Girls and Boys Town South Africa
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Mission Statement
Girls and Boys Town South Africa (GBT) is a long-standing, credible registered NPO working nationally in South Africa with disadvantaged communities with the vision to fundamentally change the life of a child “at- risk” by facilitating the development of life skills and empowerment techniques for lasting change, act proactively and preventatively to place vulnerable children on the pathway out of social and economic volatility. We ensure that children and youth can have a safe, secure, nurturing environment to eventually equip them to access the worlds of higher education and employment, growing into healthy well-adjusted adults able to contribute effectively to family and society in the future. “There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children." — Nelson Mandela
About This Cause
Background The story of the then ‘Boys Town’, now Girls and Boys Town since 2004 is one of the most heart-warming tales of human endeavour of the 20th century. The Girls and Boys Town (GBT) journey has been a tale of everyday life in most societies of the world –the tragedy of fear, loss, despair, abuse and neglect and the triumph of faith, courage and hope that changes the way we care for children. Its legacy is about fulfilling dreams and bettering lives. In 1958, Magaliesburg saw the first then ’Boys Town’ residential home established – borne out of the compassion, altruism and social consciousness of its founders, initially providing a home for youngsters from a local children’s home who had been destined for a so-called ‘Trade School’. These boys were soon joined by seventeen (17) others from children’s homes throughout the country, and since then, the organisation has continued to expand exponentially over the next 57 years – including focusing on work with girls. Services have expanded and evolved with the changing dynamics of the social and economic environment. Currently the organization consists of four (4) major national service divisions. Vision: Youth, Family and Community: South Africa’s Strength and Future. Mission: Girls and Boys Town South Africa creates opportunities nationally for youth to grow and develop into responsible citizens, able to contribute to family and community life in the spirit of peace, dignity, tolerance, equality and solidarity with others. Girls and Boys Town Services: 1. RESIDENTIAL SERVICES Provides residential care to over 350 youth, both girls and boys, from all communities in eight nationally located residential centres. Girls and Boys Town is the only child and youth care organization in South Africa offering two alternative residential programme options: a) 4 Youth Development Centres (each setting with up to 70 youth in a more structured environment) where the unique Peer-Group System of Self-government operates. This model significantly involves youngsters in decision-making concerning their own affairs. Youth elect their Mayor and Council and then govern themselves under the guidance of adults, where they are taught to take responsibility for themselves and others. b) 6 Family ‘Group’ Homes (caring for up to 10 boys or girls in regular houses in the community with a husband and wife team as Family Teachers) where the Family Home Model is unique in its focus on family-style living with emphasis on social skills teaching and meaningful self-governance by youth. Children are maintained in the community in a family environment. 2. LEARNING SUPPORT CENTRES Provide: Direct youth education services via four national Girls and Boys Town operated Learning Support Centres for learners who are struggling in mainstream educational classes, either due to educational or remedial difficulties or challenging classroom behaviours (thus at risk of losing their school placements). The accelerator programmes are implemented with the intention of mainstreaming these learners, back to the school from which they were initially referred, as soon as possible following intervention. These specialist units will also admit learners from community-based schools that have completed the Girls and Boys Town, Well Managed Classroom workshop. 3. FAMILY SERVICES Family Services incorporates 3 key elements: a) Girls and Boys Town national Mobile Family Services Units were developed in order to achieve the goal of greater accessibility to families. These units comprise Family Workers who work directly with families in all communities including the most deprived, in ensuring stronger family relationships and bonds and avoiding family disintegration and separations. The uniqueness being that Family Workers are no longer office bound – they meet families where they are, provide them with the necessary motivation and skills they need to rediscover their strengths and empower them in reclaiming responsibility for their futures. b) This team also facilitate regional multi-disciplinary assessment panels –assessing the needs of youth and families (referred via the State agencies, Girls and Boys Town Hotline or self-referrals) and then ‘matched’ to an appropriate Girls and Boys Town service option, or where necessary to an external service. c) The National Hotline Service also operates from within this team and offers adult and young people short-term counselling and assessment and referral services. This professional service reaches out to all nine (9) provinces and is operated by qualified psychologists. (Hotline: 0861 58-58-58) 4. EVALUATION AND RESEARCH DIVISION This nationally functioning team is charged with the responsibility of being guardians of the integrity and effectiveness of all Girls and Boys Town models, services and programmes. This happens on two levels: a) A Monitoring and Evaluation role and responsibility, where these teams assess whether the models and programmes are implemented as expected and as trained. These activities include comprehensive annual assessments of implementation (process) and outcomes (multiple data sources). b) Responsibility to conduct professional research nationally. One of the fundamental research questions to continuously answer is: ‘How effective is Girls and Boys Town in achieving its mission?’ As our on-going research answers this question, we will directly influence, inform and impact on Girls and Boys Town programmes and services and also contribute to the development of the Child and Youth Care field as a whole. The work of this division is considered critical since it is Girls and Boys Town’s intention to offer higher levels of service excellence, in a as professional and accountable manner as possible. Beneficiaries Beneficiaries of the programme are vulnerable youth, children and their families experiencing difficult social and economic challenges. Many of the youth, children and their families who benefit from Girls and Boys Town programmes are from disadvantaged communities and underprivileged families. The beneficiary base is well representative of the country’s demographics comprising approximately 85% disadvantaged Black South Africans. The work of all within Girls and Boys Town South Africa, continues to contribute to the 57 year old organization; recognized as highly credible and a leader in helping youth and families, and all those who impact on the healthy growth and development of vulnerable, less privileged young people; where others have failed or given up! Thousands of Children, Youth, Adults, Elderly and the Disabled directly benefitted in all our programmes each year. Management and Ownership Girls and Boys Town South Africa is led by a Board of Directors elected by its members. The Board members meet on a quarterly basis or adhoc as may be required. The Board has elected a Chief Executive Officer to lead the daily activities and work of the organization. Girls and Boys Town South Africa is a National Lotteries Board (NLB) Chairman’s Choice Award Winner: Social Champions: 2013, in recognition of outstanding transformation and corporate governance policies. Conclusion Our mission is about child and youth development; it is about keeping children safe and free from risk; providing them with a place they can call HOME, offering HOPE in the face of helplessness and hopelessness. Together, with the support of individuals, corporates and donor agencies we can continue to change the world for vulnerable “at-risk” South African children and youth.