 |
 |
 |
 |
Services
The Association serves as a pro-active forum for the advancement of persons with physical disabilities so as to enable them to attain their maximum level of independence and integration into the community, and is active in the prevention of physical disablement.
|
 |
 |
Developmental Social Services |
 |
| |
People become disabled due to injury, illness or birth defects. The levels of competence of persons with physical disabilities to address their problems vary on the basis of their individual capacity (including psychological, emotional and intellectual factors), their social circumstances, the environment in which they live and other factors such as access to resources. The social environment (including the family unit) promotes or hinders their ability to enjoy quality of life. The Association has to find creative ways in which to render developmental social services that are relevant to the personal needs experienced by individual persons with disabilities and also to the needs that arise as a result of the environment in which those persons find themselves. The environment is often the cause of most of the obstacles that persons with disabilities have to overcome in order to enjoy a dignified quality of life. Many persons with disability do not have social support to find appropriate solutions to the problems they experience. They are often disadvantaged in respect of opportunities for equality in the availability and accessibility of resources, financial means, transport, medical services, technical aids, physical care, education, recreation, cultural activities, employment and other aspects that able-bodied persons take for granted.
People with disabilities in the areas covered by the Association, which includes urban, rural, semi-rural, peri-urban, commercial and industrial environments, require assistance to improve their quality of life, in most cases in situations of poverty. The challenge of addressing poverty through social work services lies beyond the level of the provision of handouts of basic assistance. Capacity enhancement and the development of the individual person’s ability to overcome his/her needs without the presence of a full-time social work practitioner, is the goal at the heart of the service that the Association provides.
In 2002, the Association made a strategic decision that its core business would be developmental social work services, incorporating person centred assessment, care management and community-based services.
We focus on person centred assessment and development - a way of helping people who want to make changes in their lives. It is an empowering approach to helping people plan their future, and facilitates development and empowerment of human capacity and self-reliance. Client-centred assessments design rehabilitation, training, developmental programmes and career paths that would empower persons with disabilities towards independent living.
The various recognised methods of Social Work as a profession are used by the Association’s Branches to address the clients’ needs. However, it has become apparent that the groupwork method utilised in a community context, is an appropriate and dynamic method to provide effective services. It has been implemented and continues to be developed by the social service practitioners and the clients of the Branches in the Western Cape.
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Human Resource Management |
|
| |
The Association regards its investment in the continuing development of its staff and volunteers, as individuals and as contributors to the community and wider society, as essential. It believes that ongoing development of its staff and volunteers to be crucial to the successful development and growth of the organisation, and the fulfilment of its vision and mission for the future. As such, the Association is committed to delivering quality services through its employers and volunteers, and endeavours to ensure that they receive up to date, relevant and effective training and development in pursuit of the highest levels of competence and service quality at all times.
The Association recognises the importance of the continuous development of staff and volunteers in:
- Helping its staff and volunteers to improve and develop performance in their present roles;
- Preparing them for future roles, and career and professional development;
- Enabling them to adapt to meet the changing requirements of the Association; and
- Maintaining and enhancing the quality of service in all areas.
Employees are continually invited to forward their development needs, and as a result of these ideas, staff development sessions are arranged throughout the year, to which the relevant employees and volunteers are exposed. To date, the Association has provided in-service training in, amongst others.
Staff development is also provided in the form of orientation, conference attendance, coaching and mentoring, and external courses, be they presented by tertiary institutions or other non-profit organisations.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Education & Child Care |
|
| |
 Many Branches of the Western Cape Association for Persons with Disabilities run Special Care Centres (SCC) for children with severe physical and intellectual disabilities. A SCC is a non-residential facility that provides for the educational development, physical development, socio/economic development, training, stimulation and care of children and young adults with physical and/or intellectual disabilities.
Children with special care needs are able to benefit from a carefully planned programme. In spite of the fact that they are possibly not able to reach an education level that will lead to academic work, they may be able to participate well in a programme designed to develop important life skills.
