ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - Scalabrini · 2019-05-28 · • To advance positive systemic change in South African society and immigration and asylum systems. The Advocacy Programme began

ANNUAL REPORT2017

OUR VISION: To foster the cultural, social and economic integration of migrants, refugees and South Africans into local society.

OUR MISSION: Perceiving migration as an opportunity, the Scalabrini Centre is committed to alleviating poverty and promoting development in the Western Cape while fostering integration between migrants, refugees and South Africans. In provision of our assistance we advocate respect for human rights and use a holistic approach that considers all basic needs.

OUR VALUES: 1. Inspired by the teachings and actions of John Baptist Scalabrini, the Scalabrini Centre offers a welcoming environment that is open to all and where each individual is valued and treated with dignity2. Guided by a sense of humility we promote respect for cultural diversity

2 | SCALABRINI ANNUAL REPORT 2017

ContentsPage Title - Click page title to go to page

From the Director...............................................

From the Board.................................................

Advocacy.........................................................

Employment Access Programme.........................

Welfare............................................................

Women’s Platform.............................................

English School..................................................

UNITE..............................................................

Lawrence House................................................

Annual Financial Statement................................

Thanks and Acnowlegements.............................


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If migration is managed

correctly then the migrant, the

country of origin and South Africa

all benefit.4 | SCALABRINI ANNUAL REPORT 2017

“

- Miranda Madikane

FROM THE DIRECTORMigration creates opportunity for positive socio-economic development - for the sending countries, the hosting countries and for the migrant themselves. Through the programmes run by The Scalabrini Centre, I have seen this development with my own eyes.

To highlight the amount of power behind migration, I direct you to a recent report issued by the African Union that esti-mates $65 billion was remitted by African migrants to their homes in 2017! So, let us not discount the impact the move-ment of people can have in forming (re)new(ed) societies.

Sadly, migrants and the idea of migration is met with fear by our current government. Instead of holding South Africa’s best national interests to heart – to nurture and harness the potential for positive socio-economic development that migration brings – government has adopted a curiously negative approach in their management of the movement of people. This results in huge barriers for hundreds of thousands of African migrants who cannot access permits or visas in South Africa. Like the proverbial ostrich, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) proudly pronouces to parliament lower numbers of documented migrants – but never lift their heads from the sand to see the consequences of rising numbers of undocumented individuals!

The Scalabrini Centre has recently delivered a written submission to DHA on how best to manage a regularization programme within the Asylum Management system, and to complement it with the rolling out of the ‘SADC Migrant visa regime’ as put forward by their White Paper on International Migration. Such actions would ensure that all migrants in South Africa are documented and known to the state, would heighten individual protections for each migrant and would protect the Asylum System from further demise. See our short documentary, Sanctuary Lost for a deeper understanding of the history and current state of the Asylum Regime.

The Scalabrini Centre receives migrants from 14 different African countries and offers the projects within the following four areas of work: Integration (English School, Employment Access Programme, Women’s Platform, UNITE), Welfare and Protection (Lawrence House, Welfare Desk), Para-legal Advice (Advocacy Programme), Research and Knowledge Sharing.

This annual report celebrates our many successes, chief among these being:

• The Minster of Home Affairs granted exemption immigration permits to former Angolan refugees, giving them the rights of permanent residence for four years, following Scalabrini’s lengthy intervention in the matter;

• After five years of advocacy efforts and litigation, the closure of Cape Town Refugee Reception Office (RRO) was found substantively unlawful and irrational, with the Supreme Court of Appeal ordering the Department of Home Affairs to re-open and maintain a fully-fledged RRO in Cape Town;

• Our Employment Access Programme assisted over 320 individual clients with the initial registration, payment procedures and scheduling of appointments needed for renewal of their Zimbabwean Special Permit;

• Our English School’s students participated in a writing project which explored their journey to South Africa. Forty biographies were collated into a book titled “In my Shoes”. This book presents the incredible life stories of those who have travelled from countries such as Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi to make a home in our Mother City.

All this work would not be possible without the support of our donors, whose interest in our work and guidance I find invaluable. Equally important to the life blood of the organisation is our volunteer’s programme, which sees a team of 62 dedicated and skilled volunteers assisting project staff and clients.

In conclusion, I would like to acknowledge the leadership of my Board of Trustees who, without complaint or hesitation, respond to my many demands, offering me support and advice as we navigate the tricky landscape that being a foreigner in South Africa creates.

Miranda MadikaneDirector

The Dreams of John Baptist Scalabrini, founder of Scalabrini organization, has become true in its best once again; 2017 year has confirmed it; just look at the statistics to see how many migrants, refugees and asylum seekers attended Scalabrini Centre for Language Skills, Document advice, Legal Representation, Spiritual support and warm welcoming this year.

The Teachings and Spirit of Scalabrini continue to inspire and guide Scalabrini Centre in the way we need to respond when we face obstacles and difficulties in order to provide to Refugees and Asylum seekers in Cape Town and in the country with professional assistance and support. That is the case of the continue fighting for the Refugee Reception Office to be reopen in Cape Town; that even we already passed the dateline of March the 31st, 2018 ordered by the court; we know that there is still a way to go in order to see this to become a reality.

We experienced last year too, on the other hand, the challenge to help our Angolan brothers and sisters who went well with the requirements in order to be able to get interviewed at Scalabrini Centre and so to get the extension of their legal status with four more years granted by Home Affairs, hoping that after those four years, a better offer can be granted, and so we, at Scalabrini Centre we will continue to be striving for.

Pope Francis is another wonderful inspiring person who wrote a new document on April 9th, 2018 calling us to become Holy by serving others, specially Migrants, stating that people can’t seek holiness through prayer alone but must to try to help those in need, particularly migrants who risk their lives to offer a better future for their children. What an important teaching and inspiration he is giving us!.

We know of course, many other inspiring people that remind us of our main duty to fight for human rights, for denouncing human trafficking and corruption as well as including people of different race and tongue in a better society where gentle inclusiveness, welcoming and justice can be our new flags as trying to experience and make reality, a unity in diversity in today’s broken world.

May you continue finding in Scalabrini Centre the inspiration to help you too to become a person, who inspired by Scalabrini, by Pope Francis, by Fr. by Filippo, Scalabrini Centre Directress Miranda, by Scalabrini Centre Staff and Volunteers, and by people who visit the Centre, all and each one of them, to help you to become a person that can start or to continue serving migrants, Refugees and Asylum seekers with generous heart and welcoming arms.God Bless you and your families,

Fr. Gerardo Garcia, csSCCT ‘s Chair Person

FROM THE BOARD


https://au.int/sites/default/files/newsevents/workingdocuments/34086-wd-air_progress_report_-_stc_finance_2018_english.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbBHVeqyl-w

IntroductionThe Scalabrini Centre’s Advocacy Programme seeks to promote and strengthen the rights and integration of migrants and refugees in South Africa, through providing individual advice, publishing research, raising awareness, and advocating for legislative and policy reform and its proper implementation. The Advocacy Programme’s objectives are:

• To strengthen legal protections, address discrimination and assist with access to rights and services afforded by law, including access to labour, education and health;

• To promote transparency, accountability and efficiency in the immigration and asylum systems; and

• To advance positive systemic change in South African society and immigration and asylum systems.

The Advocacy Programme began in 2009 out of the recognition of a need to provide tangible paralegal assistance for asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in accessing the asylum system, documentation and countering xenophobic violence. Since its inception, the Advocacy Programme has grown to assist roughly 2,000 individuals annually. In providing assistance, protecting asylum seeker and refugee’s rights to freedom of movement is at the core of the Advocacy Programme’s interventions.

ADVOCACY

Overview of ActivitesThe Advocacy Programme aims to achieve its objectives by operating on two mutually informing levels. Firstly, paralegal advice and practical assistance are provided to individual clients on a walk-in basis on issues including:

• access to documentation and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) immigration and asylum systems;

• access to public services such as education and healthcare;• access to justice for victims of xenophobic violence, hate crimes, and other protection-re-

lated issues;• assistance to unaccompanied and separated foreign minors; and• advice and assistance with cases of detention and deportation.

Secondly, the Advocacy Programme works to drive deeper systemic change in the South African society and immigration and asylum systems. The work is informed by and responsive to direct engagement with individuals and the particular problems that they experience. This work includes:

• commenting on legislation and policy to government and international bodies;• providing trainings to government officials, civil society, citizens, and members of refugee

and migrant communities;• raising awareness through the media and making documentary films;• conducting and publishing research;• engaging in strategic litigation; and• finding durable solutions to specific issues, like the cessation of refugee status.

