A Study of Shelters for Street Children from an Organizational ...

Regarding transparency, accountability, and governance in the shelters, the managers
expressed that the issue was tied to skills training of staff and linked with availability of
resources. They argued that once shelters train a member of staff, that should result to
remunerating that staff accordingly, where that is not possible staff looked for better
rewarding jobs elsewhere and that is normal in most institutions. In this regard, shelters
needed a mechanism to keep the staff they had, but also train them with a view of
improving their output and at same time keep the staff happy by remuneration. They
felt that the issue of transparency and accountability was complex, involved shelters
staff capacity and competency, and needed to be further thought through.
4.3.9 Networking and coordination
Networking, collaboration and cooperation were key words that managers felt shelters
need if they were to provide adequate service to children and intervene fully in
children's lives. They expressed strong commitment to networking particularly with
NGOs, law enforcement agencies, government departments and institutions, private
sector in particular businesses because they all have an interest in children living
and/or working on the streets. Such involvement required a mechanism to coordinate
the efforts in order that everything is done in the best interests of a child. The
endeavour would shift the perspective that intervention programs were the prerogative
of shelters. The coordination would eliminate duplication of programs and diversify
shelter services.
4.4. Views and Experiences of Shelters Staff
The success or failure of any organisation depends to a very large extent on human
resources. Veldsman (2002:29) argued that, "People effectiveness is becoming the
strident rallying cry within organisations, why? Because increasingly people are seen to
play the pivotal and indispensable role in ensuring business success". This fact cannot
be over-emphasised particularly with the shelters for children living and/or working on
the streets, because staffs are responsible for care and ensuring that children's needs
are met. Staff also facilitated the running of programs of intervention and reintegration.
Charlton (2000: 18-28) states that it is increasingly recognised that human resource
function is of crucial significance to any organisation's success or failure, hence the
need for organisations to continually train, reward, and support their staff. The
following are the views and experiences of staff in the shelters as they implemented
delivery of services and intervention/reintegration programs.
70