Youth development programme

The Institute of Healing Memories is undoubtedly making a positive impact on the lives of youth -- both in the city and in the rural townships.

The youth are affirmed via the institute's positive and holistic approach to post-apartheid community (re)building, healing, and development; they participate in art workshops during which they can explore their histories, share their experiences with trauma and/or hardships (as many of the youth are dealing with a wide range of social issues), go on day trips to cultural preserves in order to learn more about their histories, and participate in the planning and execution of a bi-annual festival of over 300 youth. Needless to say, the team that implements the programs being funded by GlobalGiving is doing incredible work. 

On the morning of the visit, Charl picked me up and took me to the center's headquarters, which is just north of Cape Town. Their building is located in a nice neighborhood, surrounded by enough nature to make you feel as though you may be entering a resort. But inside, their space is practical; offices for staff (including the founder who I met briefly), meetings and conferences, including a few of the youth workshops. The staff had cleared their schedule for the morning, so I spent about an hour speaking with the youth facilitators -- Charl, Sandile, Babalwl, and Liso -- and learning more about their various programs: Youth Art Development, Day Trips, School Diversity Programs, and Community Outreach (in the townships).

After our chat -- and a sunny photo shoot outside in their gardens -- I accompanied them to a school workshop where I spoke with a teacher who had never had his class participate but spoke highly of their program. He remarked, "The learners are taught what to think, not how. Their workshops are interactive. The learners like that." In an exercise intended to drive home the idea of empathy, identity, and humanity, the students were split into three groups, and given large white posterboard on which they were to trace with a pen the outline of a human (one of the students!) After tracing the human outline, they each wrote in words that they believed "made us human." I didn't get to stay till the end to see the finished product, but it was clear that the students were enjoying the exercise when I left.

The spirit in the room was infectious, and I could understand better the comments from the youth leaders about why they love what they do: 

"You never expect what you hear from youth. They speak their mind. They say what is there."

"[Our workshops] give people a platform to speak, meet young people from different townships. Even if they don't always speak the same language. They understand and support each other."

"They come to rely on you. They tell you things. It is hard to listen sometimes, because they go through things. But where else will they go?"

The youth development programs of the Institute for Healing Memories is absolutely making a positive impact on the lives of marginalized youth in Cape Town. Check out the fun pictures I took from the visit!

Institute for the Healing of Memories

Restoring Humanity project 2012

Activities for January – March 2012

Planning

Most of January and February was spent recruiting and mobilising new areas to join the project and putting in place
the plans for the rest of the year. After some difficulties we now have a group of youth from Bishop Lavis participating. Numerous meetings have taken place with the Principal of Inkwenkwezi High School in Du Noon to get them on Board. We will know in the second school term if they are on board. 

Meetings were scheduled in all communities with participating youth and new recruits attending to share plans
for RH this year and share the values and code of conduct of the project.

The Restoring Humanity project is thus scheduled for implementation in Athlone, Atlanits, Bishop Lavis (and Elsies
River), De Noon, Mamre and Masiphumelele. We have also started the process of visiting schools to implement a RH schools project. 15 schools have so far been visited. 

Recruitment
and development of youth facilitators

Eleven new youth facilitators have been recruited to the project. A youth facilitators training took place at the Lutheran Centre on 16 – 17^th February 2012. The training was used to introduce the organisation and the project to the new recruits. Develop the content of the Africa Unite schools workshops, and assess the skills level of the participants.

With more training and practice the majority of the participants have the potential to become competent youth
facilitators.  Regular meetings are scheduled with facilitators to prepare them for project implementation. Individual
facilitators have also been brought in to assist with some of the logistical tasks related to the newsletter, Human Rights day programme and the Holiday programme.

Africa Unite – schools project

The IHOM in partnership with Scalibrini Centre will be conducting three workshops in twelve schools on
cultural diversity as part of the Africa Unite campaign. The identified schools are:

• 
  Robinvale Sen Sec
  and  Proteus in Atlantis
• 
  Portland High
  in  Mitchells Plain
• 
  Bishop Lavis High
  in Bishop Lavis
• 
  Inkwenkwezi in
  DuNoon
• 
  Thembelihle in
  Khayelitsha
• 
  Masphumele High in
  Masiphumelele
• 
  Langa High in Langa
• 
  Spes Bona in
  Athlone
  • 
    Excelsior High in
    Belhar

This is a six month project from March – August 2012. We have also conducted a workshop for the peace ambassadors as part of the project on Monday 26 March at the Scalabrini Centre.

Non Racialism Forum

The Strategic Planning workshop to discuss a co-ordinated strategy among organisations who work with youth and
children took place on 21 – 22 February 2012 at the Children Resource Centre.  Attached find the report of the
workshop, a second meeting has taken place and implementation is taking place in the very day work of the organisations. The District 6 Museum and the Khoi movement have also joined the project. Work is also being done in Gauteng.

Human Rights Day Celebration

The activity bringing the different communities together took place on 21 March Human Rights Day at the District 6
Homecoming Centre in Cape Town. The more than 70  participants come from Athlone, Atlantis, Khayelitsha, Mamre and Masiphumelele. (programme attached). The programme dealt with Human Rights and Human responsibility. Fr. Michael very briefly spoke to the young people. The feedback has been very positive.

Holiday programme – Focus on Cultural diversity.

During the first week of the Easter school holiday we run a 3 day programme at the Ibuyambu Cultural Centre in Cape Town. This was done in partnership with YARD (Youth Art Development) Co-op. Over the three days we had an average of 80 young people attend per day. They came from Athlone, Atlantis, Khayelitsha, Mamre, Masiphumelele and Bishop Lavis. Issues discussed included, our common humanity and diversity,
stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination and how to build solidarity. Participants also attend workshops on creative writing, cartoon drawing and photography. It is important to note that more than 80% of the participants attended all three days. (programme attached)

Youth Newsletter

The second youth newsletter was completed the second week in March. 300 copies were printed, most has already
been distributed and we are in process to have additional copies printed.  A youth editorial team has been established and will be meeting in the coming weeks. The 3^rd newsletter is scheduled for end of May 2012.

• RH_JanMarch_report.docx (DOCX)
• Restoring_Humanity_News_letter_March_2012.pdf (PDF)