Activist Training – Applications Now Open at Rape Crisis

The Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust has a 40 year history of training activists to bring about change in the way we deal with rape in our society. The need for radical change in our country is still as strong as ever but there is not a lot of training for individuals or groups on how to bring about this kind of deep sustainable transformation.

Over the years Rape Crisis has trained counsellors, community educators and activists from the communities we serve in the hope of leaving a legacy that strengthens and empowers the women of these communities to respond to rape and to stand up for their rights.

Change at the community level is not enough. Rates of rape in South Africa are very high. We grew up with a culture of violence where violence was part and of everyday life. The system we grew up in is a system that allows violence to go on unchecked. In particular the criminal justice system, which does not recognise the needs to rape survivors in bringing rapists to justice. That is why Rape Crisis launched the Rape Survivors’ Justice Campaign in 2016 to persuade and pressurise government to roll out specialised sexual offences courts across South Africa. We believe that this will strengthen the criminal justice system as a way of addressing high rates of rape in our country.

Do you want to develop or strengthen your own political consciousness?  Do you want to make a difference beyond individual change? Become an activist by joining our training and becoming a volunteer for Rape Crisis.

We are about to embark on a new training programme for community activists who would like to build their organising skills and abilities. Our course deals with the political aspects of rape in South Africa and trains people to organise and lobby for change.

We are looking for a diverse group of participants so whether you come from the communities we serve and are based in or whether you live outside of these communities, we encourage you to apply. If you are actively involved, either in your own community or on social media, and you care about violence against women then this is course is for you. We are looking for people with a wide range of skills and abilities but if you think you have leadership skills and like to organise people and events then this will be an advantage. We are looking for volunteers who are reasonably literate and self-confident and who are critical thinkers. By the end of the course our advocacy volunteers should be able to engage with and persuade groups of people, be able to take initiative and plan well and be able to work in a team.

To get your application form and for more information, please contact our advocacy coordinator, Jeanne Bodenstein at jeanne@rapecrisis.org.za  or call her on 021 447 1467 from Monday – Friday between 9:30am and 4pm. Applications close on 19 May 2017.

The three month series of training workshops that make up the first part of the course will take place in Observatory during the day on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday but starting and ending off on a Saturday, starting Saturday 27 May 2017. This will be followed by six months of practical on the job training. Although the training is not SAQA or SETA accredited at this stage, assessment takes place throughout the full process of the training course after which participants will be requested to complete a written examination before graduating.

Who should apply?

• People 18 years and older
• From the areas of Athlone, Khayelitsha and Cape Town
• People who are currently unemployed, doing casual work or students;
• People who are available to volunteer during the day.
• Be able to speak English

Expectations of Volunteers:

We expect volunteers to be able to commit to a minimum of eight hours of your free time per month after the workshop series is over in order to participate in advocacy activities, and to attend focus group meetings and buddy group meetings once a month. Volunteers will also be invited to attend volunteer forum meetings and general meetings of the broader organisation four times a year in total.

Course fees:

The cost of the course is R4 000 with a non-refundable registration fee of R1 500. Payment options can be negotiated so the course fee should not be something that stops you from applying.

We look forward to hearing from you.

• Follow: The Rape Survivors Justice Campaign
• Follow: Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust
• Speak To Us: 24-hour helpline: 021 447 9762
• Become a writer for Rape Crisis