Guarding against the protector, becoming the perpetrator: NGOs’ obligations to protect their beneficiaries

Children in South Africa remain a targeted and vulnerable group. In just three months between July and September 2022, a shocking 315 children in the country were killed, 294 were victims of attempted murder and 1 895 experienced grievous bodily assault.

NGO SECTOR

The NGO sector is critical in advancing children’s rights in society. Those who work and volunteer in such organisations often do so at a tremendous personal cost owing to their deep compassion and care for the children they serve and seek to protect.

However, the sad reality is that even those who should be caring for children can be the very people who violate their rights, whether intentionally or with the best intentions. In these circumstances, it is vital for NGOs to be at the cutting edge of child protection policies and practices, and to introduce checks and balances to prevent abuse from occurring on their watch. 

CHILD PROTECTION POLICIES

Child protection refers to measures taken to prevent harm to children, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

In South Africa, the Children’s Act 2005 is the crucial statute which sets out the legal framework for child protection. NGOs operating in South Africa are required to be familiar with this law and to design and implement policies that best advance the children’s interests in their care and sphere of influence.

ReGULATING BEHAVIOUR

A priority area for NGOs working with children is strictly regulating acceptable behaviour when engaging with children, both during official activities and outside of these.

All stakeholders, including the children, their parents (or alternative caregivers), staff, volunteers, contractors, suppliers and funders, should be aware of the organisation’s standards of engagement as well as reporting channels. Best practice dictates that NGO stakeholders should not be at liberty to interact with children in the NGO’s care outside of official programmes (whether physically or using digital means) save for exceptional circumstances which fall within a clear policy aimed at ensuring transparency and promoting the best interests of the child.

Some individuals should never be able to partner with NGOs involving children, and NGOs have a legal obligation to vet and confirm whether those in their team are precluded from engaging with children due to past behaviour.

data protection

Child protection policies go hand in hand with adequate data protection, governed by the relatively new and untested Protection of Personal Information Act 2013. Data protection refers to the safeguarding and responsible management of personal information, including sensitive information such as children’s photos, fingerprints and contact details.

Responsible data collection includes: collecting only the minimal amount of data needed to effectively run the programme, restricting access to such data and bringing transparency about the data collected and shared, and its purpose. In some circumstances, data collection will require the consent of a child’s parent or guardian. For example, the Children’s Act prohibits the use of a child’s image or personal information for commercial purposes (such as fundraising) without the written consent of the child’s parent or guardian.

Similarly, the Protection of Personal Information Act requires organisations to obtain consent (in the absence of another lawful ground) for collecting, using and disseminating children’s personal information.

DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT

Digital engagement has proved invaluable for our youth’s learning, particularly when considering the impacts of isolating events such as COVID-19. The United Nations Technology Committee on the Rights of the Child highlights that digital technologies present tremendous potential to realise children’s rights in General Comment No. 25, released in 2021. However, with increased access to technology comes a real and enigmatic element of risk.

Through digital sources, children have greater access to a broad range of individuals and can engage in long-standing communications relatively undetected. The United Nations Children’s Fund reports that online child exploitation is on the rise and that children in low- and middle-income countries are most at risk due to systemic issues and a lack of appropriate support. NGOs which incorporate technology into their programmes must educate children about the potential dangers associated with online engagement and design and implement policies that cater to this unique risk.

BEST PRACTICES FOR NGOs

By implementing best practices and adhering to legal requirements, NGOs can safeguard children’s rights and protect their personal information while building trust and credibility with their communities.

Just Grace NPC is a proud champion of child rights in South Africa. We remain committed to upskilling our staff and facilitators, implementing best practice processes and collaborating with other key stakeholders to ensure that child safety is a priority. We will continue to work with other organisations to learn and grow about how to do this well and share our learnings as we do so.

Some best practice ideas for NGOs include:

  • Developing robust child protection and data protection policies that are in line with legal requirements and international best practices.
  • Regularly training staff and volunteers on child protection and data protection issues.
  • Establishing procedures for reporting and responding to child protection concerns.
  • Obtaining written consent for the use of children’s images or personal information in advertising and fundraising materials.
  • Regularly reviewing and updating policies and procedures to ensure they remain effective.

We also recommend that NGOs obtain legal advice and consult with partners in the industry who are experts on the topic to ensure that their organisation is well-positioned to keep our children safe.

For any organisation looking to learn more or commit to protecting our children, visit connectnetwork.org.za to learn more.

