"It takes a whole village to raise a child": youth development in Grahamstown
- Authors: Van Hees, Charlotte
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: Households -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Income -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Schools -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth -- Employment -- South Africa Youth -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth -- South Africa -- Social conditions Youth -- South Africa -- Societies, etc. Youth, Black -- Employment -- South Africa Youth, Black -- South Africa -- Social conditions Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Economic conditions Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Book , Text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/2431 , vital:20290 , ISBN 0868103691
- Description: This research report is an edited version of a thesis written by Charlotte van Hees for a Master’s degree in organisational anthropology. The degree was awarded by the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands in May 2000. The fieldwork for her thesis was carried out in the first half of 1999 when Charlotte joined the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) project team investigating development opportunities for local youth. For a town of its size Grahamstown has an exceptionally large number of development organisations and community initiatives. In short, it is the ideal setting for an organisational anthropologist. Over a six-month period Charlotte met with members of local organisations to compile a directory or, as she prefers to call it, a ‘social map’. The social map, published as ISER Research Report No. 3, sets out the manner in which local organisations are linked in their activities and services. Report No. 3 should be read in conjunction with this report. In her thesis Charlotte analyses the ideal characteristics of youth organisations and matches local examples to the ideal. On a ladder of perfection, an organisation run by youth for youth optimises youth development. Youth will benefit most if organisations join forces to offer comprehensive and coordinated services. Charlotte observed that although Grahamstown boasts a large number of organisations serving the youth, their services tend to be fragmented or overlapping. As a young outsider, Charlotte van Hees has the advantage of ‘seeing’ the local maze of organisations from a fresh vantage point. Her sizing up of the local situation has benefited from her considerable experience of youth work in the Netherlands. Apart from theoretical insights the report offers practical guidelines to enhance the success of local initiatives for youth. One recommendation, which youth volunteers might wish to adopt as their project, is to continuously update the social map. South Africa is a country experiencing rapid social change. Charlotte’s analysis is based on time- bound observations and a particular constellation of organisations. There have been major changes in the local government system since the study was written up which will inevitably affect the operations of organisations serving the youth. However, the basic lessons to be learnt from her analysis will remain valid in future and continue to serve as useful pointers for scholars and practitioners. Charlotte revisited Grahamstown briefly in April 2000 to present results to local organisations which had participated in the social mapping research. The workshop participants asked the ISER to make Charlotte’s analysis more widely available to stimulate debate and action among local youth and their organisations. It is in response to this wish that ISER has published this report. Thanks go to ISER’s publication officer, Nova de Villiers, for undertaking to edit Charlotte’s thesis for this publication. Anjanette Haller assisted with typing. Readers will appreciate their handiwork. This report is dedicated to the youth of Grahamstown. It is hoped it will revitalise their enthusiasm for personal development, and shape fresh ideas and action to make Grahamstown a better place to grow up in. , Digitised by Rhodes University Library on behalf of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER)
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000
Youth development in Grahamstown: a social map: a guide to organisations catering for youth development
- Authors: Van Hees, Charlotte
- Date: 2000
- Subjects: Arts -- Study and teaching Associations, institutions, etc. -- South Africa -- Grahamstown -- Directories Community development -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Community education -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Culture -- Social aspects -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Mass media -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Public health -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Public welfare -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Schools -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Sports -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Unemployment -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth -- South Africa Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Directories Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Social conditions
- Language: English
- Type: Book , Text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/2420 , vital:20288 , ISBN 0868103640
- Description: Grahamstown is a town in the Eastern Cape with a population of approximately 110 000 of which the vast majority live in the former black township, known as Grahamstown East. Unemployment, poor housing, a high crime rate and a lack of primary facilities like toilets, electricity and water are daily facts for a large number of the inhabitants of Grahamstown East. Every day government departments, non-government organisations (NGOs) and volunteers work to improve the lives of the people. Youth merit special attention, after all “youth make the future”. The spectrum of organisations catering for youth development is broad: from local schools providing basic education to organisations like the Grahamstown Foundation trying to involve youth in national art projects. They all have one thing in common. They are all aiming to give youth a grip on their lives, to give them a future by empowering them. But what do we actually know about the youth? Where do they come from? What are their expectations and aspirations in life? What kind of leisure activities do they have? What kind of organisations do they use to get ahead in life? And what do we actually know about these organisations? How do they form their policy and activities? Which role does the government play and which role is left for the non-governmental organisations? In what ways do they work together? How do youth participate in the policy making of these organisations? The Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) of Rhodes University is working together with the Centre for Policy and Management of the University of Utrecht (The Netherlands) to find answers to these questions. A sample survey was conducted in May 1999 to compile baseline information on youth from Grahamstown East in terms of social characteristics, motivations for personal and collective development, and expectations for the future. From January until July 1999 the project team has visited organisations in Grahamstown focusing on (youth) development to identify existing youth programmes and to see how these programmes are incorporated in the town’s context. This social map is a product of this research. The research defines youth as young people living in Grahamstown East in the age category of 14 to 25 years old. This social map however also includes organisations catering for younger children, by displaying the pre-schools and organisations like Child and Family Welfare Society that focus on children up to the age of 13. The National Youth Commission defines youth development in “Youth Policy 2000” (1997) as a process whereby young men and women are able to improve their skills, talents and abilities to extend their intellectual, physical and emotional capabilities to express themselves and to live full lives. This definition is used in this research. , Digitised by Rhodes University Library on behalf of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER)
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2000