What we do
General
- Education, stimulation, therapy and care to children and young adults with severe multiple disabilities.
- Training and permanent employment opportunities to caregivers and facilitators.
- Support and information to the families of persons with disabilities.
- Training, community service and practical experience for school and university students
- We follow the Government terms and school holidays.
Individual Education Programmes:
It is the Pathways aim that, with early and ongoing intervention, we may develop and educate our children to reach their full potential, and enable them to fill a meaningful role in society, no matter how small. Each child is given opportunities for learning and growth in all areas through individual educational programmes (IEP’s). These are updated as the needs of both the child and the family changes. We provide hope and support to families as they love and care for children whose needs can be overwhelming. Our children have access to speech therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, therapeutic horse riding and hydro therapy in our specifically designed and heated pool.
Pathways Enterprises:
Pathways Enterprises is a place where young adults with severe cognitive and physical disabilities find opportunities to be skilled in a number of entrepreneurial activities. This is a place where these young adults interact with their peers and form bonds of friendship and enjoyment. These activities include beading, card making, paper shredding, can crushing, woodwork, gardening and general housekeeping. All the items are made by the young adults under supervision and assistance where necessary. The products are sold to create an income for the enterprise and promote a sense of achievement. The aim is to expand the current corporate orders that are undertaken at present. Orders are presently filled on request.
The young adults are taught a sense of accomplishment by assisting with food serving, cleaning and individual project completion.
For more information contact Neeltje at 031 266 5028, Pathways Enterprises on Facebook or email to Pathwaysyag@gmail.com
School Programme
- Functional Numeracy and Literacy
- Augmentative and Alternative communication, picture exchange and visual aids to encourage communication.
- World Knowledge
- Life skills working towards a measure of independence.
- Sensory play and activities to aid with Sensory Processing Disorders.
- Physical exercise and activities.
- Baking and tasting
- Art and craft activities.
- Provide learners with skills enabling them to become valuable members of society
Home Programmes:
This provides parents with a stimulation outline to educate children who are either too ill, too young, or without transport to travel to the Centre.
Outreach Programmes:
Pathways also has an active outreach programme aimed to identify and help severely disabled children in poverty stricken areas, where often the children are severely isolated due to their family’s circumstances. We assist with the integration of these children into their local communities and try to break this pattern of isolation and neglect. A programme currently taking place is at Natal Settlers.
Therapies
- Physiotherapy – Physiotherapist visits one morning a week basis.
- Physiotherapy manager and assistant carry out pre-set therapies on a daily basis
- Occupational Therapy – The therapist visits one morning a week. Works together with the Facilitators and carers, enabling them to carry out therapies on a regular basis
- Speech Therapy – The therapist visits one morning a week. She does speech, Communication, feeding therapy etc together with the Facilitators and carers enabling carry over through the week.
- We have an outdoor, heated pool which is used for therapy, and recreation as often as weather conditions allow.
Training:
We focus on the education of our teachers and facilitators. In order for our outreach to be effective we have a training course that will equip community members to become effective para-professional in the Early Childhood Intervention of the severely disabled child.
We are also involved with students studying speech therapy and teaching, who use the Centre for their practical training. Occupational Therapy University students complete their final year practicals at Pathways.
- All Pathways Staff members are trained in general child development, early intervention strategies and recognition of severe disabilities
- The Nakekela Training course is a specialised facilitator training for the everyday care of children with severe cerebral palsy. This course was developed and compiled by our consultant physiotherapist, Shayne van Aswegan. All staff members in the Pathways Cerebral Palsy units have done the Nakekela training course.The aims of this course are to:
- Shayne runs the courses at Pathways at regular intervals.
- Understand the physical challenges, and assist children with cerebral palsy.
- Understand the typical body problems that often arise as a result of cerebral palsy, and how to minimise them.
- Help the child to participate in as much as possible through the proper use of different types of equipment.
- Understand the child’s limitations and know when to seek help from different professionals.
Fundraising:
As Pathways is a community-based organization, we would not be able to function without parents and our sponsors. Parents pay school fees.
Time and again we stand in awe of the generous donations we receive. We are so grateful to all our sponsors for their caring support and financial contributions.