July/August 2009

Editorial - Merle Allsopp
Address by the Deputy Minister of Social Development - Ms Bathabile Dlamini
Address by the Chairperson of the Professional Board for Child and Youth Care - Dr. Senathi Fisha
The Meaning of Objects of Signifigance in Residential Programs - Lesibo Molepo
Working Together with Purpose - Leon Fulcher
I want to be like You... - Heidi Schmidt and Monica Vega
Case Management & Integrated Service Delivery - Jean Rogers
The Development of a System for Classifying the Social Functioning Problems of Children - Dr. Rika Swanzen
My Conference Experience - Alfred Harris
Activities
Youth Work Practice - Bernice Hlagala
Report on Youth Conference - Lucky Jacobs

Editorial : The NACCW 17th Biennial Conference
– a special occasion

By Merle Allsopp

Every NACCW biennial conference has a different flavour, leaving participants on every occasion with a distinct sense of the gestalt of the conference experience. The previous conference held in Durban left one with a sense of it being a big conference. The 17th Biennial Conference has left many I spoke to with a sense of this having been a special conference. What went into making it so special an event? What made it the extraordinary conference that it was?

Was it the fact that the conference was held in Bloemfontein – hosted by a whole new region of the NACCW, and arranged by a dedicated conference committee who gave so generously of their time and resources to make conference happen? Was it the excellent preparations that gave a sense of an orderly, but personalized event? Was it because 700 people made the journey to Bloemfontein in the middle of winter to join with their social service compatriots? Was it the cold?! (What makes Bloemfontein seem colder than any other place in the country?) Was it the contrast between the temperature and the warmth of the spirit of the delegates? Was it the seemingly orchestrated, but spontaneous singing?

Or was this conference made special by the clear and passionate call from the Chairperson of the Professional Board for Child and Youth Care, Dr Fisha for a review of the regulation process for child and youth care workers? Was it the hope lit in the hearts of the delegates by the response of the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Minister Dlamini to this voluble call?

Did the specialness come through the voice of Dr Don Matterra imploring our youth to choose life over risk, illness and death? Was it his inspiration to us all to work with renewed energy against the HIV/AIDS pandemic that struck a chord in our hearts?

Or was it the voices of the hundred young people speaking so bravely and strongly on the Children’s Act that stood out for us? Was it the many children’s items that sparked our energy? Was it the call for protection, opportunities and presence from children with disabilities that spoke so directly to us?

And was this conference made special by the presence of leaders, past and present, working in synergy? Was their zeal for children, for child and youth care work, for all social service professionals the inspiration we needed to mark this as a special occasion? Was it the fact that that this occasion celebrated the unity, the interdependence and the respect amongst all social service professions that swept aside falsities generated by the struggle for professionalism about disharmony in the social service professions? Was it the mere presence of so many people from different social service professions that made this conference special?

Was it the range and quality of the presentations that provided the meat to this conference? Was it the input from international speakers that expanded our boundaries? Was it the fact that delegates participated so actively in the workshop sessions that lent energy to the presentations? Was it the maturity of delegates and their obvious eagerness to absorb information and knowledge that made this a special conference? Perhaps conferences succeed for as many reasons as there are conferences. This one succeeded because all these factors wove together magically to affirm once again the spirit of dedication, commitment and passion for children in the South African child and youth care field. All of these factors melded to give us an occasion to express joy. Joy in the work we do, joy in the opportunities our work affords us, joy in being together – the joy of integrating to serve children, youth and families. The NACCW 17th Biennial Conference was a special conference.