InsideOut Issue 11

Insideout Magazine Issue 11 OCTOBER 2013 Issue 11

ns i d eout

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Insideout Magazine Issue 11 Tarisai Mchuchu-Ratshidi Director Rozerie Bosma General Manager Melinda Bechus Post-Release Coordinator Kholofelo Mashego Advocacy and Communications Coordinator Nkosinathi Buyana Life Skills Facilitator and Trainer

www.younginprison.org.za

Vuyokazi Magobiyane Life Skills Facilitator Owen Butler Life Skills Facilitator

info@younginprison.org.za

Tlhabanelo Diholo Life Skills Facilitator Zamani Ndlovu Project Coordinator Johannesburg

Cpt - +27 21 448 5275 Jhb - +27 11 333 1586

Joseph Mofokeng Life Skills Facilitator Tebogo Butie Life Skills Facilitator

YoungInPrisonSA

Issue 11 was facilitated by was facilitated by Joseph Mofokeng, Zamani Ndlovu, Tebogo Butie Co-facilitators Amy Young Iris Gooris Javier Perez Brynne Peluso Haley Tillage Lauren Knoke Will Vaughan Masika Lewis Matisse Yoshihara Myra Orillaze Stephen Kusemererwa Willy Borkai

@YIPSouthAfrrca YIPSA

Magazine design Meghan Judge with co-design by Andile Maposa Young in Prison 059 – 080 – NPO 41 Community House Salt River Road Salt River, Cape Town Tel: 021 448 5275 / 011 333 1586 Fax: 021 448 3024 info@younginprison.org.za www.younginprison.org.za

Tejchevé

Impulsis The European Union Eurko Achmea Foundation 2

Open Society foundation for South Africa

CONTENTS

C Editorial................................................... 2 What I Learned In Prison......................... 4 Visual Arts Program............................... 5 Paper Maiche .......................................... 18 Prison Tour............................................. 19 Quotes..................................................... 22 Next Issue............................................... 24

Insideout Magazine Issue 11

EDITORIAL I remember that day in October 2012 when I stepped into prison in my role as a YIPSA facilitator. I recall walking through the corridors, seeing the big doors and hearing them banged behind me. Watching the guard fumble with a large bunch of keys as he chose the biggest one to open the next door The banging of the doors on its own sent a clear message that marks the end of freedom and the beginning of a controlled life. Above that I vividly recall my own feelings as I walked in there, a mixture of fear and guarded excitement. I knew then that the journey to touch and change lives had begun.

As we shuffled along the corridor one after the other, the boys were busy cleaning the floor that looked spotlessly clean already. I wondered why they had to put so much energy to the exercise. I then noticed that the whole building had a certain unusual cleanliness, the boys also were very clean and greeted us politely using words like “Timer” and “My Father”.

It suddenly dawned on me that I had stepped into a zone where I had to do more than just the call of duty if I am live up to the trust that these boys were already bestowing on me.

The tension in the room with the first group we had was palpable.

Looking back it is understandable, we had a group of young people who have been used to being abandoned

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and failed by those they trusted and as such approached everyone with that same suspicion. As time went by and relationships were forged and friendships made, that suspicion was replaced by trust and slowly but surely we started gaining ground in the lives of these young men.

Through the art program, I have seen fear, anger and general hopelessness melt away and be replaced by a restored belief in self, community and above all hope in the future. It was during one of these sessions that one young man said their biggest challenge was they lack of hope for the future. The theme Hope was then explored further where different groups used different media to express hope Ultimately that is what our work with incarcerated youth is about, restoring hope in their future, and that is the theme for this issue of Inside Out magazine, Hope. The art participants have gone from drawing images that show gloom and sorrow to that speak of hope and purpose in life. The energy during the workshops is amazing; boys just want to produce good work. The Insider Art exhibition that was held in June and the magazine that came right after that has given the boys that urge to better their work all the times. We hope this magazine also spurs them on to realise their full potential.

The cooperation from the officials has been outstanding, as a team we can boldly say the Leeuwkop medium B team has made life easy for the team. We feel part of the staff establishment and the boys

have shown the team great respect and love. It is through such interaction that we see hope in the future of the young men.