Advocacy Stats

Asylum Seekers

Undocumented

Refugee Status

Other

47%31%

18%4%

Clie

nts

0 10 20 30 40 50

As in previous years, these statistics show the increasingly difficult environment many refugees face in termsof keeping documentation valid

1,376

New clients were assisted during the

reporting period 1,714 were able to apply for four year

residence permits through the court

ordered exemption application

process.*

Former Angolan Refugees

Client Issues The following issues were the most common that

individuals sought assistance with:

Both undocumented asylum seekers (by definition)

and those with lost permits are without valid

documentation and at risk of arrest, detention and

deportation as well as exploitation and low

socioeconomic prospects. Access to services, such as

health care, remains difficult for those without legal

status. The lack of valid documentation severely

hinders one's ability to move freely. It also renders

one ‘invisible’ to the state and makes national,

provincial, and municipal planning more difficult.

Materials Provided

In terms of materials provided for clients,

through the provision of information and

advice as well as information sessions,

the Advocacy Programme provided

assistance to former Angolan refugees to

prepare their permanent residence

applications; in total, 1,737 were

submitted to DHA in February 2017.

Throughout the year during daily

consultations, 1,119 materials were

issued to clients with the following

materials being the most issued during

the year:

Newcomer information packs Refugee Appeal Board condon..

Education access letters Health access letters

Refugee Appeal Board appeal..

21%

16%12% 12%

10%

Appeal Requests Undocumented Asylum Seekers

Permanent Residence Health Lost Permits

20%

16%

5%

5%

5%

Clie

nt Is

sues

0 10 20

*Given the scale and nature of the Angolan project, some of these individuals would be included in new and returning client figures, and many have been accessing the Advocacy Programme's services since the cessation process for Angolan refugees began in 2012.

1,881

Total clients were assisted during the year

(including new and returning)

Clients Legal Status

New Clients Origins

DRC 48% | Somalia 20%

Burundi 7% | Other 25%


Advocacy Stats

Asylum Seekers

Undocumented

Refugee Status

Other

47%31%

18%4%

Clie

nts

0 10 20 30 40 50

As in previous years, these statistics show the increasingly difficult environment many refugees face in termsof keeping documentation valid

1,376

New clients were assisted during the

reporting period 1,714 were able to apply for four year

residence permits through the court

ordered exemption application

process.*

Former Angolan Refugees

Client Issues The following issues were the most common that

individuals sought assistance with:

Both undocumented asylum seekers (by definition)

and those with lost permits are without valid

documentation and at risk of arrest, detention and

deportation as well as exploitation and low

socioeconomic prospects. Access to services, such as

health care, remains difficult for those without legal

status. The lack of valid documentation severely

hinders one's ability to move freely. It also renders

one ‘invisible’ to the state and makes national,

provincial, and municipal planning more difficult.

Materials Provided

In terms of materials provided for clients,

through the provision of information and

advice as well as information sessions,

the Advocacy Programme provided

assistance to former Angolan refugees to

prepare their permanent residence

applications; in total, 1,737 were

submitted to DHA in February 2017.

Throughout the year during daily

consultations, 1,119 materials were

issued to clients with the following

materials being the most issued during

the year:

Newcomer information packs Refugee Appeal Board condon..

Education access letters Health access letters

Refugee Appeal Board appeal..

21%

16%12% 12%

10%

Appeal Requests Undocumented Asylum Seekers

Permanent Residence Health Lost Permits

20%

16%

5%

5%

5%

Clie

nt Is

sues

0 10 20

*Given the scale and nature of the Angolan project, some of these individuals would be included in new and returning client figures, and many have been accessing the Advocacy Programme's services since the cessation process for Angolan refugees began in 2012.

1,881

Total clients were assisted during the year

(including new and returning)

Clients Legal Status

New Clients Origins

DRC 48% | Somalia 20%

Burundi 7% | Other 25%


ACP Permits

The granting of four-year 31(2)(b) exemption immigration permits to former Angolan refugees, giving them the rights of permanent residence for four years.

HIGHLIGHTS

In these achievements, the right to freedom of movement is strengthened as having valid documentation is a critical component of realising this right.

RRO Office Closures

After five years of advocacy efforts and litigation, the closure of Cape Town Refugee Reception Office (RRO) was found substantively unlawful and irrational, with the Supreme Court of Appeal ordering the Department of Home Affairs to re-open and maintain a fully-fledged RRO in Cape Town.

Foreign unaccompanied and separated children recognition

Increasing recognition by stakeholders regarding the vulnerabilities of and need to develop policies for foreign unaccompanied and separated children.


Success storiesBelow are several individual client success stories achieved in part by the Advocacy Programme during 2017:

• In early November, a member of the Advocacy Programme travelled with a client at risk of statelessness to Kimberley in the Northern Cape, the place of her birth. She had not been issued with a birth certificate. Through negotiations with DHA, both on the day and prior to the visit, DHA issued her with a hand written unabridged birth certificate, ren-dering the client no longer at risk of statelessness.

• Through the outreach project in Bellville with the Somali Association of South Africa, the Advocacy Programme has been made aware of many Somali refugees who have lost their permits and cannot renew their asylum claims. This occurs as they are not fluent in English and do not recall how their name was entered into the DHA asylum system. Due to the complex patriarchal naming system in Somali culture, their full names are often recorded wrong on their permits, further complicating the matter. Through engagement with CTRRO management, six indi-viduals were located on the system, received their file numbers and resumed their claims. This was done through an interview with DHA and fingerpints being sent to Pretoria to check the system. The Advoca-cy Programme is aware of many Somalis in this situation and hopes to continue this project into 2018.

• A Somali refugee family that sought the assistance of the Advocacy • Programme after an incident of severe xenophobic violence July 2012

was finally resettled to Canada in February 2017. The Advocacy Pro-gramme, along with the Welfare Programme, provided extensive assis-tance to the family in regards to the police investigation and alternative accommodation in the immediate aftermath of the displacement as well as the referral to UNHCR. The five year wait for resettlement in this case highlights the difficulties many refugees face in the resettlement process.

Plans for the New Financial YearThe Advocacy Programme aims to continue the work of 2017 into 2018. Special emphasis will be on ensuring the Cape Town RRO resumes operations and provides services in a dignified and transparent manner, continued efforts to improve policies and procedures for unaccompanied and separated foreign migrant children, and to improve policies and procedures for family joining processes in the asylum system to ensure that family unity is a core consideration in the refugee status determination process.

Written by Corey Johnson | Advocacy Programme Manager


IntroductionThe Employment Access Programme supports refugees, migrant workers and South Africans who are legally able to seek employment in South Africa by providing a gateway to employment. The programme focuses on marginalised foreign nationals, but employs an open-door policy to enhance integration and to foster positive attitudes between South Africans and foreigners.

At EAP, clients are supplied with the resources and training to market their skills to employers, make successful job applications, and opportunities for skills training and professional development.

Overview of ActivitesAt the core of EAP’s services is the Help Desk. This service supports the job application process through CV creation and facilitating work applications via internet, telephone and fax. Computers are available for clients to search for work independently and to enhance their computer skills.

The Skills Training project consists of both internal and external training interventions, as well as various workshops and short courses. Workshops include Job Readiness and Digital Literacy, Fundamentals of Excel, and Professional Development. A new offering, a Business Skills course, will replace the programme’s Work Support Group course. These skills increase confidence when applying for work, thereby increasing the chances of securing employment. Skills Training Sponsorship sponsors foreign clients for entry-level training in the hospitality, caring, maritime and sewing industries.

The Graduate Support Programme is aimed at clients who have received a skills training sponsorship. Clients work one-on-one with an EAP team member to improve interview skills, refine CVs, and increase the number of online job applications made. The underlying learning process teaches the client to continue working independently post the GSP interaction.

The Foreign Professionals Desk offers assistance to foreign clients who have a 3 year or higher degree (Undergraduate, Honours and Masters). We offer sponsorship for the translation of qualification documents, and support the process required to get the certificates recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). We also assist clients to register with various South African professional bodies. Addi-tional training is also offered. Artisans wanting to complete their Trade Tests with the various SETA’s are also assisted. FPD works closely with clients to develop their profes-sional careers and reputation as well as offering intensive job application guidance. It has been proved that clients greatly increase their chances of finding a job when they access the various EAP services, skills training and networking opportunities.

