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Youth Crime Watch of South Africa

About Youth Crime Watch of South Africa

Youth Crime Watch of South Africa helps schools and communities in the Republic of South Africa to start and sustain their YCW programs. Services include:

Background information about Youth Crime Watch
YCW awareness presentations
YCW implementation training for your site
Technical assistance getting your site started
Technical assistance once your site is up and running

News from South Africa

May 2008: YCWSA and Eersterust Police reach out to the disabled

Officers from YCWSA and Eersterust Police Station Social Crime Prevention visited Eersterust Care and Training Centre for people with physical disabilities. The centre trains the disabled with life skills and skill development. During the visit, the director of the centre took the team to see various projects carried out by the centre.

Mr. Shibambo from Eersterust Police Station made a presentation about personal safety. Mr. Samuel Sarfo introduced the YCW concept to the centre. Pastor Thomas gave a sermon on faith. The team presented boxes of candy, toys and other items to the centre, the centre director appreciated the gift and thanked the team for their visit. The centre also presented a sachet of green beans from their garden to the team.

The Team were: Constable Samuel Shibambo and Constable Ramala from Eersterust Police Station, Mr. Samuel Sarfo and Pastor Thomas Munoga from YCWSA.

Eersterust Care and Training Centre

February 2008: YCWSA reaches out to primary schools in Pretoria

Pastor Thomas presenting to the pupils at Jakaranda Primary School.

(Photo above) A Youth Crime Watch of South Africa program February 20 at the Jakaranda Primary School in Eersterust, Pretoria, addressed the common and serious problems on bullying and violence at the elementary school level. YCWSA has identified bullying as one of the basic problems among younger children. Vicious and hurtful, bullying in schools leads to depression, anxiety, sleeplessness and even lasting psychological damage among school-going children. The YCWSA presentation at Jakaranda Primary is expected to lead to a full implementation training and formation of a core group to start a YCW site.

YCWSA presentation at Fourie Primary School.

(Photo above) On February 25, YCWSA visited P.S. Fourie Primary School in Eersterust, a suburb of Pretoria. A presentation was made about drugs. Schools have an important role to play in enabling pupils to make informed and responsible decisions in modern society. Even young children are exposed drug use whether by television and the media glamorizing drug use or by parents or older siblings smoking, drinking, or using drugs. There is an increasing acceptance of drug use that must be countered. The administration and students at P.S. Fourie are looking forward to starting a YCW site at their school.

Nantes presentation
Samuel Sarfo talks with pupils at Nantes about peer pressure and drug abuse.

Nantes presentation
Constable Rammala of the Eersterust Police interacting with teachers and children at the Nantes event.

(Photos above) YCWSA and police officers from Eersterust Police's Social Crime Prevention Division visited Nante Primary School in Eersterust, Pretoria on February 26. Mr. Samuel Sarfo of YCWSA familiarized the administration with the YCW program and took the opportunity to speak to the students about peer pressure and drugs. The students were excited to become a part of the YCW family and we expect to see a site at the school soon.

Norridge School visit
Students assembled at Norridge Park Primary School for Youth Crime Watch.

Norridge School visit
Constable Rammale speaking with students at Norridge Park.

On February 28 YCWSA visited Norridge Park Primary School in Eersterust. Samuel Sarfo explained the YCW concept to an assembly of students. Pastor Thomas Munoga spoke with the students about the problem of bullying. Constable Rammale of the Eersterust Police talked about school safety while Constable Samuel Shibambo spoke about drugs, especially TIC, which is in common use among learners.

February 2008: YCWSA sees AIDS as a concern for South African youth

February 22, 2008: YCWSA participated in an AIDS forum at the University of Pretoria. The forum, held in Atteridgeville and organized by the Youth Skills Development Centre for AIDS Study, focused on spreading awareness and education about the issues of HIV and AIDS, the stigmas attached, vulnerability of youth, human rights, and empowerment. YCWSA sees AIDS as an important topic for youth in South Africa, especially as it ties in with drug use. Discussion was made of how YCWSA can best coordinate efforts with other youth organizations in Atteridgeville, Lotus Gardens and Pretoria Central.

February 2008: Program at D.H. Peta High School launches 2008 efforts

Youth Crime Watch of South Africa continue their program to reduce crime, violence and drugs in schools for a safer place for learning. YCWSA's first program for 2008 took place at D.H. Peta High School in Pretoria, Attredgeville.

Peer pressure can drive many students to drugs and alcohol abuse. Drugs are a problem among school students. Drugs have no rightful place anywhere in society, but they have even less of a place in academic environments where teens are living in their most formative years. That the teen drug/alcohol user's academic performance is severely impaired, along with his or her level of responsibility – such as skipping class, failing to complete assignments, etc. – speaks to the notion that drug and alcohol use is rampant throughout high schools. This abuse has produced teenage student bodies with many abusers whose relationships, reputations, futures, wallets, self-images and especially grades suffer as a direct result of the teen drug abuse.

One might readily argue that teenage drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions on some college campuses and high school facilities. Alcohol – one of the most misused drugs today – is also one of the most popular and readily available of all types of drugs and controlled substances found on high school campuses. Waking in a stupor after the previous night's party, missing classes, falling behind and ultimately losing whatever funding may have accompanied one's higher education is but a single representation of how drugs and/or alcohol can detrimentally impact one's academic experience. Many teens think college is just one big party now that they are on their own at school. However, the soiree does not last long once parents find out the extent to which their teen children have detrimentally impacted their scholastic rating by skipping class, failing to complete assignments and generally neglecting their scholastic responsibilities.

Youth Crime Watch of South Africa is working hard in partnership with all stakeholders to reduce drug abuse in schools.

DH Peta High School
D.H. Peta High School