The Toolbox Hub is extending its range of services to residents associations (RAs) within the Northside and is even considering expanding further into Roodepoort.
According to Toolbox Hub manager Andrew Holdsworth, the Green Hand team, which conducts agricultural work for various local RAs, has proven to be highly effective — and cost-effective — for the RAs in cleaning up greenbelts and open spaces and removing invasive tree species.
“After conducting successful trial runs in Krugersdorp, where local orphanage Bethany House is based, we’ve decided to expand further into the Northside, by deploying our Orange Hand and Blue Hand teams here as well.”
The Orange Hand team consists mainly of newer and mostly inexperienced workers.
“This is what we call low-impact workers,” says Andrew. “These are persons who have reached certain milestones within our programmes, but who either have not undergone enough training or who are relatively new to our programmes.
“This is the entry-level workforce that conducts minor jobs, like cleaning curbs. From here they progress through our skills training and personal development programmes to the rest of the hands.
“The Blue Hand team is for our more skilled workers. This team undertakes larger jobs and is afforded more trust since they have progressed further in the various programmes.
“Their range of skills is also much wider, conducting everything from painting to home and complex repairs, maintenance, and even renovations.”
The teams were launched on August 15 in Sterretjie Street, Ruimsig, at their very first job in the area; the repair and painting of a complex wall with severe water damage.
“They discovered that whoever painted the boundary wall of the complex in the first place never properly waterproofed it, resulting in the plaster and paint on the wall peeling off.
“Our Blue Team is managed by a highly experienced manager, who, in addition to supervising and managing the team, has a wealth of technical knowledge, which he imparts to the team members during jobs.”
The Toolbox Hub is an initiative by the Bethany House Trust that aims to effectively rehabilitate drug users, and successfully reintegrate them into the community.
“The reason we only work with RAs is that these people, in their past lives, have taken so much away from communities, that it is now time to give back to communities.”
Andrew is adamant that there can be no recovery for an addict without a purpose.
“We are helping these people restore their pride. They work, and they get paid for their work. They can support their dependants, and regain their pride in themselves.”
He attributes the programme’s success to two main focus areas: Skills development and personal development.
“We don’t only teach them physical skills. We also teach them life skills,” he says, adding that their programmes focus on physical skills, but also on personal and spiritual development.
