We welcome the ‘disruptive child’; the ‘difficult teenager’; the learner who is withdrawn, anxious or angry; and those who appear to cope but are masking, to keep the peace. These are the learners who need us most.
Our dream is to partner with funders and as many school communities as possible, to build a culture of well-being. Our plan is to be in 100 schools by 2025, we are in 79 already.
Nobody should be denied access to mental health care because they are poor or live in a remote place. We are committed to the National Development Plan and the 2030 Agenda as we heed the call of the United Nations to “leave no one behind” and to “endeavour to reach the furthest first.”
Letter of Commendation from the Western Cape Minister from Community Safety
VISION
Our vision is to improve the social and emotional well-being of learners and promote
supportive school communities where learning and development can prosper.
MISSION
By investing in the social and emotional well-being of learners, Community Keepers create
supportive school communities where learning and development can prosper. We establish
ourselves at schools where we deliver professional services to learners, educators and parents or
caregivers. We build long-term relationships and help individuals, their families and communities.
Our objective is mental wellbeing where learners:
- realise their own potential
- can cope with the normal stresses of life
- work productively and fruitfully
- contribute to their community.
Our values:
PARTNERSHIP: Collaborating with others towards a common goal.
TRUST: Being reliable in everything we do.
INTEGRITY: Exercising moral courage by accepting responsibility for all our actions.
PROFESSIONALISM: Utilising our skills to deliver a high-quality service
Our Board of Directors (“the Board”) meets quarterly to maintain close oversight over the activities of the organisation and annually to discuss strategy. Formal minutes are recorded and circulated before each meeting.
The management team consists of the CEO, five Area Managers who report into the Operations Manager and Development Manager.
The board approves the annual budget and provides the necessary authority for expenditure. Expenditure outside of the approved budget must be approved by the board. No single individual exercises unfettered powers of decision-making. The management team has clear mandates and carry out their duties within the guidance of a clear strategy and plan. The board holds the CEO to account and ensures that management complies with all legislation, regulation and policies. The governance structures strive to achieve transparency, accountability, integrity and ethical leadership and provide practical guidance regarding sustainable development of the activities of the company.
Our History
“15 years ago, I was deeply concerned when I discovered that there was only one state social worker and one psychologist to service 45 schools and 32 000 children in the Winelands. Today, Community Keepers has over 100 practitioners who service 79 partner schools (65 000 learners) each year. We owe a debt of gratitude to our funders who believe in the work that we do and step up to show these vulnerable children that someone does care and someone is willing to share, so that they can have hope and a future.” Andre du Plessis, Chairman and co-founder
In 2007, a research project was undertaken by three founding members that entailed interviewing over 2 000 candidates (children, youth, parents and educators) from schools in the greater Stellenbosch area. The intention was to listen to the challenges they faced and the need they had in their communities. A common denominator that we found across all ages was that the candidates ‘needed someone to talk to’. This was particularly evident among the youth, who expressed a need to discuss issues with someone other than their friends and parents.
Community Keepers is unique in that we establish a full time, dedicated mental health facility on-site at schools in marginalised areas, with the objective of removing barriers to access.
Accolades
In 2023, Community Keepers won the Panado Dose of Care with Afternoon Express
In 2023, Community Keepers won the NSTF Innovation award (known as a Science Oscar)
In 2021, Community Keepers was named a semi-finalist in the South African CSI Legacy Awards 2022
In 2021, Community Keepers, through our partnership with AAA School of Advertising, was announced as GOLD winners in The New Generation Overall Student Group of the Year Award category.
In 2019, Community Keepers made the final shortlist (ranked 27 out of 400) in the African Civil Society Organisations excellence awards, a joint initiative between the Rockefeller Foundation and EPIC-Africa Foundation.
In 2017, Community Keepers won an award for social innovation at the Annual Impumelelo Social Innovation Awards. Our organisation was one of over 100 non-profit organisations that participated.
Follow this link to read an article in CFO South Africa Magazine: “How Capitec’s André du Plessis helps safeguard the future of children in Cape Town”