Community Keepers (CK), a non-profit organisation that provides free professional mental health services to children and youth in marginalised communities of SA, has a vision to partner with 100 schools, reaching 100 000 learners and their caregivers by 2030. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And to support that vision it recently opened two new CK offices, sponsored by Remgro, at Devon Valley Primary School and St Vincent Roman Catholic Primary School outside Stellenbosch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis brings our total number of partner schools to 31 (6 initiated by Remgro) and our annual reach to 30 000 learners and their caregivers (educators\/parents\/guardians),\u201dsaid Meriel Bartlett, media and marketing executive at CK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen visiting the school premises, setting up our therapy rooms, it\u2019s been a pleasure talking to and seeing all the friendly children\u2019s faces. The curiosity of the children is priceless. It was a privilege to invite them to come and have a look at the space and explain to them what this space would be used for. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Community Keepers has a multidisciplinary team of social workers, psychologists and mental health first aiders. \u201cWe take a whole-school approach which sees us include learners, teachers and parents. On average 10% of learners in a school enrol for therapy in a year (average of five weekly sessions); during Covid we saw this rise to 24-30%.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Providing therapeutic interventions is a priority, but CK also has a strong focus on prevention and early intervention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As CK patron and radio personality Sherlin Barends says, the group works hard to destigmatise help-seeking behaviour. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOur plan is to open four more new sites this year, closing the year with 35 partner schools,\u201d Bartlett says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSchools are welcome to join our waiting list; we require a letter from their principal outlining the need, the agreement from the SGB or SBST and confirmation that they have dedicated space available that can be converted into a counselling room.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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