a word from the chair the future of lifeline...
TRANSCRIPT
A Word from the Chair – the Future
of LifeLine Pretoria
Dear LifeLine family
What a pleasure to be able to contribute to the first newsletter of the year. One of the benefits of having a new Board with an increased number of members, is that it spreads the workload among more people, making it possible for us to do a better job of communicating to you and therefore the newsletter will be published on a regular basis from now on. Thanks to Elmari Briedenhann for the lovely graphic design and Jenny Tweehuijsen for publishing the newsletter.
LIFELINE BOARD
Firstly, let me follow up on my e-mail sent on 28/07/2014, and introduce you again to your new Board. Please see the table with their names and contact details and their Board Portfolios on the next page.
Thank you to all these people who are willing to serve the organisation in this challenging capacity. Should you have any queries or suggestions, please feel free to contact the relevant Board member.
August 2014
IN THIS ISSUE:
………………………..
Message from
the Chairperson 1
Quote for Life 1
News about LifeLiners 3
Training News 4
Community Centre News 5
Farewell to Acting-Director 6
Straight from Malashi 7
Wish List 8
AGM 2014 9
Pictures 10
The effect of one good-hearted person
is incalculable…
BOARD MEMBERS
NAME PORTFOLIO HOME NO E-MAIL
André Vest Treasurer
082 459 4792
(012) 333 3328 [email protected]
Esther Crous
Chairperson
Training
082 292 5998
(012) 807 6448 [email protected]
Flick Mullan Volunteer Management 072 211 1165 [email protected]
Jenny Tweehuijsen
Secretary
Internal communication 073 515 2842 [email protected]
Sharon Pearlman Community Centres
082 451 1498
(012) 347 7870 [email protected]
Sheila Houghton Corporate Customers 082 770 6412 [email protected]
Sonya Rayne
Fundraising
Volunteer Management 076 516 8824 [email protected]
Tom Sebastian Financial Management
072 562 8969
(012) 332 2215 [email protected]
Wendy Krause
PR and Marketing
Counselling
082 494 4105
(012) 998 1241 [email protected]
CATCH UP ON ALL THE NEWS
Let’s start with the very good news. Due to the stringency measures we have been implementing since last year and the funds earned from on-going fundraising and income-generating activities, we have enough funds to sustain our operations until the middle of next year. We are continuing with our normal activities.
Sadly, we have lost Elize as an employee, but fortunately we still have her as a friend. We will continue operating with the current staff component, which consists of Agnes as Senior Coordinator, Lucky, Lazarus, Glory, Johanna and Lizzy. The Board is taking up a lot of the slack and we will also be asking more volunteers to become involved in specific projects. I am taking managerial responsibility of the centre and the staff. Therefore, please raise any concerns you may have in this regard with me.
We recently closed down the Atteridgeville Community Office, due to logistical and financial reasons, and we are now using Lazarus to assist in the Mamelodi and Soshanguve offices. We have actually extended our services in Mamelodi and are offering counselling services one day a week in the VIVA Village in one of the poorest squatter camps in the area.
RAISING FUNDS
The fundraising landscape of today is quite sophisticated and there are many organisations competing for the same funds. Therefore most organisations employ people with relevant skills and experience to perform this function. We contracted with someone last year to perform this function for us, but unfortunately she became seriously ill and could no longer assist us. The advice we received from her and a few other knowledgeable sources is that we need to identify specific projects and raise funds for specific causes.
According to these people, a major reason for optimism is that while there are many organisations who are vying for funds, there are very few who actually offer our core skills. Our counselling services and courses are unique and of very high standard. Since the courses also bring in an income, we will be focussing on getting more course participants which will mean offering more courses. There was an advert featuring our courses in the May Newsletter for Psychology Students at UNISA and one of the course participants wrote a short letter about us in the University of Pretoria newspaper.
