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Nr 14. 2006 sid. 131–145Playing with stonesShayleen Peeke |
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South Africa has one of the most progressive Constitutions in the world. The ending of decades of apartheid rule, heralded by the first democratic elections in 1994, held out the promise of a more hopeful future for all South Africans. It was the promise of a society based on the recognition of human rights, democracy, and development opportunities for all, irrespective of colour, race, class, belief or sex – all guaranteed in a Constitution and a Bill of Rights. Whilst much in our society has changed in the intervening decade, the divide between rich and poor continues to grow. What President Thabo Mbeki in 1998 called the phenomenon of a ‘country of two nations’ is increasingly true. At that time, he suggested that ‘the second and larger nation of South Africa is black and poor, with the worst affected being women in the rural areas, the black rural population in general and the disabled.’ He went on to say:
How does this impact on South Africa’s children? Whilst in theory South Africa’s children are protected by the Constitution, and by the recently passed Children’s Bill, the social and economic reality makes fulfilling the ideals contained in these a particular challenge. The everyday experience of the great majority of South African children is one of poverty, deprivation, and hardship, where most are not protected from abuse and exploitation. Many young children have become responsible for the care of their siblings because their parents have died of HIV/Aids, and many young children live in the streets of our cities, without adult help and protection. A number of organisations and individuals are involved in work with children and families, and attempts to alleviate the suffering caused by violent trauma and the effects of poverty. My own involvement in Johannesburg has been with bodies such as the Parent and Child Counselling Centre, the Family Life Centre, and the supervision of students from the University of Pretoria and the University of the Witwatersrand. Through the efforts of a number of child psychotherapists from the Tavistock Clinic in London, we in South Africa have been able to establish The Institute for Psychodynamic Child Psychotherapy. A great deal of work with children and adolescents is supported by this organisation through its involvement in teaching, and in the support of community projects by Siya Phula Phula (‘We listen’), a London-based charity organisation. Teachers from London visit us regularly. A number of South African therapists have also had the opportunity to attend workshops and conferences at the Tavistock in London, an experience that has been invaluable in enriching our understanding. To introduce some of the work we are doing, I will share with you one of my own beginnings in work with children and adolescents in a rural South African setting. I was asked if I would volunteer some of my time to run a regular monthly ‘case conference’ group for workers involved in a project about 50 kilometres from Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest and richest city. Some basic resources had been found, viz. the use of a small room offered by a commercial farm in the area, and the parttime services of a social worker employed by an NGO – Non-Governmental Organisation – based in Johannesburg. A great deal of work done in community settings is undertaken by volunteers, as there are limited resources and few paid jobs in this sector for mental health workers. Many psychologists use their private practices to support their involvement in such work. ...
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MELLANRUMMET 2011-10-29 |
