Organisational Profile more...2
2. St. PHILOMENA’S SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
2.1 St. Philomena’s Origin
St. Philomena’s was established 1895 at the location of the now existing St. Augustine’s Hospital on the Berea just outside the city of Durban, KZN; with the aim of providing developmental care for orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs) and youth. Starting off as a Children’s Home, St. Philomena’s is now a Community Development Centre & Children’s Home, whose beneficial reach to children, youth, young single mothers in crisis and families, has compounded through updating our projects and social development activities.
2.2 St. Philomena’s Mission
St. Philomena’s Community Development Centre, provides developmental services and opportunities for personal and group empowerment. This is achieved through social service projects; which respond to poverty, abuse, dysfunctional family life and trauma. Our services are provided in working together with partners and stakeholders.
We aim for services that are relevant to developmental needs and goals, have continued impact; guided by principles of democracy, equality and non-discrimination. St. Philomena’s projects and the Children’s Home utilizes over 100 years of social development services provided to communities in need.
2.3 Beneficiaries Served by St. Philomena’s
St. Philomena’s works with all members of the community and has projects with special emphasis on:
- Children between the ages of 7 to 13 years old
- Primary care givers of children and their family members
- Orphans & vulnerable children 6 – 18 years old
- Orphans & vulnerable girls 18 - 21 years old
2.4 Estimates of Race % Distribution of Beneficiaries:
99.9% black – black defined as per BEE definition
2.5 Areas St Philomena’s Works in:
Sydenham
Newlands East
Newlands West
2.6 Social Development Objectives
Provide hard and soft skills training and support services.
Provide communities with resources that enable the delivery of social development services.
Collaborate with key partners and stakeholders in service delivery.
Strive to reach a certain level of organizational self-sustainability.
Keep clear project inception, impact and close-out phased to avoid beneficiaries building dependencies and ensure project results.
Care for OVC girls in Children’s Home.
Care for 10 girls 18-21 years old for purposes of completing school and further education as well as training in life skills
The Children’s Home provides Psycho-socio healing, safety, learning life skills and providing children with psycho-socio tools for advancement into adulthood
2.7 Social Development Projects Delivered:
In providing an integrated cluster of social development services, St. Philomena’s delivers:
Community Child Development Project (CCDP)
*Social Auxiliary Workers identify children in schools that appear to have behavioural problems. The rapport is established with the child and counseling takes place. In some cases counseling is necessary for the other members of the family. This is a holistic approach and measured by children’s school results. In some cases it is established that the children are in a negative space because they should be in a special school and our staff facilitate the transfer.
Early Childhood Development Pre-School
*As a pre-curser to our core objectives, we have a pre-school for children 3-5 years old. The children graduate with grade R. They are safe in a quiet road and have a playground for activities.
Information & Communications Technology Training Project
*I.T. literacy to community children
St Philomena’s Children’s home and After-Care Centre
*Children’s Home: caring for girls age 6 – 18 yrs
After-Care: caring for girls 18 – 21 yrs by providing further psycho-social support.
Saints Hospitality Centre
*is our self-sustainability business which employs people in the community providing jobs and experience in the Hospitality Sector as well as having access to learner courses.