EXCITING NEWS AND EVENTS
Our new website is up and running. Our sincere thanks to Jorika Kriel for her help and commitment in this regard. Please visit the website at http://lifelinepta.org.za/ and tell others about it. To ensure that we get maximum exposure, we will also be publishing a blog that features articles on relevant topics. In order to be effective, we need to publish at least one article a week. The contents need to be original and new and at least 500 words per article. We urgently need your help with this task. If you are interested in writing a few articles on topics such as counselling, how listening helps, trauma debriefing, etc. please contact Elmari or Jenny.
Elmari Briedenhann has taken over as our Twitter, Facebook and Website administrator and the traffic on Facebook and Twitter is growing by the week. Thanks Elmari, we knew you were the right person to ask. Come on LifeLiners, don’t be left behind. Invite all your Facebook friends to like us at https://www.facebook.com/lifeline.pretoria. It’s an easy way to spread the word. And don’t miss out on the interesting quotes and facts that Elmari is tweeting at https://twitter.com/LifeLinePTA1.
BECOME INVOLVED
Regular as clockwork, LifeLine’s annual Golf Day is being held on Friday, 19 September 2014 at Irene Country Club. It’s not too late to contribute prizes or invite your golf-playing friends to join in the fun. Any contribution helps.
With the assistance of a recent course participant, we are looking for a sponsor for a toll-free number that we can forward to cellular phones to bring our telephone counselling service back to where it should be. If anyone has any contacts at any telecommunication companies, please let me know.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BELONG TO THE LIFELINE FOLD?
LifeLine Pretoria has meant different things at different times to us all. It has offered us a refuge, born witness to our on-going growth, moulded us into a like-minded family and given us a sense of belonging. This is not the time to lose hope. This is the time to remember why you originally joined LifeLine and why you stayed. This is the time to remember what it feels like to live your commitment and to see the ripple effect your actions can cause.
Please remember, as long as there are people who need us, we need to be there. And, if there is one thing life has taught me, it’s that people need people. Life is full of pain, fear and uncertainty. And when it threatens to overwhelm us, the only rel ief comes from feeling that we are not alone.
That is why we cannot let LifeLine Pretoria end. Because people will always need people. And when we help people, they also help us. Therefore, we need LifeLine just as much as it needs us.
And last, but not least, we will prevail because you LifeLiners are just too special, too brave and too strong to give up.
Much love
Esther Crous
NEWS ABOUT LIFELINERS
As many of you may know, Flick recently underwent a traumatic experience when a man came into her home
to rob her. Flick thanks everyone for all their love and support and particularly wanted people to know that
the man who robbed her was not a bad person and that he saved her life. Flick’s family in England invited her
to visit them for a while and therefore she will not be sending her regular Sunday evening SMSes for a while.
OPENING OF THE QUEENSWOOD COMMUNITY CENTRE
Father Chris Townsend cuts the ribbon symbolising the official opening
of the LifeLine Queenswood Centre, situated at the Dennis Adami Centre at Christ the King Parish.
Training news
Personal Growth Course
I am happy to report that the first courses we presented in 2014 were a great success.
The weekday morning course, held on Tuesdays and Fridays, started on 18 February 2014 and was completed on 18 March 2014. All the participants proved to be very keen to do the course, and were united in their excitement about their journey of self-discovery. Thank you to Flick Mullan, Rozanne Ashworth, Lorraine Jonker and Sylvia Shannon, who guided the participants through their journey of growth and self-discovery.
The Saturday Personal Growth Course started on the 15 February and ended on the 8 March 2014. Most of the participants of the Saturday Personal Growth Course also completed the Lay Counselling Skills Course, which started in May 2014.
The Saturday course had 17 participants and the weekday morning course had 18 participants.
Ongoing Training
An Ongoing Training Session on Self-mutilation was held on 12 February 2014 and was attended by 28 volunteers.
The training, presented by Minke Saayman, a child and family therapist, was very well received.
Here are some of the extracts from the training evaluation forms from our volunteers:
‘Very relevant and information, I learned a lot.’
‘What was new for me was learning about the causes of self-harm, definition, myths surrounding the topic, treatment and techniques.’
‘I gained an understanding about self-harm and the reasons for self-harm.’
