Youth at Heart Development

Youth@HEART assists young people in their life experience and crises’ since 1999. Trained volunteer counsellors render a service, free of charge, assisting young people in their developing years, typically 11 to 24 years of age.

An extensive network of specialised organisations and centres is available to our volunteer counsellors, where they can refer young people for professional assistance. Our volunteer counsellors have helped countless young people in crises.

New legislation and regulations require higher standards from lay counsellors than before. As Youth@HEART feels strongly that professional standards have to be adhered to, we are busy getting our counsellors in line with the new requirements. We do not only want to comply with the new standards, but rather lead the way in setting new standards of excellence:

• Youth@HEART participated in the process of lay counsellor's registration with the Health Professional Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
• Youth@HEART was represented on the committees for Training and Ethics, of the Southern African Council for the Accreditation of Counselling Organisations (SACACO), a forum for the registration of counsellors at the HPCSA.
• In November 2000, the South African Qualification Authority (SAQA), orally accepted Youth@HEART’s course in youth ministry for accreditation via the Nazarene Theological College.
• Since then other tertiary institutions accredited the Advanced Course in Counselling Youth in Crisis (e.g. Centre for Continued Education at the University of Pretoria; Auckland Park Theological Seminary – in contract with the University of Johannesburg).
• We are currently seeking registration with the SETA: South Africa Association of Pastoral Workers (SAAP) or through SETA of the Departments of Education, Health and/or Welfare.

To line up with the new requirements, Dr Semmelink developed a training course in Youth Counselling. All volunteers at the HEART Youth Crisis Centre had to attend this course and pass the minimum requirements stated by the Nazarene Theological College.

To date, the Youth Counselling training was presented regularly in Pretoria, as well as in Cape Town, Carletonville, Centurion, Durban, Kimberley, Pietersburg, Port Elizabeth, Rustenburg, Vredefort/Parys and Vryheid. Requests for more training have been received from other areas in South Africa. Plans are under consideration to see how they can be accommodated.

Youth@HEART realised that it is becoming more and more difficult to establish and effectively manage Crises centres at all these centres. In order to deliver a better service, counsellors will in future be outsourced to other specialised counselling organisations. This will be a mutually beneficial agreement as Youth@HEART can concentrate on producing more, and better-trained, counsellors to these organisations that are traditionally battling to source credible and experienced counsellors.

Youth@HEART’s Youth Counsellor’s training course is presented at organisations like:

• Verenigende Christen-Studente Vereeniging’ (VCSV)
• Youth With A Mission (YWAM)
• ‘Suid Afrikaanse Vroue Federasie’ (SAVF)
• Aids Awareness Association
• Young Woman’s Christian Association (YWCA)
• The Fleuresca Rehabilitation Centre
• Centurion Re-integration Centre
• SA Cares for Life (NeoBirth)
• AIDS Awareness Group
• SA Vroue Federasie (SAVF)
• Christelik Maatskaplike Raad (CMR)
• Tutela Safety Home (Dept of Welfare)
• Jacaranda Children’s Home
• Telkom
• SA Police Services (Child Protection Unit)
• Xun-Kwe Community Development
• Kohin
• Gateway
• Youth Leaders & Clergy from +-20 denominations
• Teachers – Primary & Secondary schools
• Lecturers from Technical Colleges:
  ♥ Benoni
  ♥ Upington
  ♥ Carletonville

• Professionals:
  ♥ Medical doctors
  ♥ Psychologists
  ♥ Social Workers

Training a Youth Counsellor