Breaking the Cycle: How a Trauma-Informed Approach is Empowering the Langa Community

Langa has a long history of cultural and societal trauma; deeply steeped in a cycle of poverty. The community is battling high unemployment rates, instances of substance abuse, and crime. The aftermath of the COVID-19 lockdown further exacerbated the problems, and we are currently seeing a society living within the grips of trauma – normalising heinous crimes such as gender-based violence and rape. The trauma-informed approach to social work and counselling calls for a re-education of society, hoping that awareness might play a role in ending the cycle of abuse.

Using a Trauma-informed Approach to Promote Healing

The concept of a trauma-informed approach relies on four basic principles; that an organisation or programme –

  • realises the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery;
  • recognises the signs and symptoms of trauma in all involved within the system;
  • responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices;
  • seeks to resist re-traumatisation actively.

The trauma-informed approach is designed to reduce the risk of re-traumatisation and thus – hopefully – end the cycle of abuse by empowering people with knowledge and self-awareness. Although there is no prescribed policy for a trauma-informed approach, six general principles promote recovery and resilience for individuals impacted by trauma:

Safety – Staff and beneficiaries should feel physically and psychologically safe.

Trustworthiness and transparency – Organisations should build trust through transparency when working with beneficiaries, family members and staff.

Peer support – Support from other trauma survivors helps a survivor establish safety and hope, build trust, enhance collaboration and share experiences to promote recovery and healing.

Collaboration – Sharing power and decision-making within an organisation creates a more resilient organisation; likewise, purposefully levelling the power dynamics between beneficiaries and staff contributes to safety and healing. Beneficiaries take on greater responsibility for their recovery.

Voice and choice – Shared decision-making promotes goal-setting and self-advocacy. Staff become facilitators of recovery rather than controlling the process.

Cultural, historical and gender issues – It is essential to acknowledge the survivor’s racial, ethnic and cultural identity, recognising and addressing trauma stemming from a survivor’s lived experiences.

tHE TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACH AND OUR PROGRAMMES

The Victim Empowerment Programme at Just Grace incorporates these principles within each case. Everyone is treated with professionalism and the utmost respect and care; our social workers focus on creating a safe environment where the counselee feels comfortable sharing. It’s essential that the person feels empowered throughout the healing process; hence, our social workers do not adopt an “instructional” approach (telling the victim what to do) but rather encourage the victim to play an active role in deciding the steps forward. This approach enables the victim to take responsibility for their healing while also becoming aware of the power they have in moving forward. With such an awareness, it is hoped that the victim might be able to break the cycle of abuse because they ultimately know that a better future is possible. To find freedom, it is essential to include the victim’s family in this process, as this will not only help extend the impact of healing but could have further implications within the community.

Each family facing and overcoming abusive obstacles becomes a role model to others. Such support is vital for meaningful impact within a community like Langa. This multidimensional approach forms a foundational value for much of the Just Grace work. Ultimately, the Just Grace social workers work hard to empower their clients through awareness and education, helping them (and their loved ones) make informed decisions that further their healing process. The more informed one is, the less likely one will be to return to an abusive or traumatic situation, thus, ending the cycle.

The trauma-informed approach lays the foundational core of Just Grace as an organisation, forming an essential part of the organisational culture and identity. If our work is going to truly make a meaningful impact, we need to be seen as a trustworthy partner with whom the local community wants to co-labour.

We offer a multidimensional intervention approach with local relevance to make the most significant impact. The programmes offered are a long-term commitment, sowing seeds into the community, which we trust will grow into a generational legacy.

” The most crucial aspect of therapy is the development of a good therapeutic alliance with a therapist who is trauma-informed… With this we create a place of safety where we offer information, make sure our clients are grounded, feel empowered, have a way to regulate emotions and feel cared for and respected.”

― Teresa Naseba Marsh

(Psychotherapist and Author)

Prioritising Mental Well-being in South Africa’s Youth: Just Grace’s Upliftment Programmes

Now, possibly more than ever, mental well-being is coming to the fore of global concern: our post-COVID-19 world is struggling to find its economic and social equilibrium. The uncertainty casts a shadow as people try to navigate their futures in such fear-filled times.

At-risk groups

Those especially at-risk are young people between the ages of 15 – 30. According to a recent survey conducted by UNICEF 73% of the South African youth surveyed felt they had struggled with mental well-being issues in the past year. 57% of those respondents cited “Succeeding in education, the need for work skills, training and employment opportunities” as their greatest concerns. The youth of Langa are no different, facing similar challenges as their global counterparts who also live in adverse environments. The need for social upliftment programmes underpinned by mental well-being is obvious.

mental well-being

Mental well-being is a state that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well and work effectively, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape our world. Mental well-being is a basic human right. And it is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic development.