‘The content was useful information and had helpful examples.’
‘Excellent training! Informative at our level, will definitely be helpful in counselling.’
‘Excellent presenter, got the message across.’
‘Good, knowledgeable on the topic.’
‘Well presented, personal experience was helpful and interesting to hear it from her.’
‘Lovely, she knows her story.’
Probationers
Congratulations to the following probationers who are now fully-fledged counsellors:
Elmari Briedenhann Marilize Tukker Jenny Tweehuijsen Sheila Houghton Rozanne Ashworth
A big thank you to the share group leaders for the wonderful work they have done in mentoring and supporting the probationers
during their learning process. You have done a wonderful job.
Saying goodbye to Elize
It was very sad for me to say goodbye to my good friend, Elize Sutherland, who was our rock and our pillar for many years. I
know it has not been an easy decision for her either and I will really miss her since we were such a great team. I am grateful though that she is still a friend and Honorary Member of LifeLine Pretoria and that we will still see her at our events. I wish her all the best with her new job and her future plans.
Conclusion
I want to conclude by expressing my appreciation to all the volunteers who facilitated at the courses. I thank them for their tremendous support. I really value all that they do for LifeLine Pretoria.
Stay Blessed.
Agnes Semono
Service centres - LIFELINE QUEENSWOOD
At the beginning of February, the Grand Opening of the Centre at Queenswood took place. This had been
prepared for by the Personal Growth and the Counselling Courses we ran for the Parish in July and August
2013. Those courses were supported and encouraged by the Parish Priest of Christ the King Church – Fr Chris.
He is encouraging us all the way and making our efforts so much easier.
As a result of those Courses, we have Jenny, Sheila and Zoran as fully-fledged volunteers. Ana, Karen M, Tom
and Tony will hopefully be going solo soon, and Hilda and Karin H are ACTIVE Friends of LifeLine, giving time
and effort toward marketing and manning stalls where necessary. Mention should also be made here of the
outstanding support we received from Jenny and Tony. Thanks to all of you.
Our thanks also to Lucky who ran the courses so efficiently, and to all those Watermeyer Volunteers who
gave up their time and energy to train us.
With the help of Fr Chris, Deacon Tony and Sonya, a dry wall was erected at the Denis Adami Centre (over the
road from the church) in January, so our Counselling Room is small and cosy. Everything in it has been
donated by parishioners and the Church Outreach Group – chairs, carpets, desk, cupboards, computer (Tom
has put the full Referrals Database on this) cups, mugs, tea, coffee, sugar, wall pictures, salt lamp, fan, kettle,
water purifier . . . We just have to mention that we need something and Louis provides it. May God bless
their generosity.
Deacon Tony, Wendy K and the Parish Finance Committee have provided us with a large banner – LIFELINE
COUNSELLING CENTRE – which shows through a large window; and a smaller board, attached to the outer
wall giving our availability times: Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. (Ashley, Rene and Sheila do
part of their duties here on a Saturday and help to train the Probationers.) For security, a bell has been
attached to the board so we can keep the security gate closed. The Church across the street has a 24 hour
security guard on duty.
Earlier in April, we made ourselves known at a Business Bash held at the Queenswood Primary School. There
weren’t many exhibitors but interest in us was shown and with our LifeLine banner, posters and bibs more
people learnt that LifeLine existed and what its function is. Thanks to Mary, Sylvia, Ashley, Hilda, Jenny and
Tony for being willing to help out.
Two High Schools in the area have been made aware of our presence: Clapham was visited and given flyers
and notices (well edited by Marlize) to distribute to the Learners. Girls High agreed to allow Elmari to address
an Assembly during July 2014 to briefly talk about LifeLine.
Karen M donated two cell phones that would allow us to take calls from 18:00 to 06:00. We planned to
organise them like the Rape phone – a Volunteer taking a phone for a week at a time to be on duty
throughout the night. With these added hours, plus the hours spent at all the Centres, Life Line Pretoria
would be able to supply a 24-hour service and thus be eligible for the 086 national line. Unfortunately when
my flat was broken into and I was robbed a few weeks ago, these cell phones were among the goods stolen.
