GBT to receive R26m from The 702 Sun International CEO SleepOut

"Importantly, a breakdown of how the funds will be used had to be approved by the GBT Board, The CEO SleepOut Trust and the appointed working group to ensure it meets the objectives of creating five pillars of sustainable assistance; these being shelter, nutrition, education, healthcare and community," says stakeholder partner Adams & Adams' Darren Olivier.

"This is a moment in our history that we will never forget because through the event our children, those cared for by other similar organisations and those living on the streets - young and old - have become visible," says GBT's CEO, Lee Loynes.

SHINE goals

"Our purpose at GBT is encapsulated in one sentence," says Loynes. "That is, 'empowering our vulnerable youth to shine'." To effect this through the Legacy Projects, they will apply the five GBT SHINE goals:

• Significance - Develop a sense of self worth and unique value. R1m will be attributed to designing specific and strategically planned extramural activities and developing GBT children's unique talents. The project will run from December 2015 to December 2017 and falls under the pillars of shelter, nutrition, health and education.
  
• Home - Provide the safety of home and family and the ability to function in one. R7.9m will convert open sleeping spaces into family-style living units, and fall under the shelter pillar. Work will begin in November 2015 and continue into early 2017.
  
• Independence - Develop the courage and skills to fare in the world. R10.4m will see Girls & Boys Town transform programmes that heal and develop independent young people, as well as refining staff skill sets, in-line with our ground-breaking research outcomes. These outcomes will form best practice models for the wider Child and Youth Care profession in South African. This preparation for life project will run from November 2015 to November 2018.
  
• Nurture - Community outreach designed to develop the sensitivity to care for self and others. R3m will be spent on organisational and youth outreach programmes which will positively impact the quality of life for street children in shelters, disadvantaged schools and struggling families; and form part of the pillars of education, health and community, running from November 2015 to November 2018.
  
• Education - Develop the knowledge and practical skills to compete. R1.7m will be spent on a remediating and home school model to educate unprepared children and provide learning facilities to help them SHINE in classrooms. The project will run from November 2015 to December 2017. A further R2.4m will be used to purchase safe multi-passenger vehicles between November 2015 and March 2016, to enable GBT to transport their young charges to school and community events.

Illumination is not a part of these children's lives when they first arrive at GBT. "We know that abandonment, abuse, violence and rape are some of the reasons for the lights going out in our children. We also understand that rage, addiction, alienation and suicide are a few of the paths that some youth may choose to cope with overwhelming challenges. We create safe environments, relationships and goal focused interventions to empower the young entrusted to us to overcome and shine again," Loynes says.

"Of the youth currently served by Gauteng Girls & Boys Town programmes and services, 38% are orphaned, 48% have been abandoned by a parent or both parents, and 27% would be living on the streets. The CEO SleepOut Trust envisions the Legacy Projects bringing not only safety and a home to the youngsters, but also the opportunity to receive counselling and the education that will put them on the path to happy and balanced lives," Ali Gregg, founder and CEO of The CEO SleepOut, adds.