EAP


EAP Stats

Breakdown of consultations

Number of consultations

0

1000

2000

3000

CV Change & Print Email Online Job App. Document Scan PC Lab Phone Calls Fax

This is a 6% increase in number of clients and an 11% increase in consultations over the previous year.

412

234 Successfully

securedemployment

individuals were askedfor an interview,

1,258 Help Desk Clients

were assisted during the

reporting period

5,205

were performed in the

reporting period

Consultations

clients received sponsorship for entry-levelskills training in various sectors, includingmembers of both the Women’s Platform andthe AMKA project.

88 people completed the Job Readiness

and Digital Literacy Workshop whichhad a pass rate of 88%

200 people completed the Fundamentals

of Excel training course

49 foreign professional clients

received sponsorship with Literacy,Registrations or Training

48

HELP DESK

EMPLOYMENT

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT


AMKA

We ran two AMKA workshops, in partnership with the Scalabrini Centre’s Welfare Programme to 24 vulnerable women in 2017. The training included one week of Art Therapy and one week of Job Readiness and Digital Literacy training. The feedback from the women who participated was overwhelmingly positive. Following the training, all were encouraged to visit the Help Desk to develop their CV’s and receive career advice. Based on their experience and skills level, 15 were offered Skills Training Sponsorship for housekeeping and childcare/domestic. We are happy to report that as of December, 67% of the women can report an increase in their income through employment.

Job Readiness and Digital Literacy

Our Job Readiness and Digital Literacy workshops continued to be popular this year. In order to improve the training, we launched our Friday module, Applying for Work, in our January workshop session. Clients were given the opportunity to prepare for mock interviews with the facilitator, using the knowledge they gained during the previous day’s lesson. The additional session provides clients with extra preparation for the interview section, which is one of the most interactive modules of the week’s Job Readiness curriculum.

SAQA Foreign Evaluation’s Department.

Over the past year Foreign Professionals Desk has developed relationships with members of the South African Qualification’s Foreign Evaluation’s Department, most notably with the Deputy Director, who had administered a Survey Form to all clients. FPD was able to assist in getting our foreign professional clients to complete the form. We have also made headway in developing links with a number of Evaluators. This has allowed us to highlight the circumstances of our clients and to present cases on individual merit. The benefit of these relationships is evident when clients lack documentation for their applications. We have been able to explain to evaluators the reasons for this, which is usually due to the client leaving their home country under extreme and urgent circumstances. In these situations, the results have produced positive evaluations.

Call Centre Training

We have continued to reach out to potential partner organisations in order to source opportunities for training and employment for our clients. In this year we met with American Corner, a project estab-lished by the United States Consulate in Cape Town. In partnership with American Corner, we launched an Introduction to Call Centre Training in July, with a second workshop in September. The workshop focuses on the call centre environment and customer service. Based on client feedback, a neutral accent English speaking component was added. This gives clients further capacity when applying for employment in the hospitality industry. Clients have always found it difficult to find employment in the Call Centre Industry due to the need for advanced administrative and communication skills

HIGHLIGHTS

Placement Opportunity

The last quarter of 2017 saw EAP planning and preparing the implementation of a Job Placement Service due to pilot in January 2018. The service will create more pathways to access employ-ment opportunities for our clients. The pilot coincides with the migration of the current Data Management System (FileMaker) to an organisation-wide implementation of Salesforce.

The new free job placement service aims to connect employers to unemployed migrants and refugees. In order to provide suitable candidates, EAP will conduct a screening process, including personal interviews and reference checks, of all new and current clients. The initial sectors of exploration will include hospitality, domestic/home maintenance, home based care, childcare and construction.

This project has resulted in the review and adaptation of a number of processes and systems. We have redesigned our application process and CV creation system. This ensures that new clients arriving at the desk leave that same day with a completed CV and are ready to start applying for work.

We have split our Job Readiness and Digital Literacy Workshop into a free two-day Job Readiness workshop, accessible to all clients registered with EAP. The rationale for this is to get all clients confident and ready for interviews as soon as possible. Digital Literacy will have a fee attached and be conducted over five days. . The objective of this workshop is to remove the fear that first-time computer users have when using a computer, as well as increase computer confidence. Having this skill is necessary to develop a career and progress in the workplace, but the course is not compulsory because not all jobs require computer literacy.

EAP has also started to encourage employers in these sectors to approach EAP to fulfil their recruitment requirements. We do this by contacting our existing networks; advertising EAP’s services when conducting reference checks; cold calling; and consultations. Response has been slow but we are confident that employers will respond to the free service once they understand its benefits.

Zimbabwean Exemption Permit

The South Africa government announced that Zimbabweans on special dispensation visas - Zimbabwe Special Permit‚ which were issued in 2010 and due to expire in December 2017‚ could apply for new visas called Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP). The application process was scheduled to run from 15 September to 30 November 2017. SCCT collaboratively assisted with the application process through the provision of computer access and advice. Volunteers, under the guidance of the EAP staff, assisted over 320 individual clients (some of whom completed applications for their spouses and dependants) with the initial registration, payment procedures and scheduling of appointments.


Success storiesTwo notable success stories emerged from the Call Centre Training. Banza Kabeya, a 31-year-old male DRC, secured a job at a call centre within 2 weeks of completing the course. Secondly, Pierrette Mushingwa Mapako, a 31-year-old female from the DRC secured a job at a fine-dining restaurant, La Mouette, as a Front-of-House Hostess. With a strong back-ground in hospitality, the training provided Ms. Mapako with fine-tuned English language skills and self-presentation skills to secure a higher level of employment within her industry.

An inspiring example from the Foreign Professionals Desk is the story of Mampanya Kennedy Tshitenge, a former nurse from the DRC. He came to FPD, having previously submitted his documentation to SAQA on his own, and had been informed that he could not be evaluated as he had not submitted his Final Diploma. Together, he and the EAP manager com-posed an email to SAQA explaining that he had left the DRC under threat of his life and would never be able to retrieve the document. Based on this correspondence SAQA granted him a positive evaluation as an equivalent to a Diploma in Nursing. While waiting for his result, he was sponsored on the Job Readiness and Digital Literacy and the Fundamentals of Excel workshops. Further discussion with Mr Tshitenge revealed that he still had a passion for nursing and assisting people in need. Even though he could not practice nursing in South Africa, he was part subsidised on a Home-Based Carer (HBC) Training Course at Robin Trust Nursing College. Soon after the training Robin Trust contracted Mr Tshitenge to work as a live-in Home-based Carer. Mr Tshitenge is planning on saving part of his income so that he can study nursing and continue his passion for helping people, in South Africa.

Plans for the New Financial Year• Early 2018 will see the complete implementation of the Job Place-

ment Service following the pilot programme.• Following the success of the Fundamentals of Excel Workshop,

EAP will introduce an Essential MS Word Workshop in March 2018.

• We will continue to monitor, evaluate and adjust, as is necessary, all our projects to ensure that we continue to offer the best possi-ble service to clients so that they can gain an income and become sustainable.

Written by Hylton Bergh | EAP Programme Manager


IntroductionThe Scalabrini Welfare team offers assistance to any migrant and refugee in need. Through a process of consultation, the team is able to assist individuals to access basic services such as medical care, schooling, shelter, South African Social Grants (SASSA grants) and assistance with advice/application for voluntary repatriation. Services include home visits to the homes of our most vulnerable clients.

The desk also manages a limited assistance programme which offers direct support to emergency and special cases.

Scalabrini Centre believes that an individual’s sense of well-being is essential to achieving personal financial sustainability. Welfare clients must demonstrate a willingness to work alongside the Welfare team, by supporting change in their own life circumstances.

Objectives:

• To assist individuals in meeting their basic needs through referrals and through limited direct assistance for emergency and special cases.

• To facilitate access to, and provide information about, services in sectors including education, health, law and order, labour and in the Departments of Home Affairs and Social Development.

• To promote proactive engagement by clients in improving their own circumstances.

WELFARE


Welfare Stats

Asylum Status (57.36%) Refugee Status (18.37%)

Undocumented (9.18%) Passport (7.96%) ID (7.13%)

New (55%) Returning (45%)

55%

45%

2,091

were recorded through

the reporting period

Consultations

1,557 New clients

were assisted during

the reporting period

Gender

DRC 67%

Burundi 9%

Zimbabwe 7%

Rwanda 3%

South Africa 2%

Somalia 2%

Other 10%

Country if Origin

Client Legal Status

New vs Returning Clients

Male

34%

Female

66%


An increasing number of clients have been assisted with rental contributions.