However, we are hoping to replace the cell phones and continue with this service. Anyone who is interested
in doing all-night duty at home, please contact Lucky so that a roster can be planned.
The enthusiasm and interest of the Parish and the Volunteers is tangible at this Centre and this gives it its
vibrancy and energy. May ALL THOSE INVOLVED be wonderfully blessed.
Flick
SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS AT RECENT LL COURSES
Acting-Director’s farewell
Saying good bye is never easy, but in March 2014, it was even more difficult than usual to bid farewell
to a good friend and colleague, Elize Sutherland, who was our Financial Manager for many years, as well
as our Acting-Director before her resignation. Elize was not just a great employee and manager, but she
has the heart and soul of a volunteer and whatever she did, she did with love, commitment and
excellence.
We had a farewell dinner for Elize and her husband, Herman, who was also very much part of our family
at the LifeLine Office on 26 March 2014. Her farewell gift was a canvas with printed pictures depicting
her time with LifeLine over the years, and filled with handwritten messages and well wishes from the
volunteers and staff.
Straight from Malashi Hi there LifeLiners.
I am sure you all know by now that Elize has left our Organisation. I was shocked and upset when I heard that she was leaving because it is always sad to lose a family member. She was one of us, and I had grown to love working with her. She was more like a mother to me than a colleague and nobody will ever be like her. It’s definitely not the same without her in the office.
I have also been following with great concern and sadness the mystery of the missing Malaysian Airline, Flight MH370. It is hard to comprehend that in this world, where technology has produced underwater vehicles such as Bluefin 21 and P-8A Poseidon, considered the ‘Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide’ detector devices, that they still cannot trace this plane. This in my book could only mean one thing, ‘When man’s intelligence and scientific knowledge fails, it is time to seek the wisdom of God.’ The families of those 239 people who are missing deserve closure.
As if this event was not sad enough, another tragedy struck in South Arabia, where a cruise ship sank with school children aboard. I can only imagine what those families must be going through. Not knowing what happened to your loved ones must heart-breaking.
Despite the tough time that LifeLine Pretoria has been going through, we have still managed to reach out to people and make a difference.
In February 2014 I presented a talk on LifeLine’s services to the Stroke Support Group in Waterkloof Glen. Of the 15 people, most were senior citizens and all stroke survivors. We were also got invitations from Statistics South Africa to do talks at their Wellness campaigns. We did two Self-Awareness and Emotional Intelligence presentations for Statistics South Africa during March 2014, one at their Head Office in Pretoria at their Men Imbizo Forum, where there were plus minus 170 men in attendance and the other at their satellite office in Hercules, Pretoria where about 150 men and women attended. Both presentations went well, and it was a good opportunity to make LifeLine Pretoria known to those who attended.
The ABSA Trust again sponsored one of our School Holidays Projects. This allowed us to reach and teach 23 Grade 10 learners from Steve Bikoville Secondary School at Kekana Gardens in Hammanskraal. The learners were empowered with skills and techniques to deal with peer pressure and how to become self-aware, which could potentially bring about some positive behaviour change and enable them to make informed decisions about their lives. The project started on 31 March 2014 and lasted until 04 April 2014.
We also continued to offer counselling and trauma debriefing sessions to several companies. I would hereby also like to congratulate everybody who have gone solo, and encourage those who are still on probation to continue giving it their best.
I would also like thank every one of you who put your name on the roster and those who did the face-to-face sessions and exhibitions, talks as well as meetings where you represented LifeLine Pretoria. Thank you all for being there when people needed somebody to talk to and for making a difference in people’s live. This goes to every one of you in all our centres; Watermeyer, Mamelodi, Atteridgeville, Soshanguve and Queenswood. There is no Lifeline Pretoria Services without you.
Peace be unto you.
