Home 
Stay up to date Forum Reports Activity Report - March 2011
Stay up to date Forum Reports Activity Report - March 2011 | Activity Report - March 2011 |
|
|
|
The social welfare sector is flooded with continued problems securing necessary funding to sustain operations and deliver critical social services. Cases of late and non payment of subsidies continue to form the core of advocacy, indicating or perhaps emphasising the need for a new social services which would ultimately put issues such as funding, NGO and state relations and accountability to rest in a new Act. These discussions have been ongoing in the many meetings the Forum has either organised or attended. Institutions such as the Legal Resources Centre (LRC) have assisted the Eastern Cape Welfare Forum in its bid for litigation for non and late payment of subsidies and reviewing the proposal for a new Act for social welfare services. But not all things are riddle with turmoil and doomsday, the NWF has continued to work together with partners to deliver more meaningful services in a collaborated order for the people we serve in an ever inhospitable environment. Black Sash and the NWF continue to work together jointly organising workshops and NWF members such as FAMSA Durban and Eastern Cape Welfare Forum are assisting other NWF members to apply and submit for the National Lottery funding. The NWF is set to embark on a partnership with the Volkswagen Corporate and Governance Affairs to roll out Themba the movie in the Eastern Cape and with Mindset Health in KwaZulu Natal, North West, Limpopo and Gauteng in 15 schools as part of programmes of peer education. This is part of the NWF’s renewed ways of working (2011) which encourages locally based interventions effectively transferring skills and enhancing existing community based initiatives. Programmes Policy on Financial Awards to Service Providers (PFASP) John Allen attended a meeting with the CEO of East London Children’s Home (ELCH) and Legal Resource Centre (LRC) to discuss subsidy issues. Subsidies for social workers have not increased for the past 5 years and are not likely to do so in the near future. The ELCH wanted to sue the Department of Social Development (DoSD) for this and sought advice from the LRC who advised that it would make a better case if the Eastern Cape Welfare Forum sue on behalf of its members. The LRC gave guidance of the requirements needed to put a case together. Social Service Professions matters The Gauteng Welfare Forum participated in a national DoSD workshop on Social Service Professions in February. Jackie Loffell (Provincial Coordinator) asserted the principle that a broad approach incorporating all relevant occupational groups should be taken, as advocated by the Social Service Practitioners’ Advocacy Network (SSPAN). Monitoring and Evaluation problems On 24-25 March 2011, the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Social Development and Special Needs sent a representative to Empilweni Old Aged Home in Mthatha to facilitate a workshop on monitoring. This was following the request made by the board members of Empilweni. The workshop also benefited 15 Social Workers around the area. Submissions to Parliament, Govt depts. & Portfolio Committees 1. On 14-16 March 2011, Ivan Siyila attended a Traditional Leadership Summit in Mthatha representing NGOs. The event was attended by Traditional Leaders led by Chief Ngangomhlaba Matanzima, the Provincial and Local Government and discussed the role that Traditional Leaders will have to play as part of the municipality council. It was resolved that the Traditional Leaders will be part of the council and play a role in monitoring and working together with local councillors. 2. Ivan Siyila attended a meeting between the Eastern Cape Provincial Advisory Board and the MEC of Social Development, Ms Pemmy Majodina at King William’s town on 22 April 2011, to discuss funding as there has not been financial support for the structure for the past 2 years. The MEC proposed an urgent summit to held before end of May 2011 that will focus on funding, location and correct terms and references of the Advisory Board. As the chairperson of the OR Tambo District Municipality, Ivan was given an opportunity to present the status quo. After the meeting, the group was invited to attend the Policy Speech at the Eastern Cape Legislature. 3. A District Joint Steering Committee meeting organised by Ivan and the District Manager was held at Botha Sigcau Building on 29 March 2011 to elect members to form a permanent and geographically represented Joint Strategic Committee (JSC). 8 members were elected according to sectors. 