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20 October 2008

Programme director,
Representatives of the international award association,
Trustees of the president’s award for youth empowerment,
Martin Scholtz, CEO of the award programme in South Africa,
Honoured delegates,
Honoured guests, and
Ladies and gentlemen

It is indeed a pleasure for me to welcome all of you to this glorious occasion.

I believe that we are all quite familiar with the work that the president’s awards institution is doing in our schools, communities and even correctional centres. The growth of the programme we have witnessed and your presence today demonstrate your commitment and belief in the programme what it is doing in our country.

We pride ourselves of the illustrious history of the president’s awards programme that has moved from humble beginnings in Correctional Services 14 years ago, when a group of 21 youth offenders from the St Albans Correctional Centre enrolled to participate in the then gold shield awards.

Like we did with our new constitutional democracy, we continued to celebrate many milestones of the president’s awards during the past 14 years. Considering that over the same period we witnessed an exponential growth of young people incarcerated in our correctional facilities across the country, the president’s awards could not have come at a better time. Indeed the programme began with positive results assisting many youths many of whom could not withstand the legacy of the repressive regimes and also new influences of a democratic society resulting in unprecedented pressure on our youths. Many of them continued to grapple with socio-economic, political and peer group challenges including high poverty rates and major transformation of the school system and curricula.

The increased growth in the youth offender population is a reflection of their inability to weather the storms of change and the legacy of apartheid.

However, we have a slogan in Correctional Services that says we are a “place of new beginnings”. In as much as we continue to improve services available to young people across the country, the task is like a mammoth and therefore can never be overcome through single crusades for change. We need your support! We need a social movement with every player serving as an anchor for driving multi-faceted and multi-dimensional interventions to build a better future for our next generations, some of whom are inside Correctional Centres and in grossly under developed areas of our society.

The President’s awards programme is one of the many community projects and interventions that are presented to offenders with the aim to contributing towards their personal development as part of the rehabilitation efforts of this Department.

Indeed I am proud to announce our relations as a formidable partnership that has grown from humble beginnings to the strengths it boasts of today after 14 years. We must continue to nurture the partnership for the road ahead in long, hard and daunting. To date over 30 000 young offenders and more or less 2500 correctional services staff members from over 65 correctional centres nationally have been involved in this programme. I am sure many earlier beneficiaries are looking back with a great sense of achievement, and I am promising the new recipients that you will feel the same.

We are currently finalising a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with The President’s awards to enhance the programme within the Department of Correctional Services as we continue to March deeper into the second decade of freedom. This is but one example of the recognition by DCS with regard to the value of the programme. We also hope to increase interactions with community organisations and schools to contribute towards the reintegration process of the offenders.

Correctional Services is but one of three partners with The President’s awards for youth empowerment, and it is this partnership that contributes towards the preparation of the youth offenders in custody for release one day. The involvement of these young children and youth in community and residential projects helps to overcome all barriers between the correctional environment and the ‘out-side’ world. The free children participate with their fellow award participants who are behind bars without any prejudice.

This is a phenomenal programme and can be confirmed by everybody in this hall. I have also noted the positive feedback from participants who have unanimously praised the programme as helping in building self esteem, a positive outlook of life and hope for the future. Many have acknowledged that the programme has given them a new perspective of life with unprecedented appreciation for humanity, to reflect on a few:

“We have met people from different walks of life who have inspired us to see our full potential and to go out there and make a difference in our own and other’s lives.”

Participants from Grey High School

“I did have a dream. But when I got arrested, I thought that my dream had shattered before my eyes. The President's award made me realise that there was still hope. Without a dream there is no way that you will reach your goal even in prison your dream is still there.”

Offender from East London Prison

"I would like to thank you very much for setting up this wonderful and once-in-a-life-time experience. I really enjoyed being able to interact with other people that I would usually try to avoid. I especially enjoyed participating with the young offenders. I found that they were the most committed to the project."

Young person from the Western Cape

“It has changed me I saw them as prisoners before; now I see them as human beings.”

Southern hemisphere evaluation 2001

This, for us, gives effect to the vision of Correctional Services in becoming a place of new beginnings.

For this reason, the impact of the president’s awards programme on the lives of our children, irrespective of whether they are incarcerate, in a the community or at a school, will always be cherished.

In conclusion, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all role-players involved in the realization of the programme at operational level as well as those administering the programme. A special word of thank you to all Correctional Services managers, Award Leaders, heads of community organisations, head masters, Mr Scholtz and personnel from the president’s awards office and especially the award participants, for making this programme a success.

Congratulations on your achievements!

You are the future of our country, cherish this moment and remember
‘If you can dream it, you can do it!’

I thank you

Issued by: Department of Correctional Services
20 October 2008
Source: Department of Correctional Services