What Learners Think and Need: Support and Safe Spaces in the Thari Programme

What is it about?

This article looks at the mental health and emotional well-being of children in South Africa, especially those growing up in difficult conditions such as poverty and violence. Even though there's no full set of national data, it's clear that many children need support for their mental and social health. Schools and Safe Parks are seen as important places where this kind of support can be given. The article focuses on a programme called Thari, which works in a semi-rural area called Botshabelo. It uses a method called the Isibindi Ezikoleni Model, where trained Child and Youth Care Workers help learners directly in schools. These workers support learners through counselling, educational development, and teaching life skills. The study asked learners what they thought about this support. Most learners—89%—were very happy with the help they received. They especially appreciated the counselling and the way the programme helped them with their education and life skills. However, nearly half of the learners (48%) said they still needed more help with schoolwork, like reading, writing, and doing homework. Learners also said they would like to have Safe Parks where they could get help, take part in sports, receive counselling, and get extra educational support. In fact, 87% of them said they would use Safe Parks if they were available. Although the study had a small number of participants and focused on just one community, which limits how much the findings can be applied elsewhere, it still provides useful insights. The article suggests that more trained social service workers should be placed in schools, especially in poor areas, and that Safe Parks should be better known and more widely available so children can get the help they need.

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Why is it important?

This research is important because it gives a voice to learners who face difficult life circumstances, showing what kind of emotional and educational support they receive—and still need—in their schools and communities. It helps identify whether current services, like those provided by the Thari Programme and Safe Parks, are effective and what can be improved. By understanding learners' experiences and expectations, schools, social workers, and policymakers can make better decisions to support vulnerable children, promote mental well-being, and improve learning outcomes. It also highlights the need for more resources and trained professionals in under-resourced communities.