Rents are steadily increasing whilst client incomes remain low, leaving a deficit or sus-ceptibility to a deficit when an unforeseen even affects income (e.g. sickness, abandon-ing by partner), potentially leaving clients unable to pay their rent. Welfare has reacted to this reality by prioritizing rent contributions to prevent homelessness of clients.

Welfare have assisted 102 children with school fees, either through facilitating their parents or aiding them with the application process for school fees exemption. Welfare have also had the opportunity to assist with back to school stationary. Welfare considers this a key achievement with education being key for integration and empowerment.

An important new partnership has been established through ameeting with the SASSA (South African Social Security Agency). Key topics concerning Welfare were discussed: the challenges faced when replacing lost and expired SASSA cards, the qualification for the disability and old aged grant plus the issues arising for clients with Ex-office permits. It was a good opportunity for Welfare to explain the special challenges that migrants and refugees are facing when applying for and receiving SASSA grants. Further cooperation and discussion has been scheduled. SASSA Wynberg will refer clients to SCCT who could benefit from the services allowing a two way referral system. Welfare also offered assistance with translation for Lingala, French and Swahili. The SASSA officer will present the discussed challenges in the metropolitan SASSA meeting and will also introduce the idea to invite SCCT to talk about the Asylum seeker and refugee ex-office permit situation.

For the first time a long term evaluation of the AMKA Programme has been conducted. All 79 participants who have been enrolled since AMKA’s inception in 2014 have been questioned via phone regarding their current situation. The results show that the majority of participants are working (43%) or are enrolled in further educational establishments (4%) whereas 28% are not working. Due to the length of time that has passed since participants completed the programme and change of mobile numbers, 20% ofparticipants were unfortunately unreachable. Extraordinary circumstances such as repatriation, resettlement and death have been captured as “Other” (5%). Major suggestions for the future are a regular and continuous follow-up with the formerparticipants, this would help motivate those who’ve lost their jobs and would keep an ongoing dialogue with previous participants. Also being considered is the organization of an annual reunion which would assist with communal motivation and a networking platform amongst the participants.

Cooperation with various shelters has been maintained via visits and meetings, the need for shelters is still higher than the availability. A continued strong relationship with the shelters is therefore crucial to facilitate in finding emergency solutions for clients in need.

HIGHLIGHTS


Success storyA.M. had a train accident in February 2017 which caused paralysis basin downwards. His mother had to come from DRC to nurse him but she came undocumented and has very low English skills. The two of them are living together in a house with 2 bedrooms, which is far from the city centre and difficult to reach with public transport. During a home visit Welfare was able to assess the living conditions at home, in the process learning that the mother is paying the rent with sexual services to the landlord. They do not have any source of income, as neither of them is able to work. The client has various challenges, but the most urgent were the medical and the legal issues. Firstly the client and his mother were not able to understand the different treatment methods due to their low English skills. Secondly they could not afford the transport to and from the hospital. Welfare were able to assist them with transport and also accompanied them to the hospital to translate the options of treatment, therefore allowing them to make an informed decision. He will have another operation in January 2018.

The clients legal situation also required urgent attention. The client’s asylum seeker permit had expired in January 2017 and he was supposed to renew it in Musina. The travel to Musina in a wheelchair would not have been possible. Welfare managed in cooperation with Advocacy to have the Appeal board instead hear him in Cape Town. Again transport was covered by Welfare and Welfare staff facilitated the translation. Home Affairs renewed his papers without a fine and theplace of issue was amended to Cape Town, meaning he won’t need to travel in future.

That is a huge relief for the client because now at least one of them has valid papers. There is alsothe chance now that the hospital bills may be waived. Most importantly they now have renewed hope and can move forward. The operation in January should improve his mobility meaning he can live more independently, allowing his mother to get her documents and look for a job. Welfares assistance will be ongoing.

Plans for the New Financial YearEvaluating client’s situations has shown that the majority of Welfare’s male clients are unemployed.In addition most of the women seeking help reported that their husbands are unemployed. These clients are mostly semi-skilled or unskilled which makes it difficult to find paid work to support themselves, their families and integrate them fully into the local community. When already struggling to provide for basic needs; food, clothing, accommodation and education for their children it is unrealistic for these clients to afford further skills training in order to improve their job opportunities.

In response to this the Welfare is looking to start running an AMKA programme especially for men in order to boost positive changes in their life through short course training skills. The men will be empowered though skills training that matches with appropriate jobs and recruitment agencies. Considering the conclusion of AMKA women programme’s evaluation and the average salary of the AMKA women, it definitely needs both partners to pool their income so that they can share the daily responsibilities and burdens. In line with the AMKA women’s programme, the goals will be raising self-sufficiency and lessening dependency levels as well as promoting confidence and good networking skills. The goals are based on the belief that refugees and asylum seekers can only fully integrate in society and realize their social and economic rights in a sustainable and dignified way when they have a job which allows them to meet their basic needs, enabling them to be self sufficient and independent.

Additionally Welfare plans to conduct research into the intersectionality of being a single motherand a refugee in South Africa. This arose from the increasing number of women accessing the deskwhose husband has abandoned them and who find themselves in hazardous situations. The research is therefore aiming to explore the special challenges, the impact and the possibilities of assistance.

Written by Jennipher Kanswe | Welfare Consultant


IntroductionThe Women’s Platform is building a multi-national network of women that strengthens indi-viduals to enhance economic independence and integration into the broader South African community. The network is a place where migrant, refugee, and South African women can facilitate connections, share knowledge and resources, and access opportunities. Specifically, the Platform offers a variety of practical peer-led trainings focused on personal development and financial sustainability. Engagement in this platform contributes to women becoming self-sufficient, active members of South African society.

WOMENS PLATFORM

Upon successful completion of the Personal Development Group, she will apply to attend a Sector Skills Training. Here, she will learn a sector-specific skill (Nail Technician, Hospitality, Sewing, Beading, or Childcare). Trainings vary for 6-13 week durations, with every training convening at least twice a week for a minimum of 8 hours/week.

Following the completion of the skills training, the woman will receive personalised support (Mentorship) where a member of the Women’s Platform staff assist her in implementing training learnings to either find employment or start her own enterprise. If the woman is identified as having an interest in pursuing entrepreneurship, she is invited to attend an intensive week long Small Business Skills Course where she can develop her business plan and strategies for operating a successful business in a South African setting. If necessary and sensible, small financial support, in the form of a Small Business Growth Grant can be offered to individual women to support the implementation of their business plan. Grant amounts vary between R500 – R5 000 per applicant. Recipients of the Small Business Growth Grant must commit to giving back to the Platform community of women through mentorship or peer facilitation.

In order to meet the holistic needs of the women, additional services are offered to complement the formal programme flow. The Women’s Health Clinic, administered by medical students at doctors at the University of Cape Town, occur 6 times a year. Women are able to attend the clinic, which takes place at the Scalabrini Centre and receive basic, preventive health care and subsequent referrals for more serious matters. The goal of the clinic is to assist women in accessing the health care that they may have been unable to due to the barriers that can exist for foreigners in South Africa. Typing and Excel Computer Courses are also offered for women to gain further technical skills and have an opportunity to become familiarized with computer systems.

Overview of ActivitesThe Women’s Platform is a community of women, who have the chance to come together through activities and a variety of trainings. At the core of the Women’s Platform are Platform Meetings, which take place every secondmonth. Platform Meetings allow all members to come together and celebrate individual and collective achievements and successes. These meetings operate as a space where women can motivate one another, network, and build a stable sense of community, allowing an increased sense of integration into Cape Town.

In order to fight isolation and create a welcoming space, Platform Meetings and Open Workshops are open to all women regardless of formal membership in the programme. Open workshops provide training in areas related to Health, Leadership, Preparing for Work, and Human Rights. Open Workshops are facilitated by members of the Platform or partner organizations from the community. Platform Meetings and Open Workshops are often times organized and facilitated by self-identified leaders, who make up the Outreach and Advisory Committee. This committee is comprised of 12 women, representing 5 different countries, who go through intensive leadership and community building training. During this training, they take on leadership roles within the Platform, such as facilitating open workshops and planning the Platform Events. The leaders also provide feedback to programme staff and operate as representatives of the Platform in their communities. When a woman registers to be a part of the Women’s Platform, and passes an English Assessment she first needs to attend a Personal Development Group. This is a one month course, totalling 22.5 hours and covers topics relating to: Communication Skills, Adjusting to Change (and life in South Africa), Integration to life in South Africa, Conflict Resolution, and Goal Setting.


