They had gone grudgingly at first. Some had even been insulted at the invitation but by the end of the eight-week Family Strengthening Programme, all the participants agreed that they had been enriched by it.
The programme, which is run by the department of community, arts and cultural development – a department formerly known as social development – was done at three regional sites in Cape Town over the last few months, Steenberg, Gugulethu and Mitchell’s Plain.
In Mitchell’s Plain it was held at Cascade Primary School in Tafelsig on Thursday afternoons. The final session was held last week and the participants celebrated with a graduation on Saturday 27 September. Seventeen families took part in the programme.
One participant said she almost walked out on the first day.
“Ek het gedink, ‘Is die nou die stoute kinders’?”
Another mother was invited to the course by ward councillor Washiela Harris who hosted the programme in partnership with the department.
The mother admits to going begrudgingly at first but then came back willingly every week afterwards because she enjoyed it.
Most of the people who took part had been nominated by the schools their children attended. In some cases it was because the children had disruptive behaviour.
“They were referred here and we will make further referrals,” said parent facilitator Natasja Solomon. “Two people will be referred to Matrix and one to Mosaic.”
Matrix is the City’s out-patient based substance abuse clinic network and Mosaic is an non-governmental organisation working to prevent gender-based violence.
“Basically, people have asked for help,” Solomon said.
Feedback
Among the people in the group who gave feedback, a few mentioned the desire to change and some of the children also noted positive changes they had seen in their parent.
One child said: “My grandma stopped skelling.”
Another said: “I learned about manners and how to behave.”
One mom looked sheepish after her son said: “I’m glad my mommy stopped swearing.”
The parents also mentioned that they had learned to communicate more positively with their children.
One mom said she had played games with her child for the first time during the programme.
“I never knew I needed to play with my child,” she said.
Others also had notable first experiences. One mother praised the picnic experience saying she’d never gone out with her children as a family and another said that she’d been moved when her son had told her that he loved her.
“Niemand sê dit vir my nie,” she said.
Solomon said the programme is targeted at families with children between the ages of 6 and 11 years old and the next one will be held in Washington Drive Primary School in Colorado Park. She said the programme is designed to equip “high-risk” families with tools to improve parenting.
“It is found to significantly improve parenting skills, family relationships, reduce problem behaviours, delinquency, alcohol and drug abuse in children, improve social competencies and school performance,” she said.
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