…has been the most memorable experience so far.

It feels sort of full circle from being an intern to now Team Leader. It is incredible to see the growth within the organisation. 

Being a Team Leader (TL) comes with a responsibility that you have to apply yourself to achieve any little milestone. My first week of being a TL was nerve-racking not because I couldn’t deliver my sessions to the participants but rather to ensure that the group of amazing coaches reach their own goals or aspirations and that they reach their full potential within their respective coaching careers. Just as one of my greatest mentors, Mr Urshwin Engel, has guided me into becoming who I am today. Even though at times I struggled to believe in myself, he was there to push me through when I needed it.

With the second week of finding my feet, I have discovered that it’s easier to control what you know you have control over. Everything else will find themselves to work perfectly, (I don’t need to have control over every situation- I can rather focus on things that I do have control over).  

“Imperfections are little fragments of perfection in the long run.” 

Eventually taking a step back, reflecting on each day, you tend to discover the little victories such as seeing participants grasp with excitement something new, or little things like relationships blooming into something that can be beautiful. 

As much as I am still nervous about being a Team Leader,  I am sure that being one is pushing me to be a better person and leader and I am welcoming any challenges I will face in the future within and outside of SoHK.

Author: Yongisa Njobo

I would like to take this opportunity to formally welcome and say well done to all the coaches for making it through their 2 weeks of training and orientation. A special congratulations to new coaches; Zinthle, Anthony, and Athenkosi. On behalf of everyone I want to thank the reserve coaches, Indi, Emihle, and Khanya, for putting in the effort to attend and engage in each session.

A special “welcome back to SoHK” to Yongisa, who is now a Team Lead with me.

I am also very excited about Urshwin being promoted to NxtGenMen Programme Lead!

As the whole team has gone through the training, we have covered many topics. These topics have been in preparation for the coaches to enter the schools and be ready to provide the necessary support to our participants as well as granting them the knowledge and practical experience for their growth.

In week one, the coaches attended sessions covering the organisation's logic, processes and policies, and for some of them, their first touch rugby experience. The week ended with a short course provided and accredited by UCT called PFA (Psychological First Aid). This is a new training element to give all of the coaches the necessary information and skills to manage and deal with the type of situations they may face when entering the schools and dealing with the participants. This course spoke to the psychosocial aspect of working with our participants. The coaches have been equipped with rapport building-, needs assessment-, needs prioritization-, and intervention skills. This was provided through the model known as RAPID.

Week 2 started with the PFA course assessment and roleplays. The new coaches were paired with a coach from previous years and in a scenario where they made use of their new PFA training. Many of the coaches found themselves in difficult positions and realised again that the work we do at SoHK is tough and that we need to be supportive of each other and have a comprehensive skillset to do our work to the highest standard possible. Constructive criticism and information were provided and all coaches felt better equipped and ready to deal with disclosures they might face working with at-risk adolescents.

Nearing the end of the 2-week training and orientation period, the coaches got to grips with the evidence-based SoHK curriculum and received insight into its creation and reasoning for each session. The most important part of the overview was the explanation of the theoretical framework sunderpinning the curriculum. The coaches were shown the aspects of the curriculum that lead to change within the participants. They were also given the chance to experience what it is like to be in a session - acting as participants and receiving the sessions as the learners will.

I am very proud of my existing and new colleagues and am very excited about the impact we are going to have on 600+ children’s lives in 2024. Watch this space!

In 2023, the School of Hard Knocks has worked with over 1 400 people, and has been able to create real impact, with these individuals and with their communities. Through our programmes, which combine sport and mental health interventions, the SoHK team has helped SoHK’s participants be better placed to realise their potential.

In 2023, SoHK’s flagship programme, SoHK for Schools, reached more learners, more often, working with 350 high school learners on a weekly basis. Over the course of the year, SoHK’s coaches formed trusted relationships with these learners, and these relationships underpinned the teaching of a range of behavioural skills and, where necessary, the provision of additional, specialised, mental health support, provided by experienced professionals.

