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On Monday 20th September, we picked up 53 learners
and headed off to Rocklands for a three-day camp.
The learners came from marginalised schools, mostly
in the Heideveld, Elsie’s River and Manenberg
areas. We worked out a special programme for this
camp, focusing on self-esteem, assertiveness,
and leadership skills. When the learners returned
to school, they were bubbling over with enthusiasm.
They all said the camp had been nothing like they
expected it to be, and none of them had wanted
it to end. It had been, one learner said, "tough
stuff" but it was the sort of tough stuff
they needed and felt empowered by.
From beginning to end, the learners were kept
busy, active and fully involved, so much so that
one of the exercise activities, a jog, had to
become a walk because they were too tired to move
fast!
On the first day of the camp, the learners were
put into groups. We mixed them up, boys and girls,
different schools, different grades. Friends were
not put into the same group together. They then
participated in several ice-breaking exercises,
which flowed into work on personal growth.
On the second day, the hard work began. We started
off with an obstacle course, to get sleepy bodies
moving, followed by various counselling skills
exercises. These were very basic, aimed at showing
learners the various options open to them, options
we hope they will follow up on at school, by signing
up for the Youth Development Programmes. A recovering
drug addict then came to speak, and during the
course of the question and answer session that
followed, some of the learners revealed that they
too were on drugs. This was a very open, honest
session, with no holds barred. After a hike to
the beach, the learners were given free time,
to play volleyball, swim, chat and relax.
After supper, each of the groups put on a play
that they had practised during the day. Although
many of the topics they depicted seemed funny,
they were, in truth, very sad to watch. So many
of them reflected the lives these young people
lead, lives which they accept as being perfectly
normal, but which are actually very dysfunctional.
So while we all laughed, there was a sense of
tears being held inside.
The next day was supposed to start with the jog
I mentioned... Father Christian Frances then spoke
about personal and family values, about looking
at the choices we make in life and how they affect
us. Although Father Christian is a Catholic priest,
his talk encompassed the broader aspects of spirituality.
He spoke about celebrating uniqueness, about being
in touch with ourselves, with nature and those
around us. Everyone, he told the learners, is
a gift. Everyone has potential. He left them pondering
the words, "I can, I will, I am."
The next speaker was a teacher, Mr Lodewyk, who
gave a very light-hearted and humorous presentation
using games to demonstrate what it means to be
a leader, and what skills and qualities a leader
should possess. All the facilitators stood up
and spoke briefly on what they felt about leadership,
and the qualities within them that enabled them
to lead.
That evening we chose a Mr and Miss Personality.
This was not a competition; it was aimed at showing
the kids that there are people who stand out in
a group, people who can be leaders, no matter
where they come from.
The theme of the camp is one which runs through
so much of the work we do at Childline/LifeLine:
"Attitude determines altitude." If you
believe in yourself and develop a positive attitude
to life, the sky is, literally, the limit. Often
young people believe that they are victims, victims
of circumstance, victims of those stronger, older
and more influential than they are. The choices
they make are determined by this belief. We wanted
to show all 53 children on the camp that this
does not have to be the case. From the first day
on, learners were acknowledging issues, facing
them and looking to see how they could work through
them. It was "tough stuff" for many
of them, but it was also empowering for them to
learn that they could be the victors and not the
victims. Working with children is a vocation,
not a job. One needs to remain in touch with one's
inner child to be able to connect with children
on all levels.
The Rocklands camp was a great success, in every
possible way. I'd like to run two camps next year,
and I'd also like to see the Youth Development
camps becoming something we budget for on a yearly
basis, money and availability of staff permitting!
The places that offer these facilities are often
booked up to two years in advance, so I am going
to have to look at planning and booking camps
far in advance. As well as targeting children
at risk from marginalised schools, I'd like to
invite learners from the more affluent schools
as well. They too would benefit enormously from
these camps, and if they were asked to pay to
attend, they could do so knowing that they would
be helping other youth, youth who do not have
financial resources. As well as offering general
development and leadership courses as we did on
this camp, I foresee camps which deal with problems
specific to particular schools. Bullying, for
example, is an area of increasing concern in many
schools. A bully can break the happiest and best-adjusted
child. Many schools have expressed interest in
the LifeLine/Childline camps - I would love to
be able to accommodate all of them.
