The Thogomelo Project

To this end, three curricula have been designed to address the needs of community caregivers. The Thogomelo Psychosocial Skills and Child Protection Skills Development Programme is an 8 module learner programme that uses activity-based, participatory learning to engage a diverse range of caregivers. It provides guidance on a comprehensive set of topics, including strengthening relationships, self-care, dealing with stress, caring for caregivers, building a caring community, accessing and mobilising resources, responding to child abuse and neglect, understanding child development, maintaining resilience, and increasing HIV and AIDS literacy.

The child protection component of the project supports the Department of Social Development's priorities for child protection, which include prevention of abuse through the identification of contributing factors, early intervention with affected families, and efficient management of abuse cases, including engagement with the legal and criminal justice system. Skills development training is offered to supervisors of community caregivers via the Thogomelo Child Protection Skills Development Programme.

A third curriculum addressing the psychosocial skills of supervisors of community caregivers is currently being developed to promote sustainable learning. It equips participants to develop approaches to help caregivers reduce isolation and increase resilience. According to the organisers, Thogomelo focuses on elements that will enable caregivers to feel more positively about their work, for example, activities that foster connections with peers and a culture of appreciation among colleagues.

The project’s curricula and materials are all accredited with the Health and Welfare Sector Education Training Authority (HWSETA). These materials are being introduced in a cascading skills training programme for caregivers throughout South Africa. In addition to the learner and facilitator guides, the curricula are supported by a range of materials including a child protection guidebook, a CD-ROM outlining child protection policy, a psychosocial support diary, a guide for community caregivers on psychosocial wellbeing; a consolidated report of the Rapid Assessment Phase of the project; case studies for good practice on the design of an accredited curriculum in psychosocial support for community care givers and development of training service provider capacity.

According to the Thogomelo Project, it is built on three core principles that are designed to foster local ownership and ensure the sustainability of these efforts:

• Embed the project in existing structures - By systematically linking with activities in the public sector and civil society, the project is building on current activities and helping to ensure sustainability.
• Comprehensively address the needs of orphans and vulnerable children - In addition to service provision, the project is addressing the critical areas of networking and advocacy to equip caregivers with the skills to address the needs of children at all levels.
• Build on what works - The project is incorporating state-of-the-art thinking into project implementation. For example, the nationally accredited caregiver training manual will complement national efforts while incorporating emerging and promising practices.

Children, HIV/AIDS

An estimated two million children across South Africa have lost one or both parents to AIDS. They face challenges such as: an absence of parental protection, the burden of loss and grief, and, increasingly, a heightened vulnerability to child abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Community members who assume the role of caring, supporting, and protecting these orphans and other vulnerable children often lack the skills and capacity to respond effectively. Nearly all face high stress levels, the potential for burnout, and a range of psychosocial needs.