Womens Platform Stats

147

individual women completed

the 4 month personal

development and financial

sustainability training course.

85 individuals attended an annual Women’s

Day celebration in August, which also

acted to connect organisational partners

and their offerings to individual members

24 Open Workshops in areas of health,

leadership, preparing for work, and

human rights were offered throughout

the year.

217 individual women received a minimum of one day training

once a month in areas of health education, human rights,

leadership, and preparing for work as a means to increase

their capacity and support their personal development.

13

women were trained

as peer facilitators

over the course of the

year.

116

women successfully completed

their skills sector training in

either beauty, sewing, beading,

childcare, or hospitality.

5 peer facilitators were recruited to

run trainings in the beading,

sewing, and childcare sectors, with

revised curriculum

3

entrepreneurs who had completed the peer-to-peer

trainings in sewing went on to complete the Small

Business Skills Course and subsequently received a

Small Business Growth Grant to boost their business..


HIGHLIGHTSThe Women’s Platform experienced a number of successes throughout the 2017 calendar year, including an influx of new members, an expansion and structuring of programme offerings, and an increased involvement of continuing members in leadership and peer-facilitator positions. Important programme achievements include:

Conversation ClubIn order to better serve all women who come to sign up for the Women’s Platform, we have formed an 8 week Conversation Club for women to come and practice their English. During the class, women learn to talk about themselves and their goals, while building relationships with each other and engaging in therapeutic activities to address their traumas. Women are then able to register for English School classes at a women’s only registration and receive bursaries to continue developing their English skills, which is imperative for them to integrate into South Africa and find financial stability.

Leadership GroupThe leadership group expanded to begin planning activities for the communities in which they live. 12 leaders met two times a month to gain deeper leadership skills and community development skills. Together, this group planned and facilitated open workshops and Platform events. They set the ground work to take on larger community development projects in 2018.

New PartnershipsThe initiation of new partnerships, including the Trauma Centre, Embodied Narrative Project, SHAWCO Health, and Desmond Tutu Centre, resulting in the development of specialised health workshops including access to HIV and TB testing, movement-based leadership training, and a women’s health day clinic which provided pap smears, blood pressure screenings, and other important health assessments. These partnerships emphasize the importance of addressing the holistic needs of women, and a shift in the Women’s Platform to address the psychosocial needs of women in South Africa through physical, mental, and emotional health services.

Sector TrainingThe sector trainings continued to expand and become more formalized, to ensure that the courses are of the highest quality. Each course now has a developed curriculum, including learner workbooks with in-depth information and activities. Peer facilitators engaged in deeper professional development including facilitation refresher skills and also took more ownership over the curriculum development of the sector trainings. Hospitality was added this year, meaning there are now 5 sector trainings offered to women throughout the year.

Micro-finance GrantsThe Women’s Platform began opening applications for micro-finance grants for members who successfully complete the Small Business Skills Training and want to start or boost their business. Three women received grants in 2017 after successfully presenting their business plans to a panel of four Women’s Platform staff members. The recipients were assisted with businesses in cooking, nails, and jewelry making. Recipients of these grants also receive business mentorship and support from the Platform.


Success storiesGloria Luabeya joined the Women’s Platform in 2017 looking for a community of women and a place to expand her childcare knowledge. After graduating from the Personal Development Course and then the Childcare Skill Sector Training, it was evident that Gloria had a natural talent for facilitation and connecting with individuals on a deeper level. Following completion of the course, the peer facilitator for childcare offered Gloria an internship at her crèche. Gloria now works on an ad hoc basis at the crèche, providing support when she is needed. In addition to this, Gloria attended the facilitation training so that she could strengthen her other passion - sharing knowledge to help other women grow and feel empowered. Gloria is passionate about working with women and sharing her experiences to help others. To this end, Gloria has been working closely with the team, both by attending facilitation training and connecting with individual staff members, to facilitate Open Workshops and the first ever peer-led Personal Development Course as well as facilitate the Childcare Skill Sector Training. Gloria epitomises taking advantage of opportunities offered by the network within the Women’s Platform, and has been accepted to participate in the 2018 iteration of the Outreach and Advisory Committee where she will continue growing as a strong leader in the Platform and her community.

Phionah Chamwaita joined the Women’s Platform in 2016 and was instrumental in providing feedback to guide the development of the programme. As an energetic and passionate leader, Phionah sought out every opportunity to learn and grow within the programme. She completed the computer literacy course and then went on to complete the internet literacy course. She joined the Leader’s Group and completed the facilitation workshop. While enrolled in the peer-to-peer beading workshop, Phionah facilitated the typing literacy course and two sessions of the peer-to-peer childcare workshop for a new cohort of women. She runs a successful crèche in her community, which she uses as a way to connect with other women. She is currently participating in the Platform’s small business skills workshop and is actively planning to launch her jewellery business. Phionah enthusiastically takes on leadership roles at the platform wide events by facilitating warm up activities and being a key speaker. The Women’s Platform is able to grow and maintain women-centred programming because of people like Phionah.

Plans for the New Financial YearThe Women’s Platform has been growing at an exciting rate, and we look forward to continuing to streamline our program process in order to maximize our ability to effectively assist beneficiaries. This includes utilizing the other programmes at the Scalabrini Centre and at other community organizations in order to refer women to the right programme for them. The Personal Development Course will become a space for women to also be mentored by facilitators for their next step, to ensure they are able to access what they need while utilizing the opportunity to the fullest potential. This includes women being identified during the course to go directly to the Small Business Skills Course or sponsored skills training through the Employment Access Program rather than going to the Women’s Platform Skills Sector Training.

In order to accommodate the high number of members in the Platform, Open Workshop offerings will increase to three times a month and will be open to all members of the Platform. The Platform also plans to expand its leadership to two groups, and offer more health clinic opportunities for women.

The Skills Sector Trainings will continue to develop and revise the course content in order to best serve the women. Part of this includes running more intensive facilitation trainings for current peer facilitators to help them grow their skills and ability to effectively transfer knowledge to a diverse audience. Gardening as a sector or offered training will be explored during the next year as well as a focus on environmental issues.

Most importantly, the Women’s Platform plans to continue drawing upon the lessons learned during 2017 to revise the Platform and implement the most impactful and responsive programme possible. Written by Jabulani Madlingozi | WP Sustainability Manager


IntroductionRefugees and migrants who lack English language skills face greater barriers in adjusting to life in South Africa, accessing social services, and securing employment. To address this need, we provide a specialised English language school to promote empowerment, integration, and student success. Our multinational clientele incorporates more than eight African countries, creating a diverse learning environment for over 1300 students a year.

• To provide specialised English language classes that are taught by a volunteer teaching staff.

• To facilitate informal learning opportunities for the enhancement of English language acquisition.

• To offer a specialised Literacy programme that develops critical reading and writing skills.

Ultimately, the English school seeks to improve English communication skills in order to facilitate socio-economic integration and well-being of asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and South Africans.

Overview of ActivitesIn 2017, the English School focused extensively on enhancing the quality of teaching and curriculum. The installation of technology in the classrooms facilitated the implementation of a new digital curriculum, and the consistency of volunteer teachers was greatly improved from 2016. The impact of these efforts was seen in increased student engagement, as each of the three terms’ retention rates soared to the highest in the school’s history. Over three terms, 50 English classes were offered. 8 classes continued to use the English in South Africa (ESA) curriculum, while the remaining classes each used a newly developed Digital Curriculum. We had over 50 volunteer teachers.

The English Alive programme enjoyed stability and continuity throughout 2016 – 2017. Student participation and engagement has stayed steady with a 43.7% female engagement average for the year.

The Literacy Programme experienced stability and the successful graduation of several continuing students at the beginning of the year, and then underwent a structural change to improve retention and success.

ENGLISH SCHOOL


English School Stats

TERM

1

ENGLISH SCHOOL

720

students completed

52%

48%

Female

Male

Courses Offered

students from 2016 continued

with Literacy classes. 3 students

were able to progress to

curricular classes.

4

TERM

2

new students register for Literacy

classes and 5 students carried on

attending 8

TERM

3

students continued with Literacy. 5

437

English school students

engaged

43.7%

56.3%

Female

Male

ENGLISH ALIVE

LITERACY

Volunteer

Teachers

50

OVER


All the students from Level 5 and upwards participated in a writing project which explored their journey to South Africa. 40 biographies were then chosen and collated into a book titled “In my Shoes”. This book presents the incredible life stories of those who have travelled from countries such as Somalia, Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi to make a home in the Mother City.

