The Seven Passes Initiative is a registered Non-Profit Organisation (065-133 NPO) that has been working to prevent violence and support and improve youth education and opportunities in Touwsranten and the rural area surrounding Hoekwil (approximately 30 km from George) since 2008.

We are building on our experience and good practice, and growing our work into new communities in the Garden Route of South Africa. "We focus on inter-generational and multi-faceted violence prevention interventions. We challenge the normalisation of aggression and violence; develop the ability of children, youth and adults to resolve conflict peacefully; support the building of positive relationships and improved communication; develop life skills, including building confidence and self-esteem; and enable the identification of and access to opportunities.

We run three programmes and have crosscutting work that supports all three programmes.

1. Programme 1: After-School Life Skills and Educational Programme
   We offer a varied and high quality after school life skills and education programme for Grade R, primary and high school learners. After school care takes place every day during the school term from 13h00-16h30. It takes the form of learning support from Mondays to Thursdays, and creative activities and play on Fridays. The facilitators are part of our Youth Development Programme (see below). They are teacher assistants during the mornings at the local primary school. This ensures continuity and appropriate support between school activities and after school care.
   
   
2. Programme 2. ECD and Positive Parenting
   We provide the four PLH programmes to promote positive parenting. The focus is on the four stages of a child’s life, starting with pregnancy through to teenage years.
   
   
3. Programme 3: Youth Development Programme
   We run this through a funded partnership with the Extended Public Works Programme of the Western Cape Department of Community Safety. The facilitators are young people – mostly young women – from the Touwsranten community who receive a stipend from the Department and work with Seven Passes for a year. During this time we offer them the opportunity to gain skills and experience, and we guide and support them to establish a career path. They work as teacher assistants in the mornings at the Touwsranten and Lancewood Primary Schools. In the afternoons they facilitate after school care. They also take lead roles in our holiday programmes. Working in this way the organisation gains the valuable involvement of young members of the community while contributing to their ability to study further and/or find long term employment.