exceeded our target for the year. Feedback from both participants and their parents was very positive, and this intervention undoubtedly changed the lives of many young offenders.

Diversion services, spearheaded by a volunteer who reports to the Winterveldt Office, have now also been extended to Moretele where Diversion Programmes are in great demand by local courts given the high incidence of youth crime. The Winterveldt Office has also extended its services to Temba where we are exploring the possibility of establishing a fully-fledged office from which to run Diversion Programmes for neighbouring villages.

We would like to thank the provincial Department of Social Development for their continued support and our remarkable volunteers for their dedication and tireless efforts towards ensuring that young offenders have a future they can look forward to.

Economic Opportunities

The Economic Opportunities Project (EOP) has contributed significantly towards the development of new and existing businesses in the North West through a range of activities including entrepreneurial training programmes, workshops, individual business counselling and other support services. However, as not all clients possess an entrepreneurial mindset, the decision has been taken to reposition the project strategically and develop a more holistic approach to improving the economic prospects of our clients.

While EOP offers entrepreneurial training programmes and support services specifically in Meriting, Boitekong, Ramokokastad and the immediate surrounds, its impact has been more far-reaching, as clients from other areas are also catered for. A number of new small businesses were started whilst clients who had completed the traning programme improved their existing businesses.

Following the repositioning of EOP and in keeping with the organisation’s goals, great strides have been made in terms of rendering services more specifically to NICRO clients: former offenders, incarcerated persons and those under correctional supervision as well as victims of crime. A strong partnership has been established with the Department of Correctional Services with the purpose of exploring ways to empower offenders and former offenders economically. Several training sessions and workshops were conducted within prisons resulting in great eagerness on the part of inmates with technical skills to start their own micro enterprises following release.

We are particularly proud to report that 22 new businesses were started in the past year, in industries ranging from transportation, construction, motor mechanics and panel beating to photography.

Offender Reintegration

Despite a high staff turnover and a shortage of volunteers to assist with the provision of reintegration services, NICRO North West is pleased to report that much progress has been made during the last year. Both the quality of services and the number of beneficiaries reached increased significantly. A noteworthy number of former offenders who completed the Tough Enough Programme are progressing well in the world outside. They are involved in secured contract work, running their own small businesses, and some have enrolled with educational institutions to further their studies. The Creative Arts Competition attracted 67 entries, all of which were exhibited at the awards ceremony that was held in conjunction with the Biennial General Meeting.

HEINRICH ZANA ROVINCIAL DIRECTOR

During the past year, which has proved both rewarding and challenging, NICRO Western Cape welcomed on board a new provincial director, Mbulelo Pepese, who has spearheaded the provincial office’s focus on adhering to sound business principles and the delivery of a quality service, while simultaneously ensuring optimal staff development and financial sustainability.

A highlight of the year in financial terms was receiving confirmation from the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) that NICRO Western Cape had been awarded a most welcome grant of R 1,85 million for 2003/2004. Together with state subsidies and other government funding, the grant from the NLDTF now forms part of this province’s major source of income.

NICRO Western Cape continues to offer all four of the NICRO programmes throughout the province involving 26 magisterial districts, eleven of which are in rural areas. Some of the highlights of the year under review follow.

Community Victim Support (CVS)

NICRO Western Cape’s CVS Programme, which has a staff complement of 14 permanent service deliverers and over 115 active volunteers, is currently operational in more than 17 communities throughout the Western Cape. During the year under review:

• 8,707 individual victims of crime and violence benefited from community-based, accessible and integrated services - a 40.3% increase on the previous twelve months;
• The Witness Support Project rendered support services to 3,052 clients from the Atlantis and Mitchells Plain Courts;
• The Programme for Perpetrators of Domestic Violence was implemented for two perpetrator groups in Mitchells Plain and Wynberg involving 21 participants. The findings of an assessment clearly indicated that this is an effective and impactful intervention; 296 educational and training workshops reached a total of 3,271 individuals;
• A comprehensive social audit of NICRO Western Cape’s community victim support services, undertaken to develop and implement accountability structures and sound reporting processes, was completed;
• The comprehensive community profiles and needs assessment exercise was also completed, which will inform service delivery and enable the organisation to respond meaningfully to the real needs within the communities it serves;
• A successful partnership established with Business Against Crime resulted in the development of community capacity to the extent that all of NICRO Western Cape’s trauma rooms were handed over to the community at the end of March 2004.

Diversion

The organisation remains committed to ensuring that services are accessible to its client base. Of particular note has been the expansion of diversion services to rural areas in the province. Expansion has taken place along the West Coast, in the Southern Cape as well as the Witzenberg, Langeberg, Overberg and Boland regions.

The Athlone Youth Empowerment Scheme (YES) programme is now fully operational and caters for youth from the Cape Flats. YES programmes were also launched in Saldanha and Malmesbury for youth from Darling, Hopefield, Ceres, Hermanus, Villiersdorp, Touwsrivier, Tulbagh, Robertson, Prins Albert, and Zoar. The Pre-Trial Community Service programme was also started in Hermanus, Hopefield and Malmesbury this year, and the first ever family group conference was conducted in Piketberg. Other highlights include:

• 2,830 young people in conflict with the law were channelled away from the criminal justice system into a range of Diversion options;
• Six Journey programmes for 62 high-risk youth took place and programmes catering for youth living in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town and Oudtshoorn were conducted for the first time;
• An additional 1,596 individuals were reached through interactive, educational workshops, 296 of which involved probation officers, prosecutors, educators, parents and staff from other non-profit organisations;
• Communities benefited directly from a total of 50,863 hours of community service rendered by youth participating in the Pre-Trial Community Service (PTCS) programme.

Offender Reintegration

• Counselling, informational and support services, which forms the bulk of our work, were rendered to 1,147 walk-in clients.
• A large number of released offenders in South Africa return to a life of crime. Research has verified that the Tough Enough Programme (TEP), the primary component of NICRO’s Offender Reintegration Programme offering intensive in-prison and post release intervention services, has had a highly significant impact on offenders, their families and the communities in which they reside. In the past twelve months no fewer than 75% of TEP participants in the Western Cape turned their lives around and become responsible, productive and law-abiding citizens;
• The number of TEP clients increased considerably and services were expanded to five prisons;
• The mentorship training manual was completed in June 2003 and 21 members of the community have been trained as mentors of released TEP clients;
• Great inroads have been made in terms of reaching out to communities to lobby for their support with the reintegration of former offenders;
• The Department of Correctional Services has acknowledged NICRO Western Cape for doing an outstanding job, delivering professional services of a high quality and has requested the organisation to further extend its services.
  

Economic Opportunities Project

Much headway has been made in the province in terms of incorporating new strategies into the Economic Opportunities Project, which, in addition to providing entrepreneurial skills training and the necessary support to assist clients to start their own micro enterprises in the informal sector, now also actively engages in promoting job creation and assisting clients to secure employment.

A highlight of the reporting period was the successful staging of the much anticipated NICRO’s Business Week event with the theme “The Business Train is Coming” in October 2003 and NICRO’s participation in the UniCity Business Week in November 2003 as well as the Department of Trade and Industry’s Road Show in September 2003.

• 1,283 individual clients benefited from interactive, educational workshops and information sessions
• Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) training programmes were conducted for 139 emerging and existing entrepreneurs;
• 143 new business start-ups were achieved; and
• 272 new jobs created.