In My Shoes is a reflection on their dreams, desperation and lessons learnt from migration.This book comes at an important time: misperception around migrants and refugees can lead to resentment and even violence. In a country where xenophobia flares up on a regular basis, listening to ‘the other’ has never been so important for preserving our future peace. Planned changes to the refugee sys-tem also indicate an increasingly restrictive space for South Africa’s refugees.

At this watershed moment for migrants and refugees in South Africa, In My Shoes reminds us of our common humanity, and the unique tales behind migration

HIGHLIGHTSA two day personal development workshop was held in October for all English School staff, volunteers, facilitators and tutors. 14 people including staff successfully completed the 2 day workshop.

The workshop known as Transformational Teaching Training included training on inclusion & diversity teaching, conflict resolution and integration. The workshop was developed using the Women’s Platform personal development training module and tailoring it to the needs of the English School.

The Transformational Teaching Training was extremely successful and the programme will continue to offer it at the beginning of each term as part of our volunteer training. The programme also plans to tailor the workshop to all English School students, including it in the curriculum moving forward.

Book Project: In My Shoes

Transformational Teaching Training


Success storiesMampanya Kennedy started at English School in level 1C and progressed through the various levels of English school until completing Intermediate English. Upon completion Mampanya was able to access the Employment access programme to have qualifications verified through SAQA. Mampanya is now hired as a nurse.

Veronica Mario Ecolelo joined English school in the Intermediate class. She then progressed to upper intermediate and participated in the Body Mapping class, Transformational Teaching practice training and by the end of 2017 she had become a peer tutor in English for learners with a lower English ability. Veronica has now become an assistant teacher in the English School.

Plans for the New Financial YearIn 2018, the English School will continue with a streamlined approach to delivering a quality specifically designed curriculum. Courses will still be offered over 12 week however they will now be split into an intensive and academic 6 week language course. The 3 themes that will be used over the 6 weeks will be Myself, Living in Cape Town and Citizenship, each unit will have two lessons. The following 6 weeks will focus on the practical application and skills development around the themes of Personal development, Occupations and knowing your rights, included in these there will be activities such as extra reading and writing, drama and debating.

The Literacy programme will hopefully continue to grow from strength to strength and with its close monitoring system will ensure greater success in the future.

Tutoring for 2018, will become a peer to peer process, whereby students will begin to take ‘ownership’ and responsibility for their additional learning. The English School will provide students with a list of students who have offered to give tutoring opportunities, the onus will then be on them to contact and arrange their tutoring sessions.

Projects for 2018 will included another World Café, the Book Project, Language classes for staff and students and a Dramatic Production. Research will continue into 2018, the main topics being on gender as well as the use of technology in Language learning.

Written by Kate Body | English School Manager


IntroductionWorking with high school students, UNITE is a leadership and peer mentorship initiative that aims to build social cohesion and transformation in South African society.

The UNITE programme provokes a deep exploration into the themes of identity, integration, and diversity which aims to promote activism and critical thought in youth. Learners in Grades 8, 9, 10 and 11 participate in discussions, debates and workshops encouraging them to think critically about their contribution to communities and effective ways to enact change. Learners then take responsibility to engage with their school educators to identify key problem areas within their schools and discuss viable solutions.

Unite As One underwent a complete change at the end of 2016 and was relaunched as the UNITE programme at the start of 2017. The programme’s structure and curriculum were changed to better align to current societal issues. It was changed to provide a space for, encourage, and allow necessary conversations surrounding these issues to be held with youth living in South Africa. UNITE has been condensed to emphasise the three focal themes of identity, integration, and diversity.

These themes promote individual initiative and personal responsibility, unity and collaboration within the learner collective, as well as encourages the acceptance of others as well as a sense of social responsibility, encouraging learners to enact and promote positive change. The programme is split into two sectors which allows us to not just help educate and facilitate according to these themes but empower through peer education, and mentorship.

UNITE

The UNITE ICC attend a series of 20 workshops held at the Scalabrini Centre which introduce the members to the programme’s focal themes. Each workshop is designed to provoke critical thinking and allow options and ideas to be challenged and reframed. The aim of each workshop is to create a platform for conversation and to empower the youth in attendance to be able to convey each topic and its resulting outcomes to the UNITE as One Club members at school the following week. The UNITE ICC become peer educators and help educate, encourage and motivate their peers to challenge their thinking so that positive and impactful change can occur.

In addition to the UNITE as One Club and ICC workshops, UNITE hosts two leaderships camps, three 2-day holiday clubs, and three special events which coincide with prominent South African holidays.

There have been many noteworthy occurrences within the UNITE programme this year. We are incredibly proud of the programme, the growth it has seen, and the impact is has made this year. A few of our highlights include our; Human Rights Day Event, interschool’s debate, and second leadership camp.

Overview of ActivitesThe UNITE as One Club is an extra-curricular series of workshops run in four Western Cape Schools. We have partnered with Heideveld Senior Secondary School, Zonnebloem NEST Senior School, Vista High School, and Sea Point High School. The UNITE as One Club meets in each school for a series of 20 workshops run from January through September each year. The workshops taking place in term one from January through March focus on the theme of identity; the workshops taking place in term two from April through June focus on the theme of integration; and the workshops taking place in term three from July through September focus on the theme of diversity. Each workshop is led by a group of leadership students part of the UNITE ICC who are assisted by the UNITE facilitators; this allows peer education and mentorship to occur creating empowerment and positive behaviour, leadership, and activism.

The UNITE ICC are select students from each UNITE as One Club who have shown high levels of attendance, participation, peer motivation and leaderships skills. We aim to have 10 students from each of our four partner schools represented in the UNITE ICC, but have come to realise that putting a limit on each schools number of represented youth doesn’t allow for as great a growth to occur as we are limiting the number of those able to access the second sphere of the UNITE programme. We are allowing there to be more, or even less than 10 youth represented per school depending on their commitment and dedication with regards to the selection criteria.


UNITE Stats

Gender

66

CLUB MEMBERS (INACTIVE)

ICC MEMBERS

40

PEER MENTORS

5

CLUB MEMBERS (ACTIVE)

175

220

Y O U T H

Male

35%

Female

65%

Active Members

Inactive Members

Male

40%

Female

60%

CLUB MEMBERS (ACTIVE)

ICC MEMBERS

DIVERSITY Cultural

Racial

Gender

IDENTITY Stereotypes

Prejudice

Privilige

INTEGRATION

Liberation

Equality

Equity

Themes and Topics Covered


Human Rights Day event

The UNITE Human Rights Day Event took place on 25 March 2017. It was a morning full of dance, drama, and song with special note being made of the song the UNITE youth wrote, recorded and performed at the event. In collaboration with Big House Recording Studios our youth wrote the lyrics to a song they called ‘Humanity’. The song speaks to the responsibility the youth of today have to rise up, to be the ones fighting for change and acceptance, and ultimately treating every person with love. They performed it at the event and used it as their theme song for the year, reminding them of what they are striving for and working towards.

Interschool’s Debate

Whilst we were focussing on the theme of integration we held an interschool’s debate on the topic of; ‘refugee camps should be set up on South African borders.’ The UNITE youth debated for and against, presenting well researched arguments. We were most proud of the fact that once the official debate had concluded the youth continued to talk about the topic and explored how decisions, both positive and negative can have long lasting and compounding effects.

Partnership with AFRA Foundation

UNITE partnered with the AFRA Foundation to host a career day in August. This will be an ongoing partnership specifically for the older grade 10 and 11 UNITE ICC members as well as grade 12 peer mentors exploring creative and career opportunities available to them.

Second Leadership Camp

Our second leadership camp for 2017 held in July was a great win for UNITE. We took 45 youth away for a weekend of team building activities and discussions focussing on leadership. We were commended by the camp organisers and facilitators for the excellent manners and behaviour of our youth. They showed great participation and enthusiasm to all they learnt and we were proud of the growth of every UNITE learner showed from camp one in January to this camp as well as over the weekend.

HIGHLIGHTS2017 was a trial year for the UNITE programme. Our change instructure and curriculum were great developments which allowed the programme to evolve well this year. We feel the restructuring of the programme was a great success which is echoed by the great and vast achievements of the UNITE youth in 2017.

Peer Mentorship Programme

The UNITE programme launched a third sphere to the project in the form of our peer mentorship programme. This is a programme for our Grade 12 learners who are no longer an active part of the programme, to remain involved on a higher leadership level assisting with the facilitation of the ICC workshops.