SoHK’s NxtGen programmes - NxtGenMen and NxtGenWomxn - are at different stages, but, across these programmes, our monitoring and evaluation data indicate robust impacts on self awareness, emotion regulation and mental health. Importantly, in the case of NxtGenMen, our data indicate ongoing impact, a full year after participants completed the programme, with a significant positive impact on attitudes towards gender, gender equality, and gender-based violence.

From our team to yours, thank you to everyone for their trust and support in 2023. We look forward to seeing you in 2024!

Vacancy: Social Worker

We are looking for a registered social worker to join a team that provides mental health services to vulnerable adolescents living in under-resourced communities.

As the School of Hard Knocks’ (SoHK’s) Social Worker, you’ll join our mission to provide trauma-informed mental health services to children and youth living in under resourced communities. In 2024, you will work closely with SoHK’s delivery teams, reaching 600 adolescents with our award-winning, evidenced-based curriculum, whilst simultaneously providing wrap-around care for all participants, their educators, and their caregivers. You will report to the Safeguarding Lead, and will work alongside other members of the SoHK’s Safeguarding Team, to ensure that SoHK implements  strong child safeguarding processes that will 1) ensure that our participants are protected and receive the support that they need, and 2) that will drive learning and accountability in the organisation.

You will be a creative focused professional committed to the well-being of children and young people. Your interpersonal skills are excellent, you are open to new and dynamic ideas and willing to move beyond your comfort zone. You are flexible with your time and are available after hours in a high energy fast paced and changing environment.

Working hours for this position will be capped at 45 hours per week. These hours will be flexible, based on the nature and urgency of the cases that arise. SoHK is based in the Cape Town CBD and you will be expected to spend 3 days of each week in the field, some time in our Woodstock-based office (team meetings and debriefs), and some time will be spent working from home.

Requirements

·        Social worker degree

·        Eligible to work in South Africa

·        Social Worker Registration (SACSSP or similar)

·        Own vehicle and valid driver’s licence

·        At least 5 years’ experience working with children and adolescents preferably in a clinical setting. Experience in a High School setting would be advantageous.

·        Experience in Crisis Intervention.

·        Understanding of process knowledge values, ethics and skills of excellent Social Work practice i.e. professionalism, respect for the rights and dignity of individuals, confidentiality, critical reflection and analysis and intervention skills.

·        A sound theoretical and practical understanding of engagement, connection, assessment, planning, consultation and referral and treatment for children and their caregivers.

·        Knowledge of network of resources in Cape Town and surrounds that provide service to children, development of this network and making individual connections within these organisations, both government and private. Strong existing network with child protection bodies/organisations would be advantageous.

·        Knowledge, experience and understanding of Government Legislation pertaining to children and their care-givers especially the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. A willingness to train your team around this.

·        Ability to work in a diverse, energetic and committed team of like-minded Mental Health Professionals and Lay Counsellors.

·        Ability to speak more than one South African language would be advantageous.

·        Excellent administrative skills and computer literacy.

You will be a creative focused professional committed to the well-being of children and young people. Your interpersonal skills are excellent, you are open to new and dynamic ideas and willing to move beyond your comfort zone. You are flexible with your time and are available after hours in a high energy fast paced and changing environment.

This role is being recruited on a 12-month contract basis with possible extension.

Closing date for applications: 10 November 2023

Starting date: 8 January 2024

Job Types: Full-time, Contract

Contract length: 12 months

Salary: From R20,000.00 per month

CLICK HERE TO APPLY. YOU WILL NEED TO SUBMIT A CV AND MOTIVATION LETTER

The Organisation

School of Hard Knocks (SoHK) uses touch rugby to help young people improve their wellbeing. Our philosophy is to create a fun and safe environment that offers emotional support and physical challenges to develop learners’ inner resources so that they grow in their ability to self-assess, manage their emotions, and make better life choices.

The SoHK Schools programme is a 1-year intervention, working with groups of around 30 pupils in grade 9, in schools based predominantly in the CBD of Cape Town. We offer weekly life skills training through touch rugby coaching and mentoring.

