Abstract
This paper focuses on appropriate responses to the unique challenges faced by young people at risk who are transitioning out of state care in South Africa. Specific lessons are drawn from Project Lungisela, a youth leaving care programme created to assist young people leaving state care in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. Project Lungisela was initiated by Mamelani Projects, a local non-governmental organisation, in response to the need for support services for youth transitioning out of care, particularly from State children's homes. Support for this target group is neither a well-established nor adequately funded service in South Africa. Most of the children who have participated in the programme have at some stage in their life lived on the street, and many have survived through petty crime with accompanying substance abuse and little or no traditional family support structures. All have exited state care at age 18, as mandated by state regulations for minors attaining the legal age of majority. This paper examines the particular needs of these young people at risk, the interventions implemented to adequately prepare them for leaving state care, the type of support services offered in moving towards independence, the challenges experienced, as well as relevant programme components. The skill of interdependent living is specifically highlighted in preference to independent living skills. This shifts the focus away from young people meeting all of their own needs, to being able to connect them with other young people, to develop networks of support, and to access resources in their community to meet their various needs. This approach has recently been adapted for work with youth who have grown up in foster care. Lessons learnt from working with both target groups are shared in this paper.