Success storiesSonwabiso was part of the UNITE programme when I started at the end of 2016. In 2017 he started his Matric year and became a UNITE Peer Mentor. He was a great leader and example to the UNITE youth. He Matriculated at the end of 2017 and is now in our BASP programme.

Ivan is currently a member of the UNITE ICC and is doing Grade 10 at Vista High School. When he joined the programme at the beginning of 2017 he was incredibly shy. He has grown so much and is now one of the leading members of the Vista ICC, he competes in Debating and appeared on the youth driven show Hectic Nine 9 speaking about youth leadership and independence.

Plans for the New Financial YearThe UNITE team are excited for the up and coming year. We feel the chang-es made to the programme in 2017 have allowed the programme to ‘find its legs’ and we are excited to continue with the current adopted structure and curriculum. A focus for 2018 is the inclusion of more males in the UNITE ICC as the leadership group was 70%+ female for 2018.

Written by Jade Bell |UNITE Programme Manager


IntroductionLawrence House continues to be the only residential facility in the Western Cape and beyond, specialising in working with foreign children irrespective of their legal status as documented or undocumented unaccompanied migrant children or separated refugee children. Our philosophy of welcoming ‘the other’ is the underlying principle on which our programmes are built.

It is our experience with migrant and refugee communities that allows us to provide an alternative and adequate place of safety for these children and youth. More specifically, our understanding of the individual, yet common experience of displacement, abandonment, and exclusion, and the impact of traumatic experience especially on their distorted attachments, enables us to identify the most appropriate pathway to overcome their trauma, modify their behaviours and work towards mastering their life transitions.

Our legal expertise and our strong ongoing collaboration with the Scalabrini Centre advocacy team, ensures that all possible steps are taken to explore family reunification (including tracing in the countries of origin) as well as to legalise the stay of the young person in South Africa. Given the growing number of foreign children and youth placed at Lawrence House without any identification document and hence no immigration status, the above knowledge becomes a crucial component of a holistic care approach.

LAWRENCE HOUSE

How to repair the pain of an absent or abusive parent? How to enable a sense of identity in someone who does not know his or her place of birth, or their father’s name? How to welcome someone knowing that there is no avenue to legalise his or her stay in South Africa and that an expiry date is looming on their sense of safety and life at Lawrence House?

In order to find activities to work toward both these goals we also needed to complete the transformation process as far as our care methodology was concerned. This was our third goal. Lawrence House found in facilitator Mike Abrams the ideal person to guide us to find our vision and mission which would inform all our future steps, and Des van Niekerk was perfect in assisting us in supporting the process of transforming the young people of Lawrence House into the leaders of their own lives. Through these interventions our entire team became proficient in the dance of change and learnt when to walk in front, next to or behind the young person we are accompanying on his or her journey to adulthood and independence.

Overview of ActivitesOur general goal for 2017 was to redefine the way we - the children, youth and staff – work and live together. Management and staff identified three main objectives.

Number one was to find ways for greater youth involvement and participation both in the running of the home and in their own care. We had to start by shifting the power to the young people, yet how to make young people receptive of that power and have them take it even further to actually exercising it? This was the nut we had to crack.

The second goal was to find a programmatic response to a problem that had become clearer year after year: a fractured or absent sense of belonging. The most used assessment framework in child and youth care centres is the so-called circle of courage, which considers the sense of belonging, mastery, independence and generosity of a person. While we feel confident when it comes to positively changing mastery, independence and generosity, we knew we had not yet truly tackled belonging.


Lawrence House Stats

and left the home upon

completing their secondary

schooling

3

Matriculated

4

It gives us hope that the

services and the support

provided to the families of

children placed at Lawrence

House can have a positive

impact and shorten the stay in

alternative care.

cases of family reunificationconcluded.

Countries of Origin

Lawrence House Insights

An increase in the level and

complexity of the trauma

and/or abuse experienced

by the young person upon

entering the care system

higher incidence

of undocumented

children

an increase in

very broken family

relationships

Compared to the previous years we are continuously witnessing anincrease in these three key areas

Girls

15

Boys

13 7

children and youth were

admitted throughout the year

will stillremain incare in2018

21

children andyouth lived atLawrenceHouse in 2017

28

- Angola

- Burundi - Congo

- DRC - Rwanda

- Somalia - South Africa

- Zambia


Transformation process – phase I completed

Change needs time, but also courage, willingness and determination – that has been our experience at Lawrence House since we first contracted youth development worker Mike Abrams to facilitate a personal growth and professional development process for our team at Lawrence House, that is our six child and youth care workers, our social worker and manager. Little did we know how far reaching this process would be…

Over a period of 18 months staff had monthly sessions with Mike, which then continued as a dedicated reflective space for the team. Focussing initially on establishing truer connections and deeper understanding of each other (focus of 2016), 2017 was about how this could now translate into a different child care practice which should be more effective when working with traumatised children and youth.

Key concept number one: experiential learning. We learnt that the core problem was around the youth’s experience of being powerless and disempowered, and once we realised how our decisions and interactions are perceived by the children and youth, we challenged ourselves to let go of wanting to be in control and protect the young people from negative experiences. True learning takes place through experiencing not by listening, we needed to let the young people take their decisions and experience the outcomes. Mastering the dance of change allows for experiential learning moments to be constructive and not harmful.

Key concept number two: emotional release. If your circle of courage is distorted, your ability to process emotions is hampered and you become unable to express what you feel until you explode. The consistent provision of opportunities for emotional release (in the form of ad hoc or planned activities or therapeutic interventions) can prevent young people from getting to boiling point and also provides an enabling environment in which young people are capable of working on themselves, their behaviours and emotional responses.

Key concept number three: don’t get hooked! If we allow ourselves to get hooked in the young person’s emotions we will also offer an emotional, impulsive response. A truly child centred approach translates into the ability of not making the young person’s emotion your own, and not making the youth’s emotional response personal. It’s not about what I as adult caregiver think or feel, but it is about using the interaction with the young person as an opportunity for reflection and for him or her to become more balanced and resilient.

The final step consisted in embracing these methodologies and tools and blending them into the overall Lawrence House container of values and principles to produce our in house developmental care methodology, embedded in our team vision and mission. A final exercise produced this sentence: Intentional road mapping leads to new understandings of diversified processes coupled with better communication, higher participation and effective consistency. Our new way forward: phase II - implementation.

HIGHLIGHTSProgrammes – Eureka! It’s not just a stock cube (or why belonging matters)

We have come to learn that the major challenges for a successful transition to adulthood and independent living are linked to the young person’s fractured or absent sense of belonging and unresolved attachment issues dating back to the earliest stages in life. The current mental health problems (PTSD, depression, anxiety disorder, etc.) that these young people face are at least partially linked to their experience of loss and non-belonging, and this personal experience is amplified by the, at times, difficult integration process and the experience of rejection and exclusion reinforced within South African Society. This influence impacts the young person’s capacity to build a positive concept of self and to sustain supportive relationships. How to build an empowered self-awareness and self-confidence and allow young people to recognise the forms of knowledge and identities that exist within them? How to assist them in locating a relationship between the past and the present people and to imagine new connections between the personal and the collective?

It became obvious to us that unless we develop a programme which would implement our newly gained in-sights and methodological learnings, we would fail the young people in care despite having well-established and well-running programmes, be these educational, recreational, therapeutic, etc.

Two events impacted tremendously on the programme development process – firstly we met and connected with a British doctoral researcher, Thea Shahrokh, who is exploring the topic of young people, migration, identity and belonging. Her knowledge of the theoretical groundings pertaining to the concept of belonging in foreign youth and the terminology that comes with it, allowed Lawrence House to articulate what we believe the challenge consists of and what needs to addressed and how.

Another turning point was a request brought forward by Mamelani on behalf of the child and youth care sector, for Lawrence House to share best practices on working with foreign youth; other institutions seemed to be running at times into difficulties and there is an impression that Lawrence House is applying a different approach. This made us aware of the immense knowledge we have accumulated over the years and how we used it to shape a specific approach to foreign youth: for example we understand how young people dread the trip to the Refugee Reception Office, how the experience of being at somebody else’s mercy or seeing their parents powerless stays with them, and we know that the truth of children and young persons in care is layered and that only a consistent care approach will build in time the trust for the next layer of truth to be shared. And we understand and respect that when cooking pondu (Cassava leaves) a young person from the DRC will want to use a Maggi seasoning cube, not just any stock cube readily available at Lawrence House. It is not just a stock cube… it is in fact the stock cube their mother, grandmother, older sister used back home!

