The Educare Center is a preschool center that offers children (aged 3 to 5) a safe environment where they can learn basic skills in order to prepare them for the primary school level. Our daily programme takes place from 8.00 to 15.00. Lunch is provided by the Educare Center. The children are divided into two language groups, depending on their parent’s choice: Afrikaans and English. The programme of the Educare Center is in line with the National Curriculum of the Department of Education. The children are taught and supervised by trained Educare teachers. In cooperation with partner organisations, New World Foundation is providing additional support to children in need, such as counseling.
Outings and excursions such as visits to the clinic, traffic police and fire department are part of the curriculum and are conducted on a regular basis. All the children are tested on school readiness. During the school holidays there is a holiday programme, from 9.00 till 13.00. It’s more informal, the children play and have a good time.
Evening meetings for parents are conducted on a regular basis and parents are encouraged to support their children and to take an active part in their child’s development. In addition, programmes for parents are offered.
In addition to the services the Educare Centre offers to the children, programmes for parents are offered such as parenting training (in cooperation with RAPCAN) and early childhood development training. The parenting training is aimed at giving direction and support to the parents of the children in Educare. The training relates to problems with their children, and in general to coach them into violent-free parenting skills. Additionally parents will gain other knowledge e.g. about the different development stages of children.
Early Childhood Development training is offered by NWF to interested women and men of the community. The successful participation will improve the chance of employment in the field of the Child Care Industry.
Aimed at children/youth in the ages between 9 to 15 years, to:
Aimed separately at boys and girls aged 11 to 15 years, to offer specific programmes (once a week) in a safe environment (maximum of 20 participants per group). This includes topics such as:
Aimed to teach life skills and social competencies to youth by utilizing their enthusiasm for arts, culture and sports. This includes topics such as:
Aimed to provide a sport, arts and culture holiday programme during school vacations for children and youth at Hilwood Primary in Lavender Hill.
Aimed at providing life skills and a computer training programme for high school learners in the age of 16 to 18 years. The aim is to train the participants to become youth leaders that take on responsibilities in their communities as change agents and to improve the living conditions for children and youth.
Aimed at providing life skills training and skills training in the area of children and youth development for youth and young adults in the age of 18 to 25 years. The programme is aimed at local volunteers involved at New World Foundation, who assist with children and youth programmes.
Aimed at providing support and direction to Great Retreat Youth Forum and at providing training to the organisations that make up the forum (leadership, management skills, life skills, etc.).
The aim is to organize more relaxed, innovative and informal ways to get organizations and individuals together to strengthen and build partnerships. We organize informal get-togethers such as:
Tea & Talk
Every last Wednesday of the month, starting at 10 am, New World Foundation hosts a “Tea & Talk”. Women (and sometimes men) representatives from organisations, groups and individuals in Lavender Hill and surrounding areas who are involved or interested in doing something positivie for their community participate in these meetings. The “Tea & Talk” is to share challenges and successes and to see how we can help one another.
Movie Day
Each last Thursday of the month, at 9 am, New World Foundation hosts a Movie Day on women issues followed by a discussion. All who are interested are invited, both men and women.
Celebration of Women’s Day
On special days such as Women’s Day and 16 Days of Activism against Violence against Women & Children we will organise gatherings or shows where women who serve the community can celebrate, destress and reenergize by watching a movie or performance. We also arrange group visitis to women’s oriented events such as Artscape.
We organize support groups for women with common concerns to gather in a safe space, share experiences and learnings, whilst supporting one another. We are planning to organize support groups for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community as well.
We train women to equip them with the necessary tools and skills so that they are able to make a contribution and to value themselves for what they bring. The courses are also aimed at improving access to formal education (e.g. completing matric and tertiary education).