Malashi Lucky Mabunda
A special message to all Volunteers and Friends
of LifeLine – our Wish List
LifeLine Pretoria appreciates all sponsors, donors and volunteers who have contributed to our wish list previously; we are really grateful for your generosity. However, there are more things that we need:
EXPENSES THAT COULD BE SPONSORED Per month Present Sponsor
House (Watermeyer Centre) rent R1 300 Patakan Investments
Tracker for motor vehicle R210
Insurance R1 730
Telephone system R1 020
ADSL computer line R590
Telephone subscription (not usage) R1 800
Municipal services (water, electricity, sanitation) R1 500
Photocopier rent R1 320
Garden services R350
Petrol R600
Stationery (including printer cartridges) R500
Cleaning materials (such as Demostos, Handy Andy, Glade toilet freshener, Sunlight dishwashing liquid, Jik, dishcloths)
R200
Groceries (milk, toilet rolls, coffee, sugar, rooibos tea, biscuits)
SERVICES THAT COULD BE RENDERED FREE OF CHARGE Per month Present Sponsor
Financial management and control 40 hours André Vest
HR management and control 8 hours
Public relations and marketing (fundraising) 8 hours
Pastel Payroll and monthly SARS e-filing 4 hours
Pastel Accounting (conversion from Excel) 5 hours
Independent accounting officer (auditor) 40 hours
We also desperately need volunteers to contribute to our blog which is interactively
connected to our website. This means that, when the blog is updated, it will
automatically link to the website. We need articles of at least 5000 words of fresh
content – not copied from elsewhere on the web - to be posted at least once a week
on the blog. This in turn keeps the website active on the search engines’ radar. We
hope to have monthly themes e.g. violent trauma, sexual trauma, the benefits of
volunteering etc. Elmari is in charge of operating this feature. She can be contacted
LIFELINE PRETORIA AGM 2014 The LifeLine Pretoria Annual General Meeting, held on 2nd July in the Dennis Adami Centre in
Queenswood, was attended by 27 LifeLiners; and here I would like to thank Father Chris and
the Pastoral Council of Christ the King church for allowing us to use their facilities free of
charge, not only for the AGM and some of the courses held earlier this year, but also for the
LL Queenswood Counselling Office which is open 10 hours a week for walk-in counselling
sessions and also for Face-to-face appointments when required.
On arrival we were greeted at the door with sherry, fruit juices and cold drinks. The room
was attractively set out with tables, each seating four persons, decorated with colourful
placemats and floral decorations. We sat down to a delicious meal of homemade soups and a
variety of breads.
Then it was down to business. The AGM report, presented in a most professional looking
booklet, contained the full reports of the Chairperson, the Treasurer, the Financial
Administrator, the Community Development department, the Training department, the Acting
Director and included an addendum financial report. Esther Crous, the Chairperson,
presented her report giving all the salient points. She was followed by Andre Vest with the
Treasurer’s report and the financial report. This was followed by an opportunity for those
present to ask questions.
The list of those nominated to serve on the Board for 2014-2015 was presented and each of
the nominees was asked to give a brief resume of their life, interests etc.
The surprise item of the evening then followed. The Volunteers had been asked to send in
their individual commitments to LifeLine. Those who had responded were invited to come
forward and write their commitment on a square of brightly coloured material which Flick
and her helpers had provided and individually numbered, and then pin it on a sheet hanging
from the curtain rail. These squares will be used to make a “commitment quilt” wall hanging.
What a novel idea! All participants were handed a card quoting what LifeLine offers them in
return i.e. A place to belong. A chance to touch the lives of people in need. An
opportunity to make a difference. An opportunity to grow and learn.
Thanks to all who contributed to the success of the AGM with their donations and hard work.
It is incredible, but true, that the whole evening cost LifeLine R146 ! ! !
Jenny
SOME OF THE BEAUTIFUL POSTS ON THE LIFELINE PRETORIA FACEBOOK PAGE
If you haven’t visited the LifeLine Facebook site yet, you are missing out on jewels such
as these…
ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
Flick and Sylvia marketing LifeLine.
Dedication ceremony for the 2013 probationers.