Our Programs & Services
Programs
All our programs have been developed with the objective to help persons living with mental and physical disabilities by offering them the support and education to live to their full potential.
Frail Care Program
The frail care program offers mental health care users (14 men and 16 women) a frail care facility, equipped to cater for the physically, mentally and intellectual frail care service users. In a caring environment with individual care and daily stimulation through a life skills program. The purpose for the Life Sills program is to increase the quality of life and independence of lower functioning service users through structured day program with close supervision for safety and activity participation.
Independent Living Program
The independent living program offers a soothing environment to both male and female service users. One facility “Ruimte” for 11 men and a facility “HO” for 15 women. Our facilities are both on the premises offering our service users freedom to follow their own interests, for example, having their own menu, having pets and having their own fruit garden etc. The program also offers supported employment to service users, a time frame of 1 year is given and extended based on the performance of service users. Extended supervision are available for them on a monthly basis. Our goal is for each individual to reach his or her greatest potential and become a contributing member of the community.
Life Skills Program
It is a structured daily routine followed that allows time for daily orientation, self-care training, communication and socialisation, basic work skills training and leisure time.
This is a structured activity-based program that facilitates learning through doing and experiencing. The goal is to improve personal safety and independence in and around the home and workshop environment. Our training opportunities help lower functioning adults with a disability to improve their quality of life and levels of independence.
This program provides a person with a safe haven during the day and provides respite care to caregivers and family.
Supported Employment Program
The program sources job opportunities for those trainees who came through the process of vocational training and skills development and have been prepared to enter the open labour market. The organisation visits the prospective employers to sensitize the staff and management about the project and the specific needs of the person living with an Intellectual Disability. The Mental Health Care user (trainee) is placed in the service of the employer for a probation period of at least three months. The skills needed for the job are trained on the job with the support of both the employer and the job coach of Yonder. If the trainee progresses satisfactorily, a contract is drawn up and the trainee is employed with the same responsibilities and privileges of other staff members, although some expectations may be negotiated.
Currently, we have 27 Mental Health care users in full-time employment in the open labour market.
Services
The NCMHS aims to implement an integrated approach to provide services that facilitate the wellbeing and socio-economic empowerment of people with disabilities, offering medical assistance where needed as well as support to both the differently-abled person and their family.
Contractual Engagements
Once the procurement of employment is exhausted, the organisation will assist in contractual arrangements within the Yonder Program. The organisation will help fund supported employment services to individuals waiting to be placed in the OLM. We will help find and maintain competitive employment and participate in a meaningful internship that has a high likelihood of resulting in competitive employment.
Contractual arrangements are available to service users ready to enter OLM but due to the lack of employment opportunities:
- are assisted in leadership positions with the Yonder Program
- to gain leadership experience
- to gain managerial skills
Social Work Services
The purpose of the programme is to implement an integrated approach to provide services that facilitate the wellbeing and socio-economic empowerment of people with disabilities. The programmes focus on helping communities to recognise people living with disabilities as people with equal rights, potentials and inherent worth.
The organisation provides social work intervention to people with intellectual-, psychosocial and physical disabilities from the age of 18 years old to 60 years and beyond. Services include educative, support, counselling and advocacy services.
Provides the following services:
Social intervention services to improve the social wellbeing of people living with a disability through
- Therapeutic counselling services
- Assessment and referral to relevant resources
- Mental Health care services
- Protection services against abuse, neglect and exploitation
- Support groups
Capacity building
- With parents and mental health care users
- Disseminate information
- Life skills through all the programmes
- Presented at the Organisation
Awareness campaigns through
- Conduct radio presentations with an aim of educating the community about disability
- Advocate for the rights of persons with Disabilities
- Take part in discussion groups about disability in the work place and equal opportunities
- Take part in Special Olympics and general sports activities promoting active living
- Ensuring proper care and treatment of people with disabilities
Integrated and mainstreamed services aimed at strengthening, supporting and provision of care and protection of persons with disabilities through
- Assessment and referral to relevant resources
- Social intervention or therapeutic services
- Intervention and placement in alternative care
- Rehabilitation and aftercare services
- Family presentation services
- Family reunification
Rendering services in:
- Casework
- Group work
- Community work
- Referrals
- Assessment for intakes
- Admission of MHCU’s 18 years of age and older
- Intellectual- and psychosocial disabilities
Primary Health Care Services
Sr Sanet Calitz – Professional Nurse
- Dispensing of psychotropic and chronic medication
- Wound care and workshop injuries are attended to
- Planning monthly visits by the psychiatrist and medical doctor
- Do blood pressure, sugar tests and family planning
- Referral to dentists, optometrists and physiotherapists
- Manage the care programme where service users undergo full medical examination twice a year
- 2 Chaperones escorting residents to the hospital, clinic and other medical specialists. They also visits our residents who were admitted in hospital for an operation or medical check up.
- We order medication on a monthly basis and do routine bloods twice a year.
Work Skills Program
Our work skills program is so special that we felt it deserves a section of its own.
Vocational training to empower trainees to qualify to the next level of skills development.
The Programme consists of a structured day programme in a simulated work environment and engagement in production and work activities and routines. It accommodates persons with disabilities who have an ability and interest to engage in more formal activities and skills.
The person must have the potential to work safely on familiar tasks under distant supervision within a structured simulated work area within a protective workshop.
The purpose of this programme is the introduction to work activities, simulated workplace and required skills and behaviour to participate in production or manufacturing to develop potential and opportunities for employment beyond the protective workshop environment.
At the Northern Cape Mental Health Society, we have diverse skills development programmes to cater for all sorts of skills.
Carpentry
New products and restoration of old furniture. A pallet division where we repair pallets and manufacture garden products such as flower boxes, ect.
Mechanical Maintenance
Vehicle repair and maintenance equipment repair.
Welding
Manufacturing of steel products and reinforcing products for building contractors. Installation of steel products.
Cane Work
New products and restoration of old furniture.
Bakery
Provide in the need of the hostels, bread, bread rolls, biscuits, cake and sell to the community.
Garden Services
Trainees are trained to handle garden equipment, cut lawns, tend to flower-bed. They are trained on the premises and outsource their services to schools, factories and houses in the vicinity.
Concrete Products
The garden products, slabs and pots are high in demand. They also manufacture kerbing for industrial purposes.
Food Preparation
Prepare 700 meals per day. Also do functions and take-aways. An Executive Chef does the training. Training in activities of daily living aligned to levels of functioning such as basic food preparation
Needlework
Trainees are trained to use the various equipment to make clothes, repair clothes, make masks and bags for the service users (trainees).
Arts & Crafts
The name says it all. Here they are taught to do anything relating to Arts and Craft.
Laundry
Washing and ironing of clothes and linen.
Exhibitions
We attend many exhibitions during the year across the Northern Cape Province. This is to market and sell our products but also to make the community aware of people living with a disability. Service users are trained to talk to people and share their lived experience and address topics such as stigma and discrimination they face every day of their live.
Hair Salon
A Professional hairdresser train the service users in cutting hair in various styles, do pedicure and manicure, tend to residents with dry skins foot care, etc.
Cleaning Service
Service users are trained in all aspects of cleaning homes, kitchen, bathroom, offices, etc.