2008 - End of year celebration with GOH

On December 9th we enjoyed a joyful 2008 - 'End of the Year' celebration with Group of Hope and the Service Providers, who had been part of the guys journey for the past year.

Here some special moments of the day...

Our last session for 2008 in Brandvlei will be held on Wednesday, Dec 17th.

Our first session in 2009 in Brandvlei - starting off another exciting year of inspiring change - will be held on Wednesday, Jan 14th.

Inspired to Inspire

THE POWER OF REHABILITATION

When we care enough
- have compassion -
to assist each other to pursue
the path of change,
embracing responsibility.

To involve offenders in the rehabilitation
of each other is truly powerful
and has an impact of great magnitude!

'Inspired to Inspire!'

Certificate Ceremony December 2nd 2008

CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE:
Attendees who have completed the tasks within 1st term

• Exploring the Concept of Responsibility
• Team Building & Communication - basic
• A Journey of Self Discovery

Simon Starke (Brandvlei)
Peter Gabriel (Brandvlei)
Simon Mokolo (Worcester July 2008)

Simon, Peter & Christine

CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE:
Attendees who have completed the tasks within 1st term and 2nd term

• A Journey of Self Discovery - continued
• My Purpose 1: Self Identity
  Mission
  Values
  Key Roles
• Team Building & Communication - advanced 1
• Diversity Management - basic
• Change Management – basic
• The Power of Choice - basic
  

Mervyn Baadjies (Malmesbury from December 2008)
Loyiso Nkqayi (Brandvlei)
David Williams (Brandvlei)
Alfred Jacobs (Brandvlei - in Coach Education)

Karina, Wuzi, David, Mervyn, Alfred & Christine

Sibabalo SoTyaTo (Brandvlei - in Coach Education)
Thabo Zondo (Goodwood July 2008 - in Coach Education)
Welcome Dennis Witbooi (Goodwood July 2008 - in Coach Education)

CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE
Attendees who have completed the tasks within 1st term, 2nd term, 3rd term and their PBP:

• Personal valuebased Leadership
• My Purpose 2: VISION - having a clear direction
• PBP Planning/Gauging/
  Focus / Action / Improvement/ 'Letting go - Allowing flow'
• Team Building & Communication – advanced 2
• Diversity Management – advanced 1
• Change Management – advanced 1
• The Power of Choice – advanced 1

Andrew April (Malmesbury Nov 2008 - in Coach Education)
Thando Gwampi (Brandvlei - in Coach Education)
Luyanda Mboniswa (Brandvlei - in Coach Education)
Sibahle Mtiya (Brandvlei - in Coach Education)

Karina, Thando, Sibahle, Luyanda, Sibabalo & Alfred

Hugs from Christine

The RR programme is divided into different sections to accommodate the differences/uniqueness of the attendees – allowing them all to benefit as much as possible. It is a challenging programme and not everyone will be able to do all sections. Each sections is however a great achievement and is rewarded with a certificate of attendance.

Both Christine and I have during the whole year felt deeply grateful and privileged to offer guidance and this special day of acknowledging their commitment meant a lot to us! We have not just availed this programme to mentor the Group of Hope - we have also learnt and grown amazingly as coaches and as human beings. It has been a true inspiration and we give thanks for the grand opportunity!

2008 - A year of true GREATness

WOW!

What a year of true GREATness....

I am in total awe and deeply humbled by the amazing progress of the Responsible Rehabilitation Programme - our SmilingOne ONE SOCIETY initiative - within South African Prisons. I feel privileged to walk the path with each one of our participants - both as a Mentor and as a Student - and I look forward to those to come.

Our motto is: Inspired to Inspire!

Since our last update:


BRANDVLEI MAXIMUM PRISON

We currently have 2 phases running...

1. The Responsibility Coach™ Student Group
   
   The Coach Students are in their first Module: Challenge to Opportunity. We focus on bringing all elements of their individual and their shared journey to a place of harmony - understanding that each challenge is an opportunity for growth - for balance.
   
   Each Student has taken on a test-client and guides the client through the process of THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL. At the same time they all meet in their Coach Student Group every Sunday, bouncing of their processes and doing role-playing, and they have been busy with their first case study: bringing challenge to opportunity.
   
   Please spent a few minutes visiting their online profiles and be inspired ; )
   
   http://www.thandogwampi.blogspot.com
   http://www.luyandamboniswa.blogspot.com
   http://www.responsibilitycoach-andrewapril.blogspot.com
   http://www.thabozondo.blogspot.com
   http://www.sibahlemtiya.blogspot.com
   http://welcomedenniswitbooi.blogspot.com
   http://www.sibabalosotyato.blogspot.com
   
   ...and watch out for frequent updates of their profiles as they continue to add-on to their journey of responsible living.
   
