Attachments
CONTEXT
The Isibindi programme was developed by the National Association of Child Care Workers (NACCW) in 2005 to help meet the needs of orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa. Isibindi (“courage” in isiZulu) was developed by NACCW as a community-based programme model assisting children at risk of neglect, hunger, illness, poverty, lack of care and other issues arising from HIV and AIDS.
The model seeks to keep children in their homes in the community and to support and nurture their growth and development. This innovative strategy provides children with practical skills for daily living and assists them to obtain the health and social services to which they are entitled.
The assessment and intervention model of the Isibindi programme is based on a “Circle of Courage,” which symbolizes the intertwining of the components of human character that are essential for healthy emotional development. The four components of the “Circle of Courage” include belonging/attachment, mastery/achievement, independence/autonomy, and generosity/altruism.
The programme trains Child and Youth Care Workers (CYCWs) to work with children in households in their own communities, offering a range of key support services and referrals, including identifying children at risk. CYCWs attend weeklong on-the-job training in each of the 14 modules over a two-year period, leading to an accreditation certificate, and they receive ongoing training and support from team leaders and mentors. The Isibindi model also offers supervisory monitoring and structured ongoing support for CYCWs from experienced NACCW trainers and mentors.
ROLL OUT OF ISIBINDI WITHOUT BORDERS CHILD AND YOUTH CARE MODEL IN ZAMBIA
After an initial pilot of the Isibindi model in Meheba refugee settlement in 2016,
Mantapala refugee settlement was identified for the second roll-out in Zambia in 2019 due to the high numbers of unaccompanied children following the 2017-18 emergency. It was found that the Isibindi model enhanced the protection of children at risk in a refugee setting through working with the communities and establishing sustainable child protection systems. As of December 2019, 28 CYCW in Mantapala refugee settlement, from host and refugee communities, have completed the five week-long training and were issued Basic Qualification in Child Care (BQCC). Three mobile safe parks have been established in the settlement, in block 1, 12 and 17. These are spaces where CYCW meet with children and youths for games and interactions which enables the identification of children at risk. The implementation of this model in Zambia was enabled and has been enhanced by the pre-existence of the CYCW including the professional CYCW Association namely the Zambian Association of Child Care Workers (ZACCW). Together with ZACCW, UNHCR was able to identify community volunteers and provide the initial trainings.
The impact of the programme will be evaluated through an impact-on-child tool, which will evaluate the protection and wellbeing of the children in terms of protection, education, physical health and mental well-being.