1. AIDS 2012 - Turning the Tide Together Strengthening the Social Service Workforce in South Africa Zeni Thumbadoo, National Association of Child Care Workers, South Africa INTERNATIONAL AIDS SOCIETY CONFERENCE 2012

2. PEPFAR/USAID Support Support for strengthening the Social Service in Africa – Country-specific Technical Assistance – Global Initiatives Social Welfare Workforce Strengthening Conference The Global Social Service Workforce Strengthening Alliance Support for strengthening the Social Service Workforce in South Africa – Facilitating advocacy by non-governmental partners – Training & capacity building for the workforce – Piloting innovative models – Supporting implementation

3. The South African Context Legislation – The Children’s Act – The Social Service Professions Act Other Factors – Need for a children’s workforce – The Child and Youth Care Worker

4. The National Association of Child Care Workers, South Africa Objectives – Planning for, developing and supporting Child and Youth Care Workers (C&YCWs) – Training, advocacy, policy development, conferences, journals, services, international liaison, model development The role of the Child and Youth Care Worker in the Workforce – C&YCWs operate in different settings-residential care, communities and families work, schools, courts (intermediaries, assistance probation officers) – C&YCWs in the HIV/AIDS pandemic response

5. The Isibindi Model C&YCWs support children in the epidemic in rural communities and families – Focus: poverty pockets, unemployment, women – Focus: skills development, training, career pathing – Focus: recognition and professionalization – Focus: grassroots development – a developing workforce in a developing country Approximately 800 C&YCWs currently provide services to over to 100 000 children

6. C&YCW Services provided within the Isibindi Model C&YCWs support OVC families by: – Working in their lifespace – Using daily life events developmentally and therapeutically – Working ‘in the moment’

7. Partnership with the South African Ministry of Social Development Isibindi Scale up Strategy – Increased job creation The Ministry will hire 10 000 C&YCWs by 2017 ( 5 years) – Increased service delivery The Ministry will support a total of 400 Isibindi projects and services to 1,4 million children – More effective implementation of legislation Services are aligned with SA and international children’s policy/legislation – Stronger coordination and sustainability within the workforce C&YCWs will be integrated and institutionalized within the public workforce in SA

8. The Isibindi Scale-up PEPFAR/USAID Support assists with: – Maintaining quality – Promoting stakeholder collaboration – Evaluation – Ongoing innovation – Planning for the future

9. Partnerships to support expansion of C&YCW cadre in Africa NACCW conferences – Africa Day programs 15 different countries Isibindi and C&YCW training Zambia (ZACCW) Zimbabwe Rwanda (pending) Visits and discussions Botswana Kenya Ethiopia

10. Thank you! For further information – Isibindi Project http://www.naccw.org.za/isibindi/index.html – National Association of Child Care Workers http://www.naccw.org.za/ – OVCSupport.net/Social Welfare Workforce Strengthening http://www.ovcsupport.net/s/index.php?c=114