Proseed, our youth programme, has continued providing necessary support and opportunities to young people as they make the transition from Child and Youth Care Centres at 18. It has been really exciting to watch the new group of young people as they enter more fully into the programme and witnessing how at home some of the new participants already feel when they pop into the office! Young people who have been in the programme for a longer time are making real shifts in their lives and are engaging in different ways with new youth who are just starting their journey with us – it is wonderful to see! Below are but a few Proseed highlights from 2017…
The Amazing Race was really amazing! What made it special was that alongside the youth teams, we also included a team of child and youth care workers. Young people from previous years were also involved in the planning and facilitation of the day. This is important for forging new relationships and creating opportunities for young people to play a leadership role in the programme. Including the child and youth care workers also strengthened connections between youth and the staff who work with them at the Centres.
The NACCW conference in Kimberley was a major highlight! The theme for this year’s conference was taking child and youth care work into a new era – and Mamelani’s pioneering spirit was able to shine. We were excited to see child and youth care workers who we have worked with share their work with others, and for the first time, take the lead and present on this kind of platform. Alongside social workers and child and youth care workers, the Mamelani facilitators held a powerful panel discussion exploring the work we do from different perspectives.
The group of new youth participants, alongside the alumni group took part in the Impi challenge! These superheroes completed a 10km muddy trail race with 18 obstacles in between. The day offered the young people the opportunity to support each other in overcoming some real obstacles. How wonderful – to be young, gifted and fit!
This year has been the year of storytelling. We had two storytelling events this year, the first with staff members sharing their stories with the broader Mamelani community. The second event with youth taking to the storytelling stage and sharing their own life stories! The youth told stories about their challenges, their triumphs, stories of pain and joy, and of relationships built and moments shared. These stories are currently being compiled into a book – watch this space!
