RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMME : OFFERED TO THE GIRLS
New life Centre is a Child and Youth Care Facility offering Residential care programmes to children who are placed by the court on a non-committal and committal basis. The children are living in different rooms based on their age groups. AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME: Ø To provide a safe, clean and non -judgemental facility for the girls placed at the centre. Ø Meeting of physical and basic needs Ø Access to general medical care Ø Fostering of family preservation and reunification services Ø Empowerment through striving for self-reconstruction and self-actualisation Access to education, recreational activities and spiritual guidance.
THERAUPETIC PROGRAMME
Therapeutic programmes are administered to the beneficiaries residing at the centre. The programmes deal with various treatment plans designed to relieve disorders, and helping clients to develop a positive thinking and coping skills. The social worker renders these services and children are referred to specialised services depending on the intensity of the presenting problem. New Life Centre strives to promote a holistically, psychological and emotional stability to the young girls who have been subjected to unpleasant circumstances.
COUNSELLING
One on one session is conducted with the child focusing on the problem presented. The uniqueness of each child is put into recognition hence promoting individualisation.
Group Work
Group work counselling is conducted in order to provide a nurturing environment where members, through their interaction, will be able to share different experiences and offer support to one another . It is aimed at helping members heal from their previous experience and come up with various strategies that will assist them in future when faced with similar challenges in future.
FAMILY COUNSELLING
The objective of family counselling is to help families reconstruct and solve the conflicting experiences hence preparing them for the final goal of reunification. · Assessment and intervention · Emotional Support · Family Conference
DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMME
Developmental programme is administered through a learning environment and activities that promote the child’s acquisition of skills in a variety of developmental areas. Provision of information and support related to enhancing the skill development of the child that enables the child to attain maximum functional level. These services are coordinated with all other services in the plan and provide assistance with acquisition, or improvement in skills related to activities of daily living such as feeding and dressing, communicating with caregivers, and the social adaptive skills to enable the child to reside in his or her home or non-institutional community setting. The programme aims at equipping the child with various developmental attributes by using various developmental tools. A warm and a conducive environment is created and a learning environment is reinforced. Various learning activities are designed to help foster positive attributes from each and every child. The role players of the activities involve New Life Centre multidisciplinary team as well as the volunteers. Individual developmental plans are a tool used to assess the progress of the child’s development from the initial phase of the helping process up to the termination phase · Awareness programmes and preventative programmes · Health Programmes · Skills Training · Assistance with homework and reading skills
CAREGIVER DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMME
· Parental skills · Communication · Roles and responsibilities · Discipline and guidance · Stress Management · Basic Computer skills · Trauma · HIV/AIDS Training Basic counselling
LIFE SKILLS
The programme aims to provide children and people with resources and structures that would enable them to explore, learn and develop. It further more encourages the participants to discover existing skills and aspects of skills needing development. Life skills enables an individual to recognise the impact of their actions and teaches them to take responsibility for what they do rather than blame others. More over individuals develop a great sense of self awareness and appreciation for others. The programme will further more empower children and young people to respond effectively to the demands and problems they encounter with life. · Anti-bullying · Anger management · Behaviour modification · Peer Education · Career Guidance
ENGAGEMENT PROGRAME
This is to ensure that all young people are received in a manner which is caring and safe, and which minimizes trauma and maximizes developmental opportunity during engagement and admissions. A warm and a conducive environment is promoted so as to enable the clients to feel at ease and accepted.
DISENGAGEMENT PROGRAMME
The programme ensures that young person’s successfully disengagement from the children’s home e.g. · Preparation or support of the exit programme · Individual/ group sessions with school leavers who will be re-integrated into the community for example introduce or expose the young person to the labour market and tertiary institutions.
FAMILY REUNIFICATION/CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMMES
The aim of the children’s home is to offer a holistic approach to the development of the children in our care. Therefore it is of paramount significance that the children and youth have a sense of belonging, so we strive towards contact with the family. Maintaining contact with the family helps to preserve the family unit and enhances the sense of belonging to children at the centre. Child and youth care centre is a temporary placement for a child who has been abused, neglected or abandoned; we are continuously striving towards the strengthening of the child’s placement within their family circle. At times the family situation is beyond repair this is when un-related foster care and adoption placement is an alternate e.g. · The children are placed with family of origin during weekends and school holidays. · Network with the child’s family and capacitating the family with right parenting skills and linking them with resources. · Hosting events like family fun day · Holiday Programme: The programme aims to engage young persons who cannot be placed with host parents or families during holidays. E.g. excursions or camping.
INDEPENDENT LIVING PROGRAMME
This programme provides long-term residential care to children who cannot be reunited with their families or placed within the extended family network or foster care. This programme focuses on providing children with life skills, education, and training in preparation for independent living. The centre supports young people until their 18th year. However, they may stay longer if need be.
RECREATIONAL PROGRAMME
Recreational programme plays an important role in our lives. In the child and youth care centre it plays an important role in the development of children. Lost childhood experience is regained this promotes well balanced individuals who can fit within the societal expectation. Team work is enhanced hence promoting social integration to children who have been alienated from the social context.
1. Sports · Playing Soccer · Netball · Basket ball 2. Indoor and outdoor games 3. Art therapy The afore mentioned programmes are aimed at reinforcing the holistically development of children placed at the centre to ensure healthy livelihoods and to restore the image of the once labelled young children to be the dignified and respectful members of the society hence breaking the victim being the perpetrator cycle.