In essence, mental well-being is one’s ability to live a full, satisfying life in which one copes with adversity. However, this may seem simpler in theory than application, depending on one’s environment and socio-economic situation.

THE LITERATURE

A new research paper shows that more than a quarter of South Africans suffer from depression, with higher levels in certain provinces. The Western Cape is featured in the top 3 problematic provinces. Major adversely contributing factors include negative childhood experiences, socio-economic status, geographic location, age and education level. The study explains how adverse childhood experiences (such as abuse, neglect or household violence) form a potential foundation for negative mental well-being and poor physical health. Add a sub-par education, and a child is now facing a rather bleak future, at greater risk of being caught in a cycle of poverty or abuse. According to this report, young adults in low-economic urban areas, such as Langa Township, are at a higher risk than their rural counterparts – and more susceptible to depression.

MENTAL WELL-BEING AND OUR PROGRAMMES

Each of the Just Grace programmes is structured so that youth are empowered with mental well-being tools and any barriers to mental well-being are addressed.

In addition, they are also equipped in a practical sense – giving them skills that will enable them to make a difference in their lives and help them to become more engaged within the community.

However, it’s not enough to impart skills (be they academic or professionally related); one must seek to engage in deep reflective, critical learning processes that challenge the prevalent mindset of the participants.

The Qhubeka! Youth Development Programme uses group activities that stimulate creative thinking skills and self-awareness; the discussions and debates of the book club validate participant opinions and build confidence; the holiday club is both fun and expands the participants’ view of the world and potential opportunities; job shadowing for grade 11 learners gives them insight into possible future careers and develops a sense of hope and optimism for the future. By presenting new opportunities and providing opportunities for lateral development, this programme not only sees an improvement in participants’ academic results, but also young people whose horizons have broadened, have developed critical thinking skills and perhaps most encouragingly, have developed the grit required to face life and overcome personal and social obstacles.

The Phakama! Youth Activation Programme works with young people between the ages of 17 – 35, and aims to re-engage at-risk youth within the community by offering both professional and personal development skills. While the professional development equips the participants with valuable skills such as writing a successful CV, understanding workplace etiquette and interview skills, it’s the personal development skills they gain which gives them the mental edge when looking for employment – these young people have hope and motivation.

The Empilweni! Thriving Communities Programme also offers both practical and metacognitive skills development opportunities through psychosocial support.

Participants gain practical skills to assist them in overcoming struggles, yet this programme also encourages participants to evaluate their mindsets: how their personal biases impact their worldview and hinder their growth. Key skills that improve mental well-being are addressed within a family-focused environment, meaning a sense of community is built and a legacy is left as whole families find healing.

Participants of such programmes gain practical skills that will help them improve their social and economic situations, and perhaps more importantly, gain the confidence and improved mental well-being that will enable them to make a difference within their community. Experience shows that the Just Grace programme alumni are more equipped that their peers at navigating life’s challenges as they have been given the tools to persevere, find support in their community and to encourage others to follow suit.

Sources:

Overcoming the potholes of the South African education system through inclusive programmes

While the South African education system has come under fire several times over the past few years, the COVID-inspired hard lockdowns of 2020 have exposed further cracks. These include – but are not limited to – a high dropout rate, alarmingly high illiteracy levels and consequent poor academic performance. One may question whether the traditional education system is designed to adequately prepare young people (especially the marginalised youth living in adverse environments like townships) for their futures in the workplace. Sadly, it seems futile to wait for governmental intervention, which leaves our young people in a precarious position. In recent years, NPOs and NGOs have stepped into the situation to provide much-needed support for these young people. Just Grace is one such organisation which has created inclusive programmes designed to support at-risk youth and help them re-engage with their community.  

According to governmental statistics, the dropouts begin from as young as 15 years of age (3%). These increase marginally to 9% for 17-year-olds. The concerning jump is seen among the 18-year-olds, presumably grade 12 learners, where 29.3% do not finish their secondary education. 46.3% of 19-year-olds are no longer registered for education or training, and an alarming 77% of 20-year-olds are not in tertiary education.1

While this does not mean they are necessarily unemployed, it does, however, mean they may rely entirely on a matric certificate for employment opportunities. The following demographic information on Langa further highlights the need for intervention in the field of education and youth development:   

·      Only 41% of youth have a matric certificate or a qualification equivalent to a matric.  

·      Only 6% of youth have a tertiary qualification. 

