Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town

Qui sommes-nous

Inspired by the teachings and actions of John Baptist Scalabrini, the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town offers a welcoming environment that is open to all and where each individual is valued and treated with dignity.
The Scalabrini Fathers have been providing welfare services in Cape Town to displaced communities since 1994. Beginning as religious assistance to different communities of migrants, the Fathers were soon confronted with the problems experienced by refugees from Angola, the Congos, Rwanda, Burundi and other African communities, and it became necessary to offer more tangible assistance.
In 1998, expanding to include a development agenda in 2003, followed by the establishment of Lawrence House, a home for abandoned and orphaned refugee children in 2005; the Fathers formed a secular non-government organisation, the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town (SCCT) to run these projects.

The Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town’s vision is to foster the cultural, social and economic integration of migrants, refugees and South Africans into local society. Perceiving migration as an opportunity, the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town is committed to alleviating poverty and promoting development in the Western Cape while fostering integration between migrants, refugees and South Africans. In providing our assistance, we advocate respect for human rights and use a holistic approach that considers all basic needs.

Services:
• Paralegal Desk: Protecting, promoting and advancing the rights and freedoms of migrants and refugees through providing individual advice, publishing research, raising awareness, and advocating for legislative and policy reform and its proper implementation.
• Welfare: Accessing services for migrants and refugees in need. This includes assistance with access basic services, and a limited assistance programme which offers direct support to emergency and special cases. Services include home visits to the homes of our most vulnerable clients. The Welfare Team also advises on application for voluntary repatriation.
• Women's Platform: Migrant women fight isolation by sharing opportunities and experiences and thereby transforming their lives to become self-sufficient, engaged members of South African society. We are building a multinational network of women that strengthens individuals to enhance economic independence and integration into the broader South African community. Broadly speaking, the Women’s Platform is a network where women can facilitate connections, share knowledge and resources, and access opportunities. Specifically, the Platform offers a variety of practical peer-led trainings. The network is cultivated through two areas of focus; personal development and financial sustainability.
• Child and Youth Care Centre: A registered Child and Youth Care Centre specialising in the care to provide developmental and therapeutic programmes that meet the needs of children and youth displaying psychological, emotional and behavioural difficulties; to equip children and youth with the skills and competencies to manage themselves and reintegrate back into society; to meet the special care and protection needs of separated refugee children and unaccompanied foreign minors.
• Employment Access: The Employment Access Programme aims to promote socioeconomic integration of asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and South Africans “in need" by facilitating access to employment.
• English School: Providing a specialised English language school for refugees and migrants in South Africa to facilitate the socioeconomic integration and wellbeing of asylum seekers, refugees, migrants and South Africans.
• Unite Youth: UNITE works with high school students to build social cohesion and transformation in South African society. We aim to develop and improve skills in leadership and community activism, fostering attitudes that promote respect for all cultures within South African communities. UNITE equips learners with the tools to become conscious, prudent and engaged citizens who are able to make informed decisions.

Miranda Madikane is the Director and Olivia Terblanche is the Communications Assistant at the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town.

For other net participants we can offer an expert guidance through trained staff, give an expert opinion, procure expert information and establish new contacts in the field of our work.