Building self-esteem facilitators have designed and present an 8 week programme which encompasses the main concepts of building self-esteem. The course is presented together with creative and informative manuals, which are extremely effective and valuable in integrating the learning. 

 

What started off 18 years ago as assistance with the formation of an in house newspaper at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre, has resulted in a structured commitment by Building Self-Esteem to present formal self-esteem programmes to both adult male and female inmates.

 

Building self-esteem facilitators have designed an 8 week programme which encompasses the main concepts of building self-esteem. The course is presented together with creative and informative manuals, which we find to be extremely effective and valuable in integrating the learning. 

 

At first there was a reluctance by inmates to participate in these programmes, but as the participants progressed, they began to realise the infinite value that building their own self-esteem could bring to their lives both whilst they were incarcerated as well as on their release into freedom. 

 

Fourteen of the men who have participated in the programme, have gone on to extend their learning about self-esteem through a 6 months training course and with appropriate supervision from our facilitators are currently equiped to facilitate self-esteem support groups in their specific sections. Many of these trained inmates have since been reassigned to other prisons and some have even been released.

 

Emmanual Vate has a job at an insurance company and is living in an apartment with his partner. He is an active parent with his first child.

 

Building Self-Esteem facilitates 3 eight-week programmes each year, with 30 inmates(male and female) in each course. We estimate that we have positively impacted on the lives of over 5000 inmates duringthat time.

 

Our team currently consists of 8 passionate and skilled Facilitators who consistently deliver sessions week on week, pro bono.  We are very greatful for the opportunity we have had to present our workshops for the past 18 years and we intend continuing this service into the future.