There are still some challenges but we have seen change in a number of boys that have attended our course and the officials attest to that fact.

All the works of art featured in these pages is are product of determination and hope for better things in things in life after prison. The talent is vast and teaching these boys to draw and paint has been my greatest pleasure. While we acknowledge that there is still more to do, we take time out to share the victories we have had and hope the inspiration that these

young people in conflict with the law have felt can echo through the pages of this magazine. May this offering from the guys go further towards changing thoughts and attitudes towards the young people in conflict with the law.

Thank you all Zamani Ndlovu Project coordinator Young in prison ( Gauteng)

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WHAT I LEARNED IN PRISON Through our Siyakhana programme using the arts to express themselves, the inmates discovered the raw talent that was then natured by our resident facilitators to produce some of the most outstanding art pieces. The role of art in our programme has seen some inmates discovering a talent that they never thought they had. This has seen them getting excited about the future outside the correctional centre.

There is one notable case were art lessons life skills lessons coupled with art lessons have been able to reduce the attacks on a bipolar on one of the inmates. The talent the young man has kindled a zeal to excel in art and with every topic discussed in prison, the young man has been able to produce exciting work to express himself.

It is pleasing to note that of the 10 participants involved in this programme there has not been a single one of them who has been involved in any misdemeanour ever since we started a year ago. Instead these young men are now trusted even by the prison staff. Those that have been abusing their talents, doing tattoos on others have since stopped doing it on others and themselves.

The exhibition that was held in July at the workers museum was motivation enough to both the inmates and their parents and

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guardians. The team has seen a number of parents visiting the boys and some buying them art material to use at their spare time. Discussions that were held with the relatives managed to change their minds towards the rehabilitation process which many of them had no faith in.

One participant who will be released in February has already gotten one internationally recognized artist to adopt him as soon as he is released. His behaviour has seen a dramatic change as he already knows exactly what he will do when he leaves prison. A request has come to the organisation not to take a long break during the holidays, but to keep a presence in prison. This must come in terms of always making sure that the young people have artwork to do during the close down.

Young in prison has seen the use of art coming in very strongly to help in behaviour modification and so has been the DCS who have decided to set up an academy to be run by YIPSA at the prison school in 2014. “Young people in conflict with the law have numerous challenges that at times defeat the efforts of the state in trying to rehabilitate them. The major challenge we came across was the fact that most young people had very little to do while in the prison as a result they were prone to get involved in negative activities like gang activities and just making themselves uncontrollable by the warders.�

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VISUAL ARTS PROGRAMME

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Insideout Magazine Issue 11 Everyone in life feels as if there is something is pulling him backwards, these are the distractions we all go through in the journey of life. The facial expression of the man tells a story of how life is tough as one goes through the strains we have to go through in life. The emotions he keeps bottled up as he continues with the journey, become a burden making it hard for him to move forward. The earth that we live on comes with its own challenges and burdens, some of which are too heavy for man to cope or move on with, despite these burdens God’s helping hand is always there seeking for our faith

When a man decides to take God’s Language and Expression choice in life it results in less burdens,

The man’s facial expression of confusion worry and stress with distractions all around him. Like any man he must now make a choice whether to move on with the faith he has inside or continue to live his life of suffering He sits on a ball of boiling emotions, with the hands of distraction and destruction waiting for him to slip up and fall.

“All the while God’s hands are above him offering him comfort needed to go through the journey of life. The hands above remind us that there is always a way even when all seems lost and we can’t see a way.”

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everything that seems to be bothering you fades, not nly because of the decisions taken but also because of having faith. Christ is always represented as a tree of life, so wherever we go or whatever decision we take, we must take the tree of life through faith.

“As the man takes good decisions in life no distractions or destruction can hold him from reaching his destiny.”

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PAPER MAICHE

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PRISON TOUR

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On the 4th of October, 49 Grade 9 Learners and 3 teachers from Noordgesig High School got the opportunity to experience a fraction of what life on the other side of a correctional facility is like as they toured the Juvenile section of Leeuwkop Correctional Facility.