The Role

As a SoHK intern Coach, you will be part of the team responsible for our frontline delivery. Reporting to your Team Leader, you will focus on delivering our award-winning life skills curriculum and mentoring young people, and will also have responsibilities within SoHK, designed to help the organisation grow.

You will receive comprehensive training in trauma-informed mentoring and will be required to complete additional courses as part of your contract, including a first aid course.

The internship will last for 1 year, with opportunities for intern Coaches to take more senior roles within SoHK in 2025 and beyond, based on performance and the organisation’s growth.

Requirements

●       Grade 12

●       Proficient in spoken and verbal English skills

●       Demonstrated passion for sport and mental health

●       Eligible to work in South Africa

●       18-25yrs old

●       For safeguarding reasons, a clear criminal record

●       Must be willing and able to travel to Cape Town CBD most days of the week

●       Experience in youth development is advantageous

●       You will need a growth mindset, always ready to accept new challenges and feedback

Rate of Pay

From R5000 per month

Hours

20-24 hours p/week

Closing date

23 October 2023

Interested?

If you’d like to apply for this position please fill in the Form at this link:

I'd like to apply for the SoHK Coach Position

The School of Hard Knocks (SoHK) uses sports to help young people improve their emotional well-being. We aim to create a fun and safe environment that offers emotional support and physical challenges that develop our participants’ inner resources, helping them to better deal with the consequences of trauma, with an enhanced ability to self-assess, manage their emotions, and make better life choices. 

Vacancy: Safeguarding Lead  

As Safeguarding Lead, you’ll join our mission to provide trauma-informed mental health services to children and youth living in under-resourced communities who participate in our programmes.  

You will also: 

• Oversee community participation - engage with coaches, parents and schools to strengthen their understanding of the SoHK service, which children they should refer and to improve community knowledge and understanding of mental health challenges and safeguarding procedures. 

• Oversee community Mapping - develop a network of community partners/services, including social workers, NGO’s other state services to refer children and vulnerable adults (including SoHK coaches). 

• Conduct and manage safeguarding follow up – Session visits and referral follow ups, including coordinating with other agencies. Support Team Leaders to implement session safeguarding. Keep accurate records of the progress of each case number (updating safeguarding register) and reporting back to the rest of the safeguarding team in meetings/ad hoc where necessary 

• Mentor and supervise SoHK Coaches – deliver safeguarding and mental wellbeing workshops and training to SoHK coaches.  

• Manage visitors and funder visits   

SoHK is a growing organisation and, as such, the role of Safeguarding Lead requires a degree of flexibility and competence across a number of areas. Your role will focus on the areas specified above, but you will be expected to accommodate new challenges and responsibilities as they arise. Working hours will be capped at 45 hours per week, but these hours may need to be flexible, and based on priority cases and participant needs. 

As Safeguarding Lead, you will report to our Chief Operating Officer, and will work alongside our Team Leaders and other members of our Safeguarding Team to ensure that SoHK implements strong child safeguarding processes that will drive learning and accountability in the organisation. 

Who you are: 

• You have a relevant university degree (education, social work, psychology, etc.) 

• You have at least 5-years of direct experience working with South African young people (15-25 year olds) and/or working in the safeguarding or protection of children or young people.  

• You have experience running youth programmes related to mental wellbeing, or an understanding of these programmes. 

• You have experience in case management and responding to safeguarding concerns relating young people. 

• You have excellent interpersonal skills to build and maintain meaningful relationships with young people and organisations. 

• Ability to be flexible within a fast-paced, changing environment. 

This role is being recruited on a 12-month contract basis with possible extension 

Closing date for applications: 30 September 2023  

Starting date: January 2023  (negotiable, earlier would be better)

Job Types: Full-time, Contract  

Contract length: 12 months  

Salary: From R20,000.00 per month 

Interested?

If you’d like to apply for this position please fill in the Form at this link:

CLICK HERE TO APPLY. YOU WILL NEED TO SUBMIT A CV AND MOTIVATION LETTER

If you have any questions, please email us at info@schoolofhardknocks.co.za