·      53% of youth are unemployed   

·      43% of youth are not in employment, education, or training2 

The Learner Engagement Programme is designed to support disengaged youth at risk of dropping out through life skill groups, counselling and home visits by qualified social workers. This programme has seen 85% of their candidates reclassified as low or no risk. The focus of the Learner Engagement Programme extends beyond the child to address the family as a whole, embracing the belief that thriving families make for thriving communities. Just Grace seeks to address the various issues that may impact a learner to empower the family to find healing.   

According to a report by Amnesty International, 75% of South African 9-year-olds are functionally illiterate3, which means they cannot read for meaning. In several provinces, this statistic reaches 91%. Inevitably, these learners will underperform academically and risk being pushed through the system without addressing and resolving this issue. Just Grace programmes, such as the book club (part of the Qhubeka! Youth Development Programme), aim to improve participants’ literacy skills and encourage the young people to engage with ideas, form opinions and debate topical issues. It is not enough to be able to read; to flourish in life, one needs to be able to think critically and question sound arguments.  

Qhubeka! Youth Devlopment Programme participants writing book reviews

Many of the young people in Langa do not have personal access to the internet. Through programmes such as those run by Just Grace, they are not only exposed to the digital world. Still, they are equipped to succeed through technical skill development. The Qhubeka! Youth Development Programme supports participants through academic tutoring groups and computer literacy classes – including a coding course. While academic training is essential, so too is helping the youth holistically, equipping them with skills that will prepare them for life in the workforce. Such programmes aim to create citizens who can enter the workforce and maintain a sustainable life.  

In the aftermath of the COVID hard lockdown of 2020, South African schools have faced much pressure to ‘catch up’ the lost time. The danger of becoming so content-focused is that vital non-cognitive skills are overlooked, and learners are not adequately prepared for life beyond the classroom. Evidence-based programmes are greatly needed to empower marginalised youth with cognitive and non-cognitive skills. The Qhubeka! Youth Development Programme (aimed at high school learners), and the Phakama! Youth Activation Programme (open to Langa youth aged 17 – 27) emphasise developing cognitive, non-cognitive and technical skills. Participants gain soft skills such as communication, interpersonal skills and leadership, as well as developing hard, job-specific skills through the technical training courses offered (barista, accounting technicians and sewing). The programme is specifically designed to prepare candidates for either further studies or employment – a step towards ending the cycle of unemployment and poverty within their community. 

Phakama! Youth Activation Programme participants learning about the coffee roasting process, as part of the Barista Course

Social development programmes, such as those discussed above, are built on a culture of empowerment, equipping the youth with invaluable skills that will allow them a more hope-filled future. So long as education within South Africa remains a matter of statistics and purely ‘book knowledge’, for the sake of our children, more support needs to be extended to NPO-based programmes seeking to assist learners within marginalised communities.  
 

References: 

  1. South African Governmental statistics. [accessed 27 March 2023].  https://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=15520  
  1. Youth Explorer [online] Available at: https://geo.youthexplorer.org.za/#category-21 [Accessed 28 March 2023].  
  1. Amnesty International. (2020, 7 February). South Africa: Broken and unequal education perpetuating poverty and inequality. Www.Amnesty.Org. [Accessed 27 March 2023] from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/02/south-africa-broken-and-unequal-education-perpetuating-poverty-and-inequality/ 
Tackling Youth Illiteracy through Book Club and Youth Upskilling Programmes with Just Grace NPO Cape Town

Tackling Illiteracy, One Child at a Time

On the 8th of September 2021, the world commemorated International Literacy Day. This is an initiative spear-headed by UNESCO to remind the international community that literacy is a right not a privilege. Yet in South Africa, more than half of all grade 4 pupils cannot read for meaning while an astounding 29% are completely illiterate. In addition, learner’s scores from the Annual National Assessment tests for grade 9s reveal that only 18% of learners scored more than 50% in their first additional language and only 48% of learners scored more than 50% in their home language. At Just Grace we understand that lacking basic literacy and comprehension skills has lasting effects and that is why we have committed ourselves to empowering and supporting young people through youth and community development programmes.

Meet Some of Our Women With Grace

So tell us, when you hear the word “grace”, what comes to mind? It’s most probably elegant and romanticised banquet scenes with Victorian-era gowns and ballroom dancing, right? Well, to us at Just Grace, we’re aligned with a different form of the word ‘grace’ - we believe that we have all received undeserved love and kindness in this life, and so we are motivated to show this same undeserved favour to others. While that sounds like something taken directly from the Oxford Dictionary, here’s what we really mean. 

We’re bringing grace to Langa, Cape Town, and we’re doing it through our various programmes in education, youth empowerment, and community upliftment. Still, we’d be nowhere without the women of Just Grace. They’re the ones who help motivate, inspire and guide our future leaders, and here is your chance to meet some of them.

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