Pathways Studio (NPO: 042/851 Article 18 A (SARS): 930016631) is a non-profit organisation established in 2002 in response to the critical need for the training of disabled young people in South Africa. Pathways Studio is part of Pathways Pretoria and is registered as a non-profit organization (NPO) with the South African Department of Social Development and as a public benefit organization (PBO) and with the South African Revenue Services and as such enjoys section 18a Tax Exempt status. In contrast with existing programmes for the mentally and physically disabled who believe that disabled people will never be able to work, and should somehow simply be kept occupied, physically and mentally challenged adults undergo intensive life-skills training at Pathway Studio. This training may enable them to lead more independent lives so that they may even become able to be employed in the open labour market. Our vision is to help these young people to become fully included within the community and to become contributing members of society. Presently the centre serves 32 young adults with varied needs. A staff consisting of the team leader who is a specialist in autistic spectrum disorders, a consulting occupational therapist, an alternative and augmentative communication specialist, skilled support staff, and a small business coordinator provide services to these young differently-abled young people. Every young adult has an individualised program based on their very unique abilities and challenges.
Our vision is to help our students to become fully included within the community and to become contributing members of society. This is done by providing them with the necessary skills for independence and integration and to develop their potential to the maximum, through appropriate learning experiences and training.
The focus is on life skills training and cognitive development and on individuals who, with support, have the potential for greater independence at home and in their community.
Skills training
A skills training include daily living skills, health and fitness, safety skills, nutrition, meal planning, budgeting shopping, recreational activities and personal care. Participants improve their knowledge and social skills, thus becoming more competent, confident and independent in their community.
Life skills and employment group
Learners in this group receive intensive life-skills training to ensure that they reach the maximum level of independence and are included in a variety of employment settings. At present we have learners doing job sampling at SPAR, a florist, pre-schools, a music shop and caterers and also learners working at a foundry. Our aim is for all these learners to obtain meaningful, full-time, paid employment in the open labour market
Small business group
The small business group is for learners who are new in our program and need intensive work ethics and life skills training before they can be considered as candidates for the open labour market or a group of young people who would always need facilitation even in the open labour market. They will for example be a small group of young adults with a facilitator at a small factory or business such as catering and party planning.
The life skills, arts and leisure group
The skills, arts and leisure group is for students with more severe disabilities, who are not able to obtain employment in the open labour market. In future we would like to introduce a tea garden at our centre, party venue and a variety of small craft businesses, for which there is great scope in Pretoria, in order to provide a place for these young adults to learn new skills and become meaningfully employed.
Mentoring services
Focus on employed individuals providing life skills training and job support as well as the provision of a supportive, safe environment with personalized activities.
Our programme improves a student’s self-awareness, self-image, physical and emotional health, self-efficacy, ability to communicate (social competence), problem solving abilities, goals and aspirations towards the future and emotional intelligence. For the first time students feel that despite their challenges they have a purpose in life, that, with the help of the Pathways Studio Programme they are able to become the best they can be.