   
   
2. Our Wednesday Circle of Sharing
   
   Our Wednesday Circle of Sharing is truly powerful. Here both the Coach Students, their test-clients and any of the inmates can use the space for sharing and benefit from the gentle guidance of a SmilingOne Responsibility Coach™ . This is where we focus on aspects such as...
   
   - The Journey of Self Discovery
   - Team Building & Communication
   - The Concept of Responsibility in its broadest sense
   - Love & Trust
   - The Power of Choice
   - Personal Balanced Profiles
   - Windows of Opportunity
   - Diversity & Change
   - etc...

GOODWOOD MEDIUM PRISON

We have been very involved with the newly selected Members of the Group of Hope in Goodwood Medium and it has been important to ensure them a platform of sharing in this very challenging phase of starting the group. It is such a wonderful opportunity for all involved (the offenders, Goodwood Management, DCS, Officials...) and for us as Responsibility Coaches™ a great privilege to be part of.

As in Brandlvei Maximum we run the programme through different phases and will in June 2009 have the first group of Responsibility Coach™ Students ready and inspired to inspire ; )

Group of Hope receives 500 books - aimed at the Responsible Rehabilitation (RR) Programme

OFFICIAL HANDOVER

Official handover initiated by the Brandvlei Maximum Prison Management & the Area Commisioner of DCS Wochester

Finance Manager of Group of Hope: Luyanda (R) and Chairman of Group of Hope: Sibabalo (L) are receiving the 500 books - handed over by Author and Founder of Responsible Rehabilitation: Karina Andersen - kindly sponsored by ABC press.

The whole team

Mr. Heyens, Karina Andersen & Jacobus Pansegrouw.

Karina Andersen & Mr. Moses

It is such a privilege to work hand in hand with the Group of Hope, Jacobus Pansegrouw and the Brandvlei Prison Officials. Through shared commitment we inspire change - making a difference for the safety and growth of our society.

We are committed to inspire change!

September 2008/Brandvlei Maximum Prison

Skoji, Andrew, Alfred, Sibahle, Luyanda & Sibabalo, all Responsibility Coach™ Students with a mission. We want to inspire change and make a difference through Responsible Rehabilitation (RR). Our approach: we walk the talk and inspire others to walk theirs!

Commitment to the RR programme

I was recently asked how committed the inmates are to the RR programme, how successful we are in keeping them focused on the process and how many drop out.

Firstly I would like to add that we are able to accomodate everyone within the programme. Each individual is on a very special journey. This process meets him/her exactly where needed most. Everyone attending for at least 1 term will receive a certificate of attendance - an acknowledgement for the commitment to continuous learning and growth.

Here some numbers:

• 16 offenders were in Jan 08 given the choice to attend the RR programme
• 14 of them accepted and began the process
• 1 stopped the programme after 1st term - 13 continued
• 1 stopped the programme after 2nd term - 12 continued
• 1 was transferred to Worcester Prison - 11 continued
• 1 of those who did not accept in Jan 08 asked to start the process in July 08 - he is now busy with his personal RR process
• 7 new guys have chosen to be enrolled in the RR programme in Aug 08 and to become the first test-clients of the Responsibility Coach™ Students

Status Aug 08:

• 8 committed Coach Students (6 Brandvlei - 2 Goodwood (transferred)
• 2 in their implementation phase one-on-one
• 8 new RR attendees, creating their platform

The Coach Students in Brandvlei will soon create Circles of Sharing each with 3-5 attendees. As the Coach Students progress in their Coach Education they will soon be equipped to run several Circles of Sharing each, reaching out to more and more inmates throughout the prison.

The Coach Students in Goodwood are currently recruiting new GOH members and will begin the RR programme during the month of September. More will follow soon!

3rd term: 8 inmates have begun their Responsibility Coach Education

We are working with great determination through our 3rd term in the RR process.

• We are busy finalizing the visions within each of the 6 responsibility area (affirmingly) and the gauging (focus, action, improvement).
  
  
• We have now re-arranged the Circles of Sharing (Responsibility Coaching™ groups): we now have one Coach Student Group, who are attending their coach & personal development training every Wednesday.
  
  Those who have attended the course the past 8 months and who will not train to become coaches are attending one-on-one coaching sessions in this important phase of implementation and building awareness.
  
  
• The Coach Student Group (6 guys in Brandvlei and the 2 guys who have just transferred to Goodwood) has just received their Responsibility Coach™ Manual. They are having a weekly Study Group meeting and are preparing to take on their first 'test-clients', guiding their fellow inmates through the RR process using the book The Responsible Individual.
  
  
• Our two GOH & RR guys: Thabo & Welcome, who just transferred to Goodwood Prison, are already benefitting from a Thursday Circle of Sharing (responsibility coaching™ sessions), continuing their RR process. You can soon read more about our expansion to the Goodwood Prison.