I have so many ideas, so many hopes, so many
dreams for the youth of South Africa. I hate to
turn anyone away, hate to think we could have
helped a young person but were not able to. When
I start thinking this way, I remind myself of
the rub-off effect. Each child who is touched
by a camp like this, or by one of the school programmes,
takes the challenge we have given with him or
her back into his school. They connect with their
friends, they carry the torch. They make a difference.
I have faith in this. I also have faith in the
future, and know that the Youth Development Programme
will grow, step by step.
If you would like to know more about the LifeLine/Childline
camps for learners, please contact Bernie at the
Bishop Lavis Centre: 021 934 4822
If you would like to make a donation to LifeLine/Childline
Western Cape's Youth Development Programmes, please
click here.
Talking to Cindy, a facilitator on the Youth Development
camp for learners
Cindy has just completed her Social Work degree
at the University of the Western Cape. During
the course of the last year she did her practical
coursework at the Bishop Lavis Centre.
I was seven months pregnant when I went on the
camp and so it was a great experience for me,
and a great challenge too. Some of the girls on
the camp had had children; there was one learner
there who was also pregnant. They could look at
me, and see that I had been able to keep studying,
that I had been able to keep looking to the future,
despite the fact that I was pregnant. Over and
above that, I was able to relate to the learners
on many other levels. I come from the same community
as they do; I know the challenges they face on
a daily basis. There was a great feeling of friendship
and mutual respect between all of us.
The group I facilitated was made up mainly of
girls, with only one boy. At first he was quite
shy, but he soon loosened up and relaxed. The
members of the group integrated quickly, despite
the fact that none of them knew each other. Some
of the learners wanted to change groups, to be
with their friends, but this didn't happen. Meeting
new people from other schools was all part of
the challenge.
At the end of each day, the learners had forms
to fill in and they gave feedback on what the
day had been like for them. Everyone had the chance
to stand up and speak. For many of the learners
this was very liberating, and boosted their self-esteem
enormously. They felt confident enough to speak
their minds, they were free to say what they felt,
and they were listened to. At home, these children
are not always heard. And so, being made to feel
that what they had to say was of value meant a
great deal to them, and was a good feeling to
take away with them.
Each evening there was also a feedback session
for the facilitators. Here we had a chance to
discuss how things were going and to deal with
any problems we might have encountered. Generally
speaking though, the camp went very smoothly,
so much so that the man in charge at Rocklands
commented on how well everything was run. There
were no major problems, no misbehaviour. The learners
were kept so busy they didn't have a chance to
misbehave!
The camp exercised both mind and body! The learners
did aerobics, jogged, went on a hike, played sport
and swam. By the end of each day they were really
tired, but not too tired to talk. Each evening,
after lights out, my group sat and chatted. I
told them about my background, my hopes, my dreams.
They in turn, opened up to me. We trusted each
other, and spoke freely about all sort of things.
They showed great concern for the fact that I
was pregnant, bought me chocolates, asked me if
I was coping, offered to do things for me.
I have been so blessed by the opportunities LifeLine/Childline
have allowed me in hands-on practical work. Other
students, friends of mine, who were placed with
other organisations, have not all been as lucky
as me. The environment at the Bishop Lavis centre
has been supportive and caring. The staff there
have always been willing to offer advice, show
me how to do things, but they have also allowed
me to gather experience and to learn by letting
me do the actual work. I was treated as a staff
member, as a professional. LifeLine is wonderful
in this regard. They place trust in you, and somehow,
even when things are difficult, that trust is
never misplaced.
One of the mottoes I live by, and one that I
passed on to the learners at the camp is, "Take
your stumbling blocks and make them into stepping
stones." I know these learners will face
many stumbling blocks in their path through life,
but one thing they have learned is that they have
options. Each right choice they make will become
a stepping stone to the next one. |
