Van Hees, Charlotte

Title: "It takes a whole village to raise a child": youth development in Grahamstown
Title: Research report series, no. 4
Creator: Van Hees, Charlotte
Subject: Households -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Income -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Non-governmental organizations -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Schools -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth -- Employment -- South Africa Youth -- South Africa -- Grahamstown Youth -- South Africa -- Social conditions Youth -- South Africa -- Societies, etc. Youth, Black -- Employment -- South Africa Youth, Black -- South Africa -- Social conditions Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Economic conditions Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Social conditions
Date Issued: 2000
Date: 2000
Type: Book
Type: Text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/2431
Identifier: vital:20290
Identifier: ISBN 0868103691
Description: This research report is an edited version of a thesis written by Charlotte van Hees for a Master’s degree in organisational anthropology. The degree was awarded by the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands in May 2000. The fieldwork for her thesis was carried out in the first half of 1999 when Charlotte joined the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) project team investigating development opportunities for local youth. For a town of its size Grahamstown has an exceptionally large number of development organisations and community initiatives. In short, it is the ideal setting for an organisational anthropologist. Over a six-month period Charlotte met with members of local organisations to compile a directory or, as she prefers to call it, a ‘social map’. The social map, published as ISER Research Report No. 3, sets out the manner in which local organisations are linked in their activities and services. Report No. 3 should be read in conjunction with this report. In her thesis Charlotte analyses the ideal characteristics of youth organisations and matches local examples to the ideal. On a ladder of perfection, an organisation run by youth for youth optimises youth development. Youth will benefit most if organisations join forces to offer comprehensive and coordinated services. Charlotte observed that although Grahamstown boasts a large number of organisations serving the youth, their services tend to be fragmented or overlapping. As a young outsider, Charlotte van Hees has the advantage of ‘seeing’ the local maze of organisations from a fresh vantage point. Her sizing up of the local situation has benefited from her considerable experience of youth work in the Netherlands. Apart from theoretical insights the report offers practical guidelines to enhance the success of local initiatives for youth. One recommendation, which youth volunteers might wish to adopt as their project, is to continuously update the social map. South Africa is a country experiencing rapid social change. Charlotte’s analysis is based on time- bound observations and a particular constellation of organisations. There have been major changes in the local government system since the study was written up which will inevitably affect the operations of organisations serving the youth. However, the basic lessons to be learnt from her analysis will remain valid in future and continue to serve as useful pointers for scholars and practitioners. Charlotte revisited Grahamstown briefly in April 2000 to present results to local organisations which had participated in the social mapping research. The workshop participants asked the ISER to make Charlotte’s analysis more widely available to stimulate debate and action among local youth and their organisations. It is in response to this wish that ISER has published this report. Thanks go to ISER’s publication officer, Nova de Villiers, for undertaking to edit Charlotte’s thesis for this publication. Anjanette Haller assisted with typing. Readers will appreciate their handiwork. This report is dedicated to the youth of Grahamstown. It is hoped it will revitalise their enthusiasm for personal development, and shape fresh ideas and action to make Grahamstown a better place to grow up in.
Description: Digitised by Rhodes University Library on behalf of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER)
Format: 129 pages
Format: pdf
Publisher: Rhodes University, Institute of Social and Economic Research
Language: English
Relation: Research report series, no. 4
Rights: Rhodes University
Rights: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

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"It takes a whole village to raise a child": youth development in Grahamstown