January/February 2009

Contents

• Editorial - Merle Allsopp
• Research papers caring to innovate - Leon Fulcher
• The Wounded Healer as Helper and Helped: A CYC Model - Jack Phelan
• Volunteer Mentors for Orphans and Vulnerable Children
• 17th Biennial Conference
• Capacity Building For NGO’s - Progressio
• Reflection - Journey as Child and Youth Care Worker - Nkwapa D. Moloto
• Activities
• Dear Doctor - Dr. Michelle Meiring
• Guidelines for Residential Child and Youth Care Development - Dr. Crystal M. Watson
• Skills Development in 2009 - Sandra Oostuizen
• Index to Volume 26-2008

Editorial : Each one bring one...

By Merle Allsopp

NACCW membership numbers have hovered between 2500 and 3000 for a long while. These numbers reflect people who have paid their membership fees, and in doing so are eligible to vote in the affairs of the Association. Many others hover on the edges of the Association, coming to the odd meeting but never really becoming NACCW members – for a variety of reasons.

But this NACCW, this network of 2500 people (along with those on the fringes) is drawn together by concern for children. And this network has achieved a great deal in the past few years. At regional level many regions have established forums addressing local concerns with a strong single voice, and have earned the respect of various provincial government bodies. On a national level, child and youth care workers (and their compatriots in allied social service professions) advocated successfully to bring about changes to the Children’s Act. And Minister Skweyia halted the proposed regulation process of child and youth care workers – in response to the voices of protest and dismay of child and youth care workers across the country. This is civil society actively engaged in macro level change! This is the stuff of democracy!

And it only happens when individuals commit to working with others within a structure – when we commit to collective action. Our individual voices become powerful when spoken with the confidence of knowledge, with the spirit of engagement – and in harmony with likeminded others. It only happens when we bring ourselves into connection with others. It only happens when we move into a bigger world where we are affected by others as they affect us.

Imagine if there were more of us connected into this network! Imagine how much stronger our voice could be! Imagine how much more we can achieve for children – and those who work in their lifespace. The NACCW has a strong new cadre of elected leaders building on the work of previous office-bearers – who are ready to serve actively in every province of the country. If each of us as members of the NACCW follows the old adage “each one bring one” when we link into this network, when we attend meetings, when we get involved in our Association, we could be 5000 strong this year – and next year we could double that!

In his inaugural address Barak Obama said something important to all of us as citizens of the world:
“What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility – a recognition, ....that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.”

There is much to do for children in our country. Let us strengthen our Association, let us amplify our collective voice, so that we face the difficult task of realizing children’s rights in South Africa. And each of us is needed to do this. “Each one bring one” this year – and we will be taking further our duties as child and youth care workers, our duties “to ourselves, to our nation and to the world”.