4. On 24 March 2011, John Allen attended a meeting of the Nelson Mandela District hosted by the District Manager, Mr T Ngqabayi and the Department of Social Development. Presentations were made to seek nominations for the Joint Strategic Committee (JSC) after explaining the role of the JSC to the meeting. New nominations for the JSC were received and duly recorded. Mr Ngqabayi announced that a new HOD, Ms B Hackula had been appointed. Membership, networking and partnerships John Allen attended a meeting to acknowledge the role played by foster parents hosted at the Helenvale Community Centre and attended by over 2000 people. The keynote speakers were the Deputy Mayor of the Nelson Mandela Metro, Ms Nancy Sihlwayi and the MEC for DoSD, Ms P Majodina. John was seated among the VIPs that included the Acting HOD, Managers of all departments, the District Manager for Nelson Mandela District, Mr T Ngqabayi and District Managers from seven provincial districts. A meeting between Black Sash and John Allen took place on 4 March 2011 to discuss training for organisations. The training dates were set as follows: 26 May 2011 at Graaff Reinet 2 June 2011 at Queenstown 9 June 2011 Kwa Nobuhle On 23 March 2011, Ivan Siyila (Eastern Cape Provincial Coordinator) had a meeting with 12 CBOs to discuss the status quo of these organisations and the assistance they required from the Eastern Cape Welfare Forum. The biggest challenge for these organisations was funding. At a Nelson Mandela District Forum meeting in the Eastern Cape, Rajesh Latchman discussed the Standard Guidelines to implementing the ways of working and also offered training on social media. He also presented for discussion the Joint Strategic Committee working document on a financing policy for the social welfare sector. Copies of the document were handed out to participants. National Welfare Forum's chairperson Mrs Beulah Lumkwana , National Coordinator Rajesh Latchman and Provincial Coordinator John Allen met with representatives from Volkswagen (VW) Corporate and Government Affairs in Eastern Cape on 29 March 2011. The meeting discussed the current initiatives being undertaken by VW for community such the VW Soccer Bus on Tour (sports training initiative in EC). Mr Weza Moss (VW Senior Manager) expressed interest in the NWF initiative on Themba the movie community screenings which exhibits a strong link to their existing programme VW Soccer Bus on Tour. VW and NWF will work towards a partnership that will see wide screenings of Themba the movie in many rural areas in the EC (150 learners per screening) with related peer education being administered. NWF will present the proposal to stakeholders and VW at the VW Pavilion on 29 April 2011 for buy in and approval. John Allen and Rajesh Latchman met with the Legal Resource Centre (LRC) in Grahamstown to discuss the intervention in persuading the National Department of Social Development to implement Act 3 of 2001 to establish a Advisory Board. NWF and GCAP-SA representatives Mr W Hamunakwadi and Ms Thato Modise attended a meeting with Mindset Health on possible programmatic collaboration for Themba the movie. Mindset Health was keen to use the screenings as part of their peer education in KwaZulu Natal, North West and Limpopo in 15 schools where they run HIV/AIDS and peer education programmes every year for at least 3 months in a year, working with local organisations. At these screenings they would invite all the learners of the schools, parents, the community and local CBOs working in the HIV/AIDS sector. They perceived that collaboration would enhance interactive learning experiences with the learners and encourage parent to child HIV/AIDS communication. NWF will revert to Mindset on this partnership with a draft Memorandum of Understanding. Preliminary meetings have taken place throughout March for the preparation for input to the International Senior Lawyers Project handbook by various stakeholders. The support from the Magistrate's Court, court clerks, South African Human Rights Council , Commission for Gender Equality , Black Sash , Athlone Advice Office and the Western Cape Forum has been gained. The researcher, Mr Joe Hahn, arrives in April. The KZN Welfare Forum continues to have strong working relations with other provincially based NGOs. The Chairperson of the Pietermaritzburg Forum assisted the Black Sash by handling workshop logistics for a Social Assistance workshop held on 31 March 2011. This workshop saw 50 people attend to get information and education on available social assistance and how to access it. Groups working against Xenophobia and gender based violence in the De Noon Western Cape area face challenges where local advocates have abandoned community campaigns in order to pursue politics according to a meeting held in March. This has compromised on-going campaigns and community relations. The International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) campaign drivers concluded a research as requested by the Department of Justice on the CESCR, its domestication, implementation and implications. This research was finalised by the coalition and sent to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development . Follow up meetings are envisaged