Chaperone Project
In September 2005, Western Cape APD and 5 of its local branches have formed a unique partnership with the Kenridge Dutch Reformed Church in a project known as the Chaperone Project. This project will run over a period of 5 years and aims to organise two day outings per year for up to 100 children with disabilities from the Cape Town, Paarl and Worcester areas (50 children per outing). Many of the children come from poorer, under-resourced communities. These day outings aim to promote the children’s development and social integration through a fun-filled programme at an interesting venue for example, Tygerberg Zoo, Bugz World Play Park. The church assists both financially and in practical ways, so the project serves to raise awareness of members of the congregation regarding disability.
Partners 4 Life
 The SCC's consist of a Special Care Centre and Child Development Centre (CDC). The latter concentrates on grade R education and development in order to prepare the children for further education in ELSEN (Education for Learners with Special Education Needs) or mainstream schools. These centres also identify children out of school and prepare them for school.
This forms part of the Association’s Partners 4 Life model whereby children with disabilities are identified and linked with social work services, SCCs, CDCs and home-based care services. They are then placed in school, and/or partake in youth programs after school. This organises the support and services they need in order to enable them to make the correct choices concerning their future – either to complete their education or master a marketable task, and by so doing, empower and support them to build a career and better future.
apdcare Programme
We have also developed the APDCare program, a model for managing and developing Special Care Centres, and provide ongoing training for mothers of children with disabilities and carers in the Centres.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Work & Employment |
|
| |
The Association’s goal is for persons with disabilities to develop their full potential as economic role-players in their community, and to celebrate their authentic contribution to society at large.
New legislation has created opportunities for persons with disabilities to enter the open labour market. Community-based rehabilitation, skills training and work creation will be the gateway for persons with disabilities to prepare and support themselves to enter the market of community-based employment and independent living, which is the only way to alleviate poverty.
The Association realised that we need to not only cater for the needs of a limited number of persons with disabilities in the workshops but must attend to the needs of all those individuals who need to experience the outside world. Our aim is to achieve significant movement of persons with disabilities from workshops, and those presently at home, into an independent life in the community.
This is accomplished by client-centred vocational development through
- Conducting individual assessments, using multi-disciplinary teams
- Compiling an individual client development plan
- Placement in Business Units, Contract Work, Skills Training or Life Skills
- Placement in the open labour market
|
Business Units
- e.g. Laundromat, Woodwork, Upholstery
- Home industry
- Entrepreneur enterprise
|
Production Units / Contract Work
- Cleaning of stove elements
- Steel parts
- Hangers
|
|
Skills Training
- Siyanceda Youth Service Training
- Accredited training providers
- Training programmes developed by Occupational Therapists to develop entry level skills for open labour placement
- In-service training : community organisations
|
Life Skills
- Activity / Support groups
- Workskills Training Programme
- Social Skills
- Independent Living Skills
- Leisure Activities
|
Support Systems
The Association has the advantage of having the capacity, resources, knowledge, administrative and social work infrastructure as well as the necessary expertise on hand. We have developed the following computer support programs to assist branches with this process -
- RS2000 - managing and development of workshops
- Comserve – managing client information
Partnerships
Siyanceda Youth Service Programme
Western Cape APD and Training Workshops Unlimited (Cape Mental Health) has entered an exciting partnership. Six APD branches will participate in the Siyanceda Youth Service Program.
What is the Siyanceda Youth Service Programme?
The Siyanceda project is an initiative of the Cape Mental Health Society as part of the Training Workshops Unlimited programme. Through the project, young people with mild intellectual disabilities are
trained to perform certain types of work and are then placed in organisations within the community where they gain practical experience of the work environment. Throughout the training and placement period (18 months) the youth also receive life-skills training and support from a job coach to prepare them for employment in the open market. Young people participating in the programme are provided with training which enables them to earn credits against the National Qualifications Framework.
The Siyanceda Youth Service Programme is a registered programme of the National Youth Service Unit. The National Youth Service NYS is a government initiative that was launched in August 2004. The Umsobomvu Youth Fund has established the unit. The purpose of the NYS is to engage young South Africans in community service activities in order to strengthen service delivery, promote nation-building, foster social cohesion and to assist youth to gain occupational skills necessary to access sustainable livelihood opportunities.
The Siyanceda Programme is funded by the Umsobomvu Youth Fund as a National Youth Service Programme. This includes funding of Staff Salaries, Staff Training, Capacity building, Administration and Marketing. It also includes participant stipends, transport and protective clothing among others.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
