CMR alive and well, but constantly needs community’s support

Date: 22 March 2024 By: Pétria de Vaal

Social Work Day was on 19 March this year. “This is part of Social Work Month – the month of March,” says Chantel Steyn, the social worker for the Christelike Maatskaplike Raad (CMR) (Christian Social Council) in both Louis Trichardt and Musina.

Chantel has a passion for what she does – social work. “I would love to tell our community more about this as people do not always understand what we are doing – and to what extent.”

Social Work Day is celebrated worldwide every third Tuesday of March, and the month of March is set aside to recognise and highlight the contributions of social-work professionals to the health and wellbeing of individuals, families, and communities across the globe. On this day, best practices in social work are promoted.

The CMR in Louis Trichardt was established in 1972, with its head office in Pretoria. “In our work, we have three typologies: case work, group work, and community development,” Chantel explains, breaking these down further. “Some of the issues we deal with are trauma briefing, crisis intervention, case intervention, and family preservation. We also conduct child assessments and child therapy, to name but a few.”

Chantel explains that statutory interventions form a major part of their work. This applies to court cases and proceedings, investigations, representing the relevant parties in court. Social workers are the expert witnesses, but the presiding officer makes the final decision, which is in the best interest of the child. “I cannot stress enough that we always act in the best interest of the child. For instance, if a child has been placed in foster care for two years, we aim to reunite the child with the parents through reunification services – if it is in the best interest of the child.” She also mentions that before children are removed, the social worker ensures that all processes are in place and that everything possible has been done in the best interest of the child. Children are only removed after thorough investigation.

“A less-known part of the social worker’s responsibilities is caring for the aged. There are very limited resources in Louis Trichardt and Musina. We often have to look further, for instance in Polokwane, for cheaper accommodation. We give attention to many issues related to the Older Persons Act (Act 13 of 2006), e.g. the aged who are abused by relatives. Assistance is also given with regard to SASSA applications,” says Chantel.

The CMR also plays an important role in the placement of children in appropriate schools. “When a child has uncontrollable behaviour, he or she needs to be placed in an industrial school. The same applies to disabled children – to place them in the right school for their best interest. We don’t have those resources in our area and always need funding and donors. We are very grateful for learning institutions like the ‘Green Leaves Centre’ founded by Lilla Shaw,” Chantel mentions.

A very interesting part of what the CMR does is group work. Chantel shares that they focus on issues such as marriage counselling, parental guidance, life skills, teenage pregnancies, and substance abuse. “We also go to crèches and facilitate skills development, e.g., how to socialise, fine and gross motor skills, and many more. We do this every quarter and have a huge success rate. We do our research thoroughly; we plan and evaluate. We make these interactions interesting – up to a maximum of 35 minutes each.”

Regarding community services, Chantel mentions a few examples. “We teach groups of women how to establish vegetable gardens. We also have campaigns at schools with regard to substance abuse, child trafficking, World Aids Day, and many more. We pride ourselves on participating in Mandela Day activities every year. During Disability Month, we have empowerment group sessions with certain activities in which we make the disabled feel valued. We focus on the whole spectrum of disabilities – even those with learning disabilities. We also organise a few Christmas parties, for example, in Musina and Louis Trichardt, and render services in surrounding areas such as Levubu and Buysdorp. We arrange holiday programmes in the form of camps, where children engage in arts, crafts, and many more.”

Chantel mentions that the rumours that the CMR (partially subsidised by the Department of Social Development) is closing are not true – they are very much alive, active, and on the go. She humbly calls upon the community for donations – no matter how big or small. “We have the ‘Save the Child Project’ – should someone wish to allocate money specifically for this,” she said.

The CMR Louis Trichardt’s WhatsApp number is 082 644 9296, and 063 864 5276 for Musina. Their banking details are Christelike Maatskaplike Raad (CMR), Absa Bank with cheque account number 1000230029. An 18A certificate for SARS can be supplied.

“We are able to render these essential services only with God’s grace,” Chantel concludes.

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