with the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DOJCD) on the ratification of the ICESCR. Other Activities The FAMSA Durban, who are members of the KZN Welfare Forum, will be hosting an event in May under the title “Confronting Family Poverty and Social Exclusion” on 12 May 2011 commemorating the International Day of the Family (15 May 2011). Members continue to make efforts to interact and share learning amongst themselves as Forum members. This is intended to build capacity for all provincial members. In the month under review FAMSA Durban assisted Sithandukwenza CBO and Zamani Creche with the application for funding to the National Lottery and submitted the application in Pretoria on behalf of Zamani Creche. Ivan assisted 5 CBOs in applying for the NLDTF funding in the Eastern Cape. 1. Meetings and events attended 14 February 2011, Gauteng, Pretoria A meeting of Social Welfare Action Committee (SWAC) to discuss ways to generate media interest in the Free State High Court Case. 28 February 2011, Gauteng, Pretoria Consultative workshops convened by National Department of Social Development on the development of a human resource model for social welfare services 3 March 2011, Eastern Cape, Helenvale Community Centre, A meeting acknowledging role played by foster parents attended by over 2000 delegates 4 March 2011, Eastern Cape A meeting with Black Sash to discuss training for organisations 15 March 2011, Eastern Cape, SHARE Uitenhage in Kwa Nobuhlu, Social Workers Celebration Day 22 March 2011, Eastern Cape Bi monthly meeting of Board of Directors of Algoa Bay Council for Aged to discuss the new Act for the elderly 23 March 2011, Eastern Cape, Grahamstown Meeting with CEO of East London Childrens Home and Legal Resource centre regarding subsidies 24 March 2011, Eastern Cape Meeting of the Nelson Mandela District and the Department of Social Development to seek nominations for the Joint Strategic Committee 28 March 2011, Easter Cape Meeting with Manager of Corporate and Government Affairs at Volkswagen South Africa, Mr Weza Moss, to discuss the possibility of the Volkswagen Trust supporting the Eastern Cape Welfare Forum 23 March 2011, Western Cape, Mowbray A strategic planning meeting of ICESCR with partner organisations 24 March 2011, Western Cape Budget Vote with the Department of Social Development MEC at the Provincial Legislature 29 March 2011, Western Cape Meeting with partners to plan workshops in various areas 2. Provincial or regional forum meetings 1 February 2011, Braamfontein, Gauteng Provincial Forum MANCO meeting 28 March 2011, Eastern Cape Nelson Mandela District monthly meeting . For more information, to join the Forum or to tell us about your great work, please contact the Programme Support Team member nearest to you. Eastern Cape Provincial Coordinator, John Allen, Tel: 0415836675, Fax: 0865021542; Mobile: 0822003731; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Eastern Cape Provincial Coordinator, Ivan Siyila, Tel: 0475376577; Fax: 0866965038; Mobile: 0733107591; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Gauteng Provincial Coordinator, Jackie Loffell, Tel/Fax: 0116438537; Mobile: 0824540991; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it KwaZulu Natal Provincial Coordinator, Stewart Kilburn, Tel: 0312603331; Fax: 0865665196; Mobile: 0836606492; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Limpopo Provincial Coordinator, Amanda Mgimeti, Tel: 0153074833; Fax: 0153076890; Mobile: 0794512608; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Mpumalanga Provincial Coordinator, Sbongile Ntsweni, Tel: 0132432200; Fax: 0132432233; Mobile: 0824130469; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Mpumalanga Provincial Administrator, Mariana Esterhuizen, Tel: 0132432200; Fax: 0132432233; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Western Cape Provincial Coordinator, Abigail Peters, Tel: 0216974167; Fax: 0865275445; Mobile: 0834162773; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it National Office: Tel: 011 838 0690 Fax: 011 492 0371, 31 Quinn St, Newtown, Jhb Reception, Emily Ntaopane, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Office Administrator, Shamani Naidoo, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Programmes Support and Human Rights, Watson Hamunakwadi, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Stakeholder Relations, Thato Modise, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it National Coordinator, Rajesh Latchman, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Click here to download Activity Report Find us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Making-Mzansi-Better/14816882261?ref=ts Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalwf/ YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/NationalWF Blog http://www.ngopulse.org/blogs/rajesh-latchman Bookmark this article:          |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|