Community Learning and Development
The vulnerability of communities is aggravated by a lack of knowledge and understanding about how to cope with their own lives or the circumstances of those in their care.
Poor levels of education, high levels of illiteracy and a lack of skills are a common phenomenon in townships. By enabling communities through information and life skills, we aim to facilitate broader and more sustainable community social development.
The primary agents of change in communities are caregivers who include foster parents, siblings and relatives, guardians, teachers, neighbours and grandparents. Our ambition is to enhance caregivers’ knowledge, understanding and life skills to manage the beneficiaries in their care.
Ikamva Labantu’s programmes focus on coaching, training, building awareness, sharing information and monitoring progress:
- Teachers receive training in teaching methods
- Teachers and foster parents gain skills in psycho-social support for the children in their care
- Foster parents learn how to manage detrimental or risky behaviour in teenagers
- Parents learn how to raise teenagers in crime-ridden neighbourhoods
- Parents and foster parents learn how to help children struggling at school
- Families learn to care for their frail and ailing elderly
- Youth gain life skills to get ahead and find job opportunities
- Senior citizens learn and understand their rights under the Older Persons Act
- Children learn and understand their rights under the Child Protection Act
- Families are trained to manage hygiene and hazards in the home
- Community forums learn sound governing practices and offer value for their members