Brief Introduction to the IPT-sponsored Community Alliance for Safe Schools

CASS is an alliance of existing government, non-government, community-based, and voluntary organisations who are joining forces to fight school-based violence and crime. The idea first emerged from a briefing and workshop held at the offices of the Independent Projects Trust on November 18, 1997. The IPT presented findings based on extensive quantitative and qualitative research into violence at Durban schools. The assembled body of representing some forty different organisations then decided that a community-based response to the crisis was required. Numerous workshops were conducted over the next few months until the Community Alliance for Safe Schools emerged with a mission statement (see below).

Mission Statement:

The Community Alliance for Safe Schools (CASS) emerged from a set of democratic and transparent agreements among voluntary, non-government, community-based, and government organisations concerned with unacceptably high levels of crime in and around schools. We have organised for the primary objective of pooling our human and organisational resources to effect three goals:

• to build partnerships that instill a sense of community ownership of schools;
• to mobilise communities to protect children; and
• to equip school governing bodies with the training and information needed to create safe environments for both learners and educators.

Our main activities include the provision of public information regarding school safety, training of school governing bodies in techniques and methods for providing security, and mobilising community resources through workshops, communication, partnerships, and ongoing research. CASS is organised on the principle of serving those in greatest need and therefore targets areas most vulnerable to crime.

Delivering Skills

Cass works directly with School Governing Bodies by providing training, information, and facilitation services on these subjects:

• building partnerships
• community ownership
• discipline in schools
• improving police co-operation
• safety drills
• types of school safety programmes
• conflict management skills
• peer mediation
• school watches
• safety needs assessments
• school security measures (e.g., weapons checks, fencing, etc.)
• statistics on school violence

Organisations participating in CASS meetings as of 29 April 1998

City Police

South African Police Service

Business Against Crime

Independent Projects Trust

Diakonia Council of Churches

KZN Human Rights Forum

Culture of Learning Teaching and Service Campaign (COLTS)

Media in Education Trust

South African Democratic Teachers Union

Association of Professional Educators of KwaZulu-Natal

Street Law

Rotary Against Crime

KwaZulu-Natal Department of Welfare

KZN Department of Education and Culture (various units)

Department of Social Work, University of Natal

Anglican Church

Southern Life Foundation

Association of Governing Bodies (Phoenix)

School Governing Bodies (various)

KZN Youth Council

Southern Natal Childrens' Rights Committee

Durban Youth Radio

British Council

Isphamandla Society

Media (various education reporters)

Ministers of Parliament (various national and provincial)

School Governance Training Unit

Mayor's Office (Metropolitan Council)

Ntuzuma College

Survivors of Violence

Security Consultants (various)

Political Parties (various including MPs and MPPs)

Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Education

Phoenix Child Welfare

British Consulate

IDASA

In May 2001 the IPT's CASS project and the Crime Reduction in Schools Project (CRISP), formally based at the University of Natal Durban, agreed to a merger which saw these two pivotal role players in school safety and youth crime reduction joining forces under the auspices of IPT. This significant move will result in the creation of a powerful joint force in facilitating safer schools in KwaZulu Natal, and in due course, South Africa. The announcement coincided with the celebration of IPT's eleventh year of highly successful operation, and the end of CRISP's two year pilot phase.

For more information

Newsletter / Administration:  Valerie Smith 27 31 305-8422

Research: Colin Collett van Rooyen 27 31 305-8422

If you wish to find out more about CASS or be included on the mailing list click here.