We are doing amazing progress!

We are at the end of Term 2 and it is remarkable how well the members of Group of Hope are working with the Concept of Responsibility, implementing it in their daily life in an environment, which is testing them to the limit every single day!

The first term we were focused on the first 4 sections of the responsibility manual THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL. To understand our learning and growth in life, challenge as opportunity, re-active patterns, learned behaviour (old programmes) and that we do have a choice.

Now in second term we have been deepening the understanding of Responsibility and the focus has been on creating PURPOSE. The first part of PURPOSE is to affirm an IDENTITY through both creative and cognitive exercises. It has been a profound experience :-) The guys have been assisting each other to build on the understanding of affirming a balance, TRUSTING in Self and in the ability to create this balance. We have just finalized their MISSION statements, VALUES and how these are lived out - expressed - through KEY ROLES.

In third term we will move further in the responsibility manual and focus on the second part of PURPOSE, which is planning (visualizing) a DIRECTION and bringing this intention (VISION) into ACTION. They will between terms be busy with brainstorming, creating vision maps in all 6 internal/external responsibility areas and affirm where they visualize their balance to be in these areas.

BOOK LAUNCH:

We are having the community launch of the responsibility manual: THE RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL on June 17th 2008 on the Cape Town Book Fair.


The Group of Hope will receive 500 responsibility manual, which they will use to rehabilitate fellow inmates.The power of the educational programme, which they are currently busy with is furthermore that 5 members of the group will become accredited Responsibility Coaches™ and qualified to guide others through the concept of responsibility, using the responsibility manual.

THE POWER OF REHABILITATION

When we care enough

- have compassion -

to assist each other to pursue

the path of change,

embracing responsibility.

To involve offenders in the rehabilitation

of each other is truly powerful

and has an impact of great magnitude!

GOH and SmilingOne

A group photo taken after another inspiring session this Wednesday.

We are at the moment spending half the time on the responsibility process and the other half on the operational manual of GOH - helping with some ideas and inspiration in the area 'Functionality' of their 7 projects.

Names from left to right (upper): CS Warden, Thabo Z., Sibahle M., Mervyn B., Andrew A., Lesley S, Loyiso N., Karina A., Mthunzi S. and Sibabalo S. Names from left to right (lower): Simon S., Peter G., David W., Luyanda M., Simon M., Alfred J. and Jacobus Pansegrouw (middle, just above the two last on the lower right)

Responsibility Coaching™ Session

Thabo (chairman of GOH) is sharing his experiences with the group within the Circle of Sharing. This group of 6 GOH members and 2 wardens is guided by Karina

Christine is guiding this group of 8 members of GOH. Sibahle shares his experiences with the group in the Circle of Sharing.

The Window of Opportunity

On October 25th 2007 Karina Andersen (CEO & Founder of SmilingOne) met Jacobus Pansegrouw at the Constantia Networking Breakfast. She was introducing the Responsibility Coaching™ Concept and he was looking for doors to open to assist the GROUP OF HOPE on their path.

"We instantly connected and less than a week later I visited the Brandvlei Maximum Prison (Nov. 1st) and had my first meeting with GOH. I was intrigued by the energy and commitment of these guys. And their desire to learn and gain so much more - to become so much more."

An idea was born!

On Wednesday the 7th of November we visited the GOH and brought a gift: the SmilingOne Rehabilitation Programme. Well aware, that such a gift only becomes one if each individual involved has a heartfelt desire to walk the path of embracing it.

Through Nov/Dec 2007 we gave the GOH the opportunity to learn more about the program and to connect with SmilingOne (the Team of Responsibility Coaches™).

The Responsibility Concept goes deep and only when we trust we will be confident enough to share! Within this lies great healing. To build that bridge of trust and to experience, it's okay, takes our understanding to a whole new level!

Group of Hope - Background

The "Group of Hope" project was established during June 2002 when a group of inmates had attended an HIV/AIDS course. At the end of the course the inmates talked to their social worker, Mr Jacobus Pansegrouw, and mentioned that they feel the need to share the information that they received during the course with fellow inmates. For Mr Pansegrouw it was surprising to realize that in a maximum correctional centre there are inmates in detention that want to do something for their fellow man without receiving compensation. He grasped for the opportunity to bring out their feeling of caring for others and to make sure something good came out of it.

Several meetings with the inmates had taken place and the "Group of Hope" was born. The group members were assisted with several skills, developing of a constitution and launching of projects.

This unique project namely the Group of Hope is the first of its kind in the world whereby maximum classification prisoners "adopted" HIV/AIDS orphans from the community and reach out to others in need with projects as mentioned, keeping within the boundaries of their restricted area. Whenever we see something or hear of something we can do to improve someone’s live, we are motivated to start something new. There is NEVER a lack of enthusiasm and initiative!

Source:www.groupofhope.co.za