Background information
North Gauteng Mental Health is a Non-Profit welfare organization situated in Waverley, Pretoria. The society has been in existence since August 1951 and is affiliated with the South African Federation for Mental Health.
Background information
North Gauteng Mental Health is a Non-Profit welfare organization situated in Waverley, Pretoria. The society has been in existence since August 1951 and is affiliated with the South African Federation for Mental Health.
Our aim
To enhance and maintain the mental health of the people in the areas in which we operate. We do this by running HIV/Aids Projects and After School Care Programmes, caring for children with profound intellectual disabilities in Special Care Centres, providing a safe working environment for youth with intellectual disabilities in Protected Workshops and offer general counselling, trauma debriefing and grief counselling to those in distress.
Our vision
To be a dynamic Organisation rendering integrated services that empower communities to be mentally healthy.
Our mission
To work with the community to improve their quality of life and to achieve the highest possible level of mental health for all through a caring and equal service delivery system that emphasizes respect for the dignity of each individual irrespective of race, gender, culture, religion or disability by:
• Providing integrated welfare and mental health care services to meet the needs of people affected by mental disability or disorders, terminal and chronic illnesses, traumatic experiences or emotional disorders.
• Enabling people to participate in the identification of individual and community mental health needs and by responding appropriately.
• Creating a public awareness of mental health issues and thereby striving for the recognition, promotion and protection of mental health rights for all people.
Services provided
a) Social services for persons affected by a psychiatric illness to improve their functional ability and to re-integrate them into a community-centered environment.
These services include counselling, recreation and social activities, protective employment and self-advocacy training.
b) Social development and special care services
for people affected by a mental handicap to develop their optimal potential and support the family.
These services include non-residential day care centers for profoundly disabled children between the ages of 3 – 18 years, receiving specialised care and stimulation as well as two meals a day. Protected workshops that provide a safe working environment on a daily basis for intellectually disabled youth and adults. Home stimulation training programmes and socialisation outings.
c) Trauma debriefing and crisis care services for people affected by abuse, violence and traumatic experiences. The aim is to enhance their ability to resolve problems and improve their coping skills.
d) Prevention and Public Education Services to the community at large to promote mental health, by improving i.e. coping skills, communication and conflict resolution skills. Partnerships with schools, SAPS, Child Protection Units, etc.
e) Statutory intervention and foster placement of orphans. This service includes assisting the client to obtain Child Support Grants.
f) HIV/Aids Projects, which sees volunteers from the community move into the homes of those affected and infected by HIV/Aids or other terminal illnesses. The volunteers are trained in basic counselling skills and assist the client to mentally cope and prepare him/herself for what lies ahead.
The HIV/Aids projects are accompanied by a Food Gardening Project, which aims to fight poverty and hunger and empower the community with gardening skills, which they can use to start homestead food gardens.
NGMH has decentralized offices in Atteridgeville, Soshanguve, Nellmapius, Mamelodi and in Stanza Bopape (Mandela Village). New client intakes are done on a weekly basis at each of these offices.
The 10 members of the governing body, known as the Executive Committee, are responsible for the organisation’s total basket of services and represent the various concerned communities, service users/beneficiaries, personnel and other stakeholders. It comprises of people with a wide range of expertise and skills, which ensures community participation as well as effective management, organizational sustainability and accountability.
List of NGMH Satellite Offices and Project
Atteridgeville
• Social Worker’s Office
• Tswelelopele Special Care Centre
• Gardening Project
Saulsville
• Are Tswaraneng Protective Workshop
• Gardening Project
Mamelodi
• Social Worker’s Office
• Phuthanamagole Protective Workshop
Mandela Village (Stanza Bopape)
• Social Worker’s Office
• HIV/Aids Project & After School Care Project
Nellmapius
• Social Worker’s Office
Soshanguve
• Social Worker’s Office
• Soshanguve Protective Workshop
• Refeng Sebaka Special Care Centre
• HIV/Aids Project & After School Care Project
Waverley
• Head Office
• Social Worker’s Office
• Trauma Debriefing & Crisis Care Services Office
The mission of the society is to work with the community to improve their quality of life and to achieve the highest possible level of mental health for all through a caring and equal service delivery system that emphasis respect for the dignity of each individual irrespective of race, gender, culture, religion or disability.
> Providing integrated welfare and mental health care services to meet the needs of people affected by mental disability or disorder, terminal and chronic illnesses, traumatic experiences or emotional disorders.
>Enabling people to participate in the identification of individual and community mental health needs and responding appropriately.
Creating a public awareness of mental health issues and thereby striving for the recognition, promotion and protection of mental health rights for all people.
