We believe that young people are experts in their own experiences. Their insights help us understand what is happening in schools and communities in real time, and how we can continue improving the support we provide them.
To strengthen this commitment, we recently established a Youth Advisory Board made up of our CK Learner Representatives. This group meets directly with our CEO and COO, creating a powerful pathway for learner voices to inform conversations at leadership and Board level.
Our CK Learner Representatives are passionate learners who serve as ambassadors within their schools and act as local action groups. Through the Youth Advisory Board, their experiences, ideas and concerns become part of a meaningful dialogue that helps shape our organisation.
This initiative is so foundational to our vision that we have formally integrated it into our model. Our framework has evolved from C.A.R.E. to C.A.R.E.S, with the addition of S for Stakeholder Engagement.
This addition recognises the important role beneficiaries play in the co-creation, feedback and continuous improvement of our programmes. It ensures that learners are not simply recipients of support, but active participants in shaping it.
When young people have a seat at the table, everyone benefits.
Come sit with us.
What does growth look like?
For one Community Keepers client, it looks like a staircase.
During a recent therapy reflection activity, he illustrated his journey through two powerful drawings.
His first drawing showed him standing at the bottom of an unstable staircase, facing away from it. Beside him was the question, “What’s the point?” He knew he needed to keep moving forward but lacked the support, confidence and tools to take the next step.
Today, his outlook has changed.
His second drawing shows him actively climbing. One foot stands on a step labelled “Plan” and the other on “Try”. Through counselling, he has come to understand that meaningful change happens through small, consistent actions.
“CK was a space where I could start, learn and plan,” he shared.
Now equipped with practical tools and renewed hope, he looks toward the door at the top of the staircase with a sense of purpose and possibility.
Stories like this, shared with permission, remind us that growth is not always dramatic. Sometimes it begins with one small step.
Preventative care sits at the heart of our work. Our Care Facilitators recently completed specialised training with ‘1 Million Strong’ to facilitate the Breakthrough Programme.
We see value in this partnership because the programme’s mission aligns closely with our own commitment to building sustainable hope for young people.
The Breakthrough Programme is a structured 12 week intervention designed for vulnerable youth between the ages of 11 and 24. Planned for implementation during Term 3, it offers learners focused support during a critical stage of their development.
The programme focuses on:
• Developing life skills and helping learners identify values that guide decision making
• Raising awareness around risks such as substance addiction and teen pregnancy
• Supporting young people to discover purpose, motivation and hope for the future
Young people who have completed the programme frequently speak about finding a renewed sense of meaning and direction in their lives.
This term, we marked Child Protection Week across our schools through awareness activities, educational campaigns and important conversations.
While we always enjoy painting the town green and creating engaging experiences for learners, Child Protection Week remains one of the most important moments in our calendar. It provides an opportunity to educate children, educators and communities about children’s rights and our collective responsibility to keep them safe.
This year, our campaign focused on a difficult but important message: the legal obligation to report suspected sexual abuse against a child.
Too often, uncertainty or fear results in silence. Yet reporting is not only the right thing to do, it is a legal requirement designed to protect vulnerable children.
Did You Know?
Every person has a legal duty to report any knowledge, reasonable belief or suspicion of a sexual offence committed against a child or vulnerable person.
Failing to report a suspected sexual offence against a child is a criminal offence.
Failure to report may result in a criminal record, a substantial fine, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
By understanding the law and acting when concerns arise, we strengthen the safety net around children and help create communities where every child can thrive.
* Legal references: Section 54 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007 (Act 32 of 2007), as amended.
“I never knew that just by drawing, I could talk so easily about how I felt. I’ve always been afraid to talk about my emotions.” – Community Keepers Client
When someone experiences trauma or deep distress, putting feelings into words can be incredibly difficult. The parts of the brain responsible for language often become less accessible during overwhelming experiences.
This is where art and play therapy become so valuable.
Creative expression allows children and young people to safely access and process emotions that may be difficult to verbalise. Through drawing, painting and other creative activities, clients can externalise their experiences and begin making sense of what they are carrying.
Because creative expression is such an important part of our counselling work, keeping our therapy spaces stocked with materials is important.
This year, the Marie Stander Art Studio in Jamestown once again selected Community Keepers as a beneficiary of proceeds from their annual art auction. We are deeply grateful for their generous donation of art supplies, which will directly support learners in our counselling rooms.
Thank you, Marie Stander Art Studio, for helping us create spaces where healing can happen beyond words.
