Post on 05-Jan-2016
AIDS 2012 - Turning the Tide Together
Strengthening the Social Service Workforce
in South AfricaZeni Thumbadoo, National Association of Child Care
Workers, South Africa
INTERNATIONAL AIDS SOCIETY CONFERENCE 2012
PEPFAR/USAID Support
Support for strengthening the Social Service in Africa
– Country-specific Technical Assistance– Global Initiatives
• Social Welfare Workforce Strengthening Conference• The Global Social Service Workforce Strengthening Alliance
Support for strengthening the Social Service Workforce in South Africa
– Facilitating advocacy by non-governmental partners– Training & capacity building for the workforce– Piloting innovative models– Supporting implementation
The South African Context
Legislation– The Children’s Act– The Social Service Professions
Act
Other Factors– Need for a children’s
workforce – The Child and Youth Care Worker
The National Association of Child Care Workers, South Africa
Objectives– Planning for, developing and supporting Child and Youth
Care Workers (C&YCWs)– Training, advocacy, policy development, conferences,
journals, services, international liaison, model development
The role of the Child and Youth Care Worker in the Workforce
– C&YCWs operate in different settings-residential care, communities and families work, schools, courts (intermediaries, assistance probation officers)
– C&YCWs in the HIV/AIDS pandemic response
The Isibindi Model
C&YCWs support children in the epidemic in rural communities and families– Focus: poverty pockets, unemployment, women– Focus: skills development, training, career
pathing– Focus: recognition and professionalization– Focus: grassroots development – a developing
workforce in a developing countryApproximately 800 C&YCWs currently provide services to over to 100 000 children
C&YCW Services providedwithin the Isibindi Model
C&YCWs support OVC families by:
–Working in their lifespace
– Using daily life events developmentally and therapeutically
–Working ‘in the moment’
Partnership with the South African Ministry of Social Development
Isibindi Scale up Strategy– Increased job creation
• The Ministry will hire 10 000 C&YCWs by 2017 ( 5 years)
– Increased service delivery• The Ministry will support a total of 400 Isibindi projects and
services to 1,4 million children
– More effective implementation of legislation• Services are aligned with SA and international children’s
policy/legislation
– Stronger coordination and sustainability within the workforce • C&YCWs will be integrated and institutionalized within the public
workforce in SA
The Isibindi Scale-up
PEPFAR/USAID Support assists with:–Maintaining
quality– Promoting
stakeholder collaboration
– Evaluation–Ongoing
innovation– Planning for
the future
Partnerships to support expansion of C&YCW cadre in Africa
• NACCW conferences – Africa Day programs • 15 different countries
• Isibindi and C&YCW training • Zambia (ZACCW)• Zimbabwe• Rwanda (pending)
• Visits and discussions • Botswana• Kenya• Ethiopia
Thank you!• For further information– Isibindi Project
http://www.naccw.org.za/isibindi/index.html – National Association of Child Care Workers
http://www.naccw.org.za/ – OVCSupport.net/Social Welfare Workforce
Strengthening http://www.ovcsupport.net/s/index.php?c=114