So much of our work is inter-related – we work with children, their parents, and other community members. The following four discrete areas of our work each has its own objectives, and each supports our work in different ways.

Project 1: Referrals

Objective

To enable support and healing on a deeper level for children and adults in processing trauma, understanding their emotions, and building positive relationships and a positive self-image.

Activities

We make referrals to a range of services that include the statutory child protection services provided by George Child and Family Welfare; therapy, counselling and psychological services; and specialised private medical and mental health services.

Project 2: Environmental sustainability

Objective

To promote and teach environmental sustainability.

Activities

• Vegetable gardening for primary school children with special needs.
• Earth Keepers programme run by a psychologist.
• Facilitator training in environmental sustainability.
• On-site recycling.

Project 3: Training and capacity building

We undertake a wide range of ongoing training and capacity building. Some of the training becomes integrated into our programmes on a longer term basis, and some is once off.

Objective

To support our staff and community to have the requisite skills to implement our programmes and benefit from ongoing skills development.

Activities

These include programmes such as “Our Story Your Story” by Clowns Without Borders (with a focus on intercultural storytelling to bring communities closer together), mindfulness, health and safety and first aid, computer literacy, conflict resolution, life skills and goal setting, basic counselling skills, and proposal writing and fundraising.

Project 4: Knowledge sharing

Through our partnership with UCT and ISS we are able to increase our capacity to undertake evidence-based research as well as increase our reach in terms of sharing and promoting good practice.

Objective

To benefit from research in our community that we and others will use to engage with institutions and processes outside our community to strengthen our contribution to knowledge and increase the impact of our violence prevention work.

Activities

Partnership with UCT and ISS that includes:

• Supporting community involvement and leadership in promoting the values of positive parenting and active citizenship.
• Research undertaken annually over a three-year period (2016-2018).

Presentations on findings made at national and international events and conferences, including at the National Dialogue Forum on Violence Prevention convened by the ISS.