If we, as adults who provide care for these young people, have the ability to identify their ‘Maggi cube’, that one thing that represents a continuum of what is familiar to them from their life prior to the rupture, then we have truly embraced the understanding of a child-centred approach and we can encourage and foster the person’s need to build a new sense of belonging while preserving memories of their roots.

Surfacing our practice and tapping into theoretical knowledge helped us build a process we look forward to im-plement next year. We have identified creativity as one of the central tools. Whether experienced through spoken word, dancing, painting or narration, creative works can make us look at the world in different ways. Hence the development of a programme of creative expression to explore how creativity can foster new ways of being and belonging for young people as they build their present and future lives. Central will be also the continuation of the group work process, inclusive of a Wilderness intervention; healing based interventions need to accompany the creative works to allow youth to process the various inputs and make sense of themselves, their behaviours and emotions. The provision of this safe space will operate as overall container for all project-related interventions.


Success storyWe have learnt how crucial it is to celebrate our successes and to mark important moments and achievements. 2017 has offered a lot in that regard but maybe the most important success story to tell, is that we have learnt to see what we can do for young people and how a simple gesture of welcoming can represent the first fundamental step towards changing a young person’s life.

Patrice, a young man leaving Lawrence House this year, put it like this:Success is the status of having achieved and accomplished an aim or objective. How do we define success in life? […] Some might define success as attaining provisional or national colours, winning at all cost, as well as ensuring that they are the best in a specific field. […] I hereby encourage you to let your success be measured by the infinite number of relationships and connections you have with the people around you. And what a better place to start than reflecting over the past successful years in Lawrence House. […]

The journey started just like that of many other children here. It began when I was about seven with my brother. At first things were all so foreign and terrifying. I recall waiting nervously to be escorted to the room which my brother and I would be sharing. What stood out was not the venue but the simple gesture from Lawrence House staff more specifically Romina and Matteo, of offering us something to eat and comfort as we patiently waited in the corridors while admiring the framed pictures of all the children. That hospitality resonates with me and was the first of many kindnesses shown by Lawrence House towards me. Lawrence House has been my stable rock foundation on which I have been fortunate to build my future on. […]

From a young age I had always been a passionate student but was initially challenged linguistically due to growing up in the DRC. With hard work and perseverance I learnt English in order to improve academically and socially too. So by the time I was enrolled in Westerford via Students for a Better Future through help of Lawrence House I was quite confident with my articulation as a result of the well programmed study times and motivation. The house also prepared me to be able to cope in High School and helped me extend my network and family. […]

All these achievements and many others would not have been possible without the constant support of Lawrence House which includes all those who gladly sacrificed their days and nights to support us. My extended gratitude goes to the management staff for their efficiency and successful facilitation of the house. Furthermore, my gratitude goes to the children. The staff for their generosity and kindness in being the backbone of our family and community. The best gift in life is not the things we can buy in the store but the memories we make with the people we love. Whilst staying together we have created tremendous relationships and friendships with the fellow children and members of our community enabling us to positively contribute to the emotional and physical wellbeing of each other. Buttoned up in the intensive practices and hard work, lessons of respect, love and pride have been learnt.

Plans for the New Financial YearWith 2017 a central chapter in the Lawrence House history is coming to an end. When Lawrence House opened its doors back in April 2005, it was for a very special group of children who was living at the Ark, a shelter in the Mfuleni area. The conditions in which these children were living back then and their denied access to social services was what prompted the Scalabrini Fathers to find a durable solution. With December 2017 the last of the ‘Ark children’ has grown into an adult and is now stepping out into the world. With this young woman’s exit we close this chapter but we also remember all those young adults today, spread throughout the world with whom we started the Lawrence House journey.

2017 has been a great year – not because everything went smoothly and there were no challenges, but because we have learnt and absorbed the tools and built a spirit of support amongst staff which makes us ready to deal with the challenges and unresolved issues that await us. Hence we are eager to embark on next year’s journey which is pre-senting itself as a truly extraordinary one.

We have spoken a lot about transformation and the second phase we are looking forward to implement in the new year: ”This is me” is a multifaceted process which Lawrence House will pilot in 2018 that aims at fostering a (new) sense of self in foreign youth living at Lawrence House by guiding the participants on self-discovery journeys to revive their cultural roots, define new ways of belonging and discover and own their identity and life story.

Starting the New Year with a clearly laid out roadmap brings about excitement and motivation in all of us. While one can never stop learning, adapting and shifting, we do believe at the same time that we will reap some fruits next year – with our redefined approach and the processes already planned and piloted we are certain we will be stirring up a lot but we are ready to work with the ‘mess’ and ‘clean up the mess’, confident that we will be healing and restoring young people’s lives. Written by Giulia Treves | Lawrence House Manager


Annual Financial StatementFOR THE YEAR ENDED 28 FEBRUARY 2018

2018(R)

2017(R)

Total Income 10,245,633 9,014,457

Revenue

Facility Hire 82,305 310,537

Training income 381,118 299,410

Boarding and lodging income 626,050 641,924

Commission received - 1,317

Other Income

ASCS Scalabrini 403,541 854,701

Anglo Amerian Chairman’s Fund 300,000 318,318

BASP 864,438 -

Department of Social Development 1,070,975 1,027,895

Development Bank of South Africa 30,000 60,000

HCI Foundation 115,000 45,000

Holy Childhood / Lentern Appeal 177,500 106,720

Holy Childhood / Lentern Appeal 600,000 -

Interest received 21,528 26,054

NLDTF (National Lottery) 549,434 360,890

Private donors 1,990,807 2,1J0,J94

US Depatment of State 3,032,937 2,751,290

Expenses (refer to adjacent table for breakdown) (9,591,081) (8,396,616)

Operating surplus 654,552 617,841

Finance: costs (131) (139)

Surplus before taxation 654,421 617,702

Taxation (1,957) (35,413)

Surplus for the year 652,464 582,289

2018(R)

2017(R)

Operating Expenses (9,591,081) (8,396,616)

Advertising (13,293) -

Audit and accounting fees (80,014) (90,950)

Bank charges (44,022) (44,218)

Computer expenses (196,645) (121,514)

Consulting and professional fees (11,332) (59,565)

Consumables (200) (131)

Delivery expenses (500) -

Depreciation (185,669) (158,804)

Development running costs (1,329,190) (1,128,264)

Donations paid (3,921) (7,529)

Emplyee costs (5,980,805) (4,913,677)

Gifts (7,032) (350)

Guest House Expenses (110,415) (105,657)

Hire (733) (24,287)

Insurance (54,573) (44,171)

Lawrence House running costs (584,585) (528,961)

Legal expenses (8,911) -

Loss on sale assests (3,438) (7,524)

Motor Vehicle Expenses (18,644) (19,616)

Postage (1,347) (519)

Printing and Stationary (123,806) (139,925)

Provisions (44,518) (34,385)

Repars and Maintenance (95,487) (135,727)

Staff training and volunteers (8,453) (11,000)

Telephone and fax (107,879) (147,201)

Transport and freight (56,261) (166,436)

Utilities (281,500) (275,487)

Volunteers expenses (6,000) -

Welfare project costs (231,906) (230,718)

Detailed Income Statement Expenses Breakdown



Thanks and acknowledgements


Board of DirectorsGerardo Garcia (Chair)

Franco VignaziaJamala SafariDulce Pereira

Alessandro FestorazziPeter John Pearson

DonorsDepartment of Social Development, HCI Foundation,

Lenten Appeal, Anglo American Chairman’s Fund, US State Department: Population, Refugees and Migrants,

Podlushku Trust, Millennium Trust

Funding Provided by the United States Department

The work at The Scalabrini Centre would not be possible without the support and dedication of our board of

trustees, the donors and volunteers.

History in its broadest aspect is a record of man’s migrationsfrom one environment to another. - Ellsworth Huntington


The centre is registered with the South African Department of Social Development as a non-profit organisation (021-079 NPO), as a youth and child care centre (C6887) and as a Public Benefit Organisation with the South African Revenue Services (930012808) and governed by a Trust (IT2746/2006). Auditors: CAP Chartered Accountants.

47 Commercial Street, Cape Town 8001 | Tel: + 27 (0) 21 465 6433 | Fax: + 27 (0) 21 465 6317 | www.scalabrini.org.za

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ANNUAL REPORT 2017 - Scalabrini · 2019-05-28 · • To advance positive systemic change in South African society and immigration and asylum systems. The Advocacy Programme began

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