The tour kick started with a walk around the yard where learners saw firsthand what the setup in prison is like. The yard tour culminated in a tour of a cell where the guide explained the living conditions inside the cell.

After the tour of the cell the male learners were treated to what every new arrival in a cell is taken through and were told to frog march out of the cell and join the others, an experience many said was scary as the manner in which they were spoken to was very rough and for them imagining themselves being in such a situation daily was overwhelming.

After the tour learners were led to the visitors area where a panel discussion was conducted focusing on 3 core issues that youth in conflict with the law as well as teachers and prison officials would discuss with learners.

After the tour and conversation this is what they had to say.

How was it?

Scary, the way the guys were looking at us.

It has been life changing, nothing at all like what I saw on TV. What struck you the most?

Seeing how they live (Farren) It’s like they are not treated like people (Lwazi) Hearing the stories of how they get beaten (Lebohang) The weapons that they make and use (Lamondre) Do you ever want to find yourself in prison after this?

No never after this No, I am going to behave and never smoke (we wonder what you were smoking ).

If someone who had wronged you, came out of prison and asked for your forgiveness, Would you forgive them? f they showed they were changed, I would think about it Yes I would forgive them

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QUOTES here for some special reason. “ We are allbeing a prisoner of your past.

Stop

Become the architect of your

future. ” – Robin Sharma

“Nobody gets to live life backward.

Look ahead,

that is where your future lies.”

“Never let your

memories memories be greater than your

dreams. ” – Doug Ivester

“The wise man must remember that while he is a descendant of the past, he is a parent of the future.”

– Herbert Spencer

never too late to be

“It is what you might

have been”

– George Eliot

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NEXT ISSUE

How I ended up in prison.

Some offenders share their stories.

Find out how smoking dagga landed a young man in prison.

A little over a year ago, the Gauteng office of YIPSA was launched. With a small team we started the journey of ensuring young people in prison do get life skills training and are taught that they can rise above their situation and circumstances and become leaders in their communities.

He is still my son.

Read about a mother’s pain as her son is arrested and sentenced to jail but also about her hopes for a better future for him.

I want to go home Read about real prison life experiences as written by those who experience it.

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Young in Prison needs your support in assisting with the rehabilitation and reintegration of youth in conflict with the law. Crime touches every South African’s life. Assist Young in Prison in its quest to ensure that young people are developed positively and empowered to become contributing members towards safer communities and country. Assist us and BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

YOU CAN: Donate We accept monetary donations and in-kind donations to support our work. Below you will find our banking details, should you wish to make a direct deposit. Young in Prison is a registered organisation with a Public Benefit status and can issue Section 18A tax certificates for donations.

Account Name: Young in Prison Bank Name: Nedbank Account Number: 1021284556 Branch: 296 Victoria Road, Salt River, 7925 Swift Code: NEDSZAJJ PBO Number: 930031086 Online donations can also be made via Backabuddy and Greater Good South Africa

Volunteer We welcome any interested and committed individuals to be part of our organisation on a voluntary basis. It is a fascinating area to work in not only for students and social workers, but for anyone who has an interest in development, or in helping one individual change his/her life in a positive way.

All volunteers gain valuable experience in working with youth in conflict with the law through the use of innovative methods of creative arts, sports, literacy and life skills development. Young in Prison volunteers play an important role in strengthening the work that we do in order to bring about change in the lives of our participants.

To join and become a volunteer, please visit the volunteers’ page at www.younginprison.org.za or email directly atinfo@younginprison.org.za.

Spread the Word, Stay Informed!

We know that many people want to help and in South Africa there are many small and big ways to do so. If you don’t have time to volunteer, or money to donate, you can always help us by spreading the word. Join our Facebook group, follow us on twitter, or recommend us to any funders, volunteers or journalists who you think may be interested in the work we do by sending them the link to our website. By joining our mailing list, we will keep you up to date with what’s happening at YIP, mainly our Insider Art exhibition, new issues of our magazine, and any events we might be holding

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