Kids Haven, a shelter and children's home located in Benoni, is in need of funding for a new customised software system, which will help the organisation digitise all of its data.
Funding has fallen through at the last minute, with an outstanding cost of R50 000, leaving both the project and organisation in a “perilous position”, according to fundraising coordinator, Susan Daly.
Kids Haven provides full-time care to 200 children that were living and working on the streets, or other vulnerable children who have been ejected out of their families.
Daly explains that the children who live at the centre receive counselling and are helped through a bridging school programme to help them to get back into formal schooling. Since opening in 1992, Kids Haven has seen 5 000 children through its doors.
Kids Haven was earmarked by the National Alliance of Street Children to pilot the implementation of the new custom-made software system that will allow the organisation to electronically store all data, and provide detailed analysis of the children's progress and the efficacy of its programmes.
“One of the key problems associated with the care of street children is their transient behaviour (especially at first) and there are little, if any, real figures available as to the actual number of street children in the country,” explains Daly.
Measuring progress
Kids Haven approached software developer, Future Vision, and requested that it further develop a basic program to cover a full spectrum of service, inclusive of a wider range of programmes and more extensive family and community information.
“Following admission, the software tracks the inclusion of the child in a range of programmes, allowing the organisation to monitor output of programme delivery. Furthermore, the software includes an assessment tool aligned to the recognised 'Circle of Courage' assessment model, widely used by practitioners in this field including the Department of Social Development,” says Daly.
“In today's environment, it is essential to accurately demonstrate the benefit of the interventions to donors. Donors want to know that their funding has directly brought about change in the lives of beneficiaries.”
Electronic era
Kids Haven intends to transfer the information currently recorded in paper files into the new electronic format.
“There is an excited expectation of efficiency that will save time on paperwork, allowing more time for social work and care of the children, while simultaneously collecting a wealth of important information about the individual child in one place.”
Project may stall
“We had thought that all funding was secured,” says Daly, explaining that the donor put a hold on funding support at the last minute due to restrictions within their own funding.
“Kids Haven now urgently needs to secure all or some of the R50 000 remaining in order to pay the software developers, who have gone to extraordinary lengths to meet all our requirements.
“Without funding, Kids Haven may not be able to meet the final cost and the project will stall,” says Daly.
“Without funding, Kids Haven will be forced to divert other funds from childcare programmes to meet these costs, resulting in a deficit elsewhere that will equally negatively impact the organisation.”
To assist Kids Haven complete this project, or for more information, contact Daly on (011) 706 7959 or 083 442 7717, or visit www.kidshaven.co.za.
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