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

ActOther 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 developmentThe 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