CHILDREN SERVICES DIRECTORY A PEPFAR-Funded Project IT Workshop Apollo Hotel, Randburg 22 October 2009

KEY STRATEGIES- OVC Policy Framework  Strengthen and support the capacity of families to protect and care  Mobilise and strengthen community-based responses for the care, support and protection of orphans, and other children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS  Ensure that legislation, policy, strategies and programmes are in place to protect the most vulnerable children

 Assure access for orphans and children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS to essential services  Raise awareness and advocate for the creation of a supportive environment for OVC  Engage civil society sector and business community to play an active role to support the plight of orphans and children made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS

PROJECT OBJECTIVES To develop a directory of services for vulnerable children in South Africa based on a mapping exercise of entities within each province and organizations identified include NPOs, government and businesses.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES (CONT.) To access services through hard copy (national and directory per province); CD-ROM; web service and text messaging To provide a sustainable process for annual updates

PARTNERSHIP CYCLE Children FamiliesNPOsBusinessGovernment

Challenges for the Children Services Directory “I do not see a problem because HIV is something that exists and known all over and talked about day and night.” Focus group participant

GAUTENG STRATEGIC PLAN ON HIV AND AIDS FOR 2009 TO 2011 AND 2014 Draft Goal 3: Normal development of OVC sustainable households Strategic Objectives: Extend services for 80% of OVC Sustain AIDS affected households

CHILDREN 0 -19, 2009

YOUTH 20 – 29, 2009

DEVELOPMENT... Requires a group of people working together, each performing specific tasks and roles: At the time when they are supposed to In the way they are supposed to With the resources they have at their disposal

DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES.. That when resources and people are scarce... you need to plan, be selective and be innovative

“That book for us here we can use it but for people who are in the field no no, even when I look at it myself I just tell myself that its like I am going back to school. Unless you make it a bit smaller, with less words and at least with some pictures of kids maybe or youth that would be better because that, at least a few pictures.” Youth focus group participant

In % of South African youth could name at least one HIV and AIDS campaign that runs on TV and radio. 46% mentioned Soul City 25% mentioned loveLife

“The other thing even if we have phone because you know phones have internet you would find that we do not know how to use phone internet as many do not know that if their phone has internet what must they do and how to go into the internet with their phones, its is just not useful for people in the field to use the internet.” Youth focus group participant

SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACT OF MOBILE PHONES 78.7% of rural respondents in a study reported that it improved their relationships 77.4% reported that they would call rather than travel to family and friends 26.5% said cell phones were useful in emergencies

15.5% used them to find jobs 80% knew how to send and receive SMS 76% used their phones to make voice calls for social services

KREUTZER STUDY 91% of respondents make calls or send SMS messages on a typical day 25% did NOT own their own personal handset 83% accessed the Internet via their phones 49% accessed the Web

Online Media Usage by Low-income Cape Town Youth Mobile PhoneComputer EverYesterdayEverYesterday 1.Download songs, videos, games or ringtones Instant messaging Browse or “Google” for no reason School research Movie, TV Show, music or sports site Online news Send and receive Facebook or other SN site YouTube or other video site Health or medical information

We are not an operational company in the sense that we want to look after the children everyday. We are assisting the community to look after them. So if we can have this book its going to, I’m telling you its going to, make our specific job 80 to 90 percent easier. And more effective. Not easier because its not about the easier, but more effective. Youth focus group participant

IMPACT OF INITATIVES, METHODS FOR MONITORING AND EVALAUTION Stakeholders must be consulted Beneficiaries must see a direct benefit for taking part in the project – this includes users

If the project collects data for use in high-level decision-making, the benefit for people from whom data is collected must be obvious, and users must receive feedback as to the impact of their involvement Indicators for success, that measure impact, must include gender-related indicators

KEY CONSIDERATIONS Accessibility Usability Appropriateness Affordability Functionality Development

“I think it has information we need, but as long they can give it to us, because some of the things they just write like that and when you knock into their door you find some one with a big noise and saying we don’t cater for what what, we don’t do what what.” Youth focus group participant

WHAT DOES vulnerable mean to you? What is the word for vulnerable in your home language? What child do you know who you would regard as being vulnerable? How are the voices of the vulnerable included in your project?

HOW COULD YOUR TEAM apply the key OVC strategies in partnership with the Children Services Directory?

But they main thing is from the stakeholders, they must recognize we are working there, they must also see us as a partner.... I think we are having a lot of discussions with the department of social development Gauteng regarding this. We’ve had about two or three meetings already and slowly they are understanding that we are partners and not competitors. We are there to assist them. Youth focus group participant

Know where to go—for our children, for our future

THANK – YOU ! ! ! Julialynne Walker, JD Project Director Skype: addlinkages