The youth of South Africa are both the country’s biggest resource (one-third of South Africans are under 15) and its biggest challenge.
Despite South Africa's growing economy, life remains extremely poor for many. Young people who feel trapped in impoverished townships often turn to alcohol, drugs and crime.
But they are also an easy target for radicals who promise change through a violent overthrow. To do this they whip up jealousies of race and tribe.
'Gold Peer Education' seeks to address the needs of these young people, and especially the behaviour which leads to rapidly-rising levels of AIDS.
The Gold Peer model seeks to train a handful of students from each school to become trainers and positive role models for their peers.
Trainers aim at transformation for themselves, for their peer group and for their community.
The ten core principles of the method are:-
-
It is applied within a structured framework whereby adolescent peer educators are continually equipped to fulfil 4 specific roles over three one-year tracks (with an optional fourth year track).
-
It responds to identified youth needs and applies a role-modelling and futures oriented education approach to behaviour change.
-
It is implemented within a cluster of 2-6 secondary schools or community sites within one geographical area.
-
It is implemented within a community development framework and promotes community involvement.
-
It is put into practice by a viable community-based implementing organisation.
-
It supports skilled facilitators to train and mentor peer educators by providing them with information and support; and role-modelling health-enhancing behaviour.
-
It is youth focused and targets adolescents from either participating secondary schools or community sites who are selected according to peer educator criteria to be agents of transformation.
-
It is adaptable to different contexts and uses values and rights based curricula to: support peer educator training and activities; and strengthen the school life-skills curriculum.
-
It has a comprehensive and standardised monitoring and evaluation system with associated easy-to-use tools based on common indicators.
-
It is quality assured by the GOLD Peer Education Development Agency (including accreditation of peer education implementation in accordance with the GOLD peer education model, standards and brand).
Hope for Africa Missions are now bringing this resource to the townships to the north-east of Pretoria. Staff have been set aside for this project.
For facilities and materials and running costs, we need to raise £34,000. Can you help?