Personal Self-Development workshop: the Hero Book
Through stimulating creativity and imagination, the facilitators will lead participants (which can be both women and men) through their own biographies, to rediscover themselves as heroes rather than victims. While writing and illustrating their own books, participants rewrite the story of their lives. Gaining a better understanding in this way facilitates the power to heal and take greater control of one’s life. If you are facing a situation in which you feel stuck or at a “crossroads” or if you are doing well but would like a boost by releasing an unidentified obstacle, you will certainly benefit from the course.
Health & HIV/Aids workshop
Together with the Department of Social Development and Medical Research Council, from time to time we host a two-day Health and HIV/Aids workshop. Both men and women are invited to attend with the age criteria being 18 years and over. Participants will each receive a certificate of attendance at the end of the workshop. Participants who perform outstandingly well and are interested will later be trained as Health& HIV/Aids facilitators.
To ensure that women receive the best services possible and to ensure that women’s rights are not violated we monitor the services that are provided to them. As a result, with partners such as ‘Women’s Legal Center’ and the ‘Western Cape Women’s Network against Violence Against Women’ we are starting to offer the Steenberg and Muizenberg police and trauma center volunteers refresher trainings on how to best respond to victims of domestic violence cases.
We want to contribute to developing a culture of peaceful and constructive ways of addressing conflict through mediation. For this reason, we want to start recreating the court committees, consisting of concerned residents that are willing to act as a mediator/first aider/lay counsellor when the inhabitants of their court/block of flats are in need.
The programmes under this strategy are currently being developed. We will keep you informed about our progress.
Basic computer & life skills training
This training aims to teach basic computer skills in Microsoft Word and life skills such as self-concept and interview skills to increase the chances of employment for the participants.
Advanced computer skills & life skills training
This training aims to teach advanced computer skills in Microsoft Word and life skills to increase the chances of employment for the participants.
Computer training for community organisations and groups
This training aims to provide basic computer skills in Microsoft Word for members of community based organisations and community initiatives.
Home Based Care training
In cooperation with the South African Red Cross Society, we give this training every month. This training aims to teach basic caring skills to people who wish to work in caring for sick people (including HIV/Aids infected people). The training focuses on the role of the care giver, basic wound care, rehabilitation, death and dying, etc. An additional aim is to increase the employment opportunities in the area of the health care industry for people of our community.
Positive Parenting Skills training
The training focuses on understanding children’s behaviour, feelings, self-esteem, assertiveness and engaging co-operation, effective discipline and problem solving.
Basic Adult Education training/Literacy training programme
This training aims to teach and improve the literacy and numeracy competence of adults.
The programmes under this strategy are currently being developed. We will keep you informed about our progress.
As a formal strategy, “Partnerships & networking” is currently in its initial development phase. However, a wide range of partnerships have been established over the years (LINK: partner organisations).
We realize that by initiating this new strategy, we have to start with very basic environmental awareness raising with regards to issues like:
Our interconnectedness to nature
The fact that we are part of nature, but that we have become disconnected and as a result of that we have lost something fundamental to our well being.
The impact of and the reasons for planetary climate change (global warming)
What we as global citizens are facing and what we can and should do on a local level right here in Lavender Hill and surrounding areas.
Something quite extraordinary is that we are surrounded by a whole cluster of nature conservation areas and parks and connected to these are existing bodies and organisations with which we can explore joint ventures and partnerships. There is no need to reinvent the wheel – we can immediately join hands.
The programmes under this strategy are currently being developed. We will keep you informed about our progress.
The Advice office is open to anyone from Lavender Hill, Vrygrond/Capricorn and the surrounding communities in need of legal advice on maintenance claims, civil matters, family law, labour law, social grants queries and all other family matters. Guidance, advice and sometimes counseling are offered. After an intake session, clients will be referred to the relevant institutions. Counselling by a professional psychologist is also an option for the more affected cases.
The Advice Office is open from:
Monday to Friday, 09.00 – 12.30
Monday to Friday from 14.30 for appointments only
Different activities, programmes, procedures and structures are in place to guarantee ongoing attention for the development of our staff and our organisation.