NCJ Number
185866
Journal
Siyaya! Issue: 5 Dated: Winter 1999 Pages: 34-37
Editor(s)
Janine Rauch
Date Published
1999
Length
4 pages
Annotation
The Safe Schools Program of the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) in South Africa is described, the goal being to bring learning and safety back into the classroom.
Abstract
The CSVR Safe Schools project began in 1994 to help children and teachers in Soweto cope with the aftermath of years of political violence. The initial aim of the project was to have a team of teachers in each school equipped to manage trauma. Teachers were trained to deal with trauma, and the Safe Schools campaign spread to 40 Soweto schools. Teacher committees in these schools helped direct the project and changed the emphasis away from trauma management to coping skills across the board. The project has four main thrusts--secure schools as pockets of safety, counseling teams to help those affected by crime, environmental design, and community participation in school safety. The project emphasizes violence prevention and child abuse prevention, as well as conflict resolution and the development of respect in interpersonal relationships. 2 figures and 1 photograph