The organisation was started in 1996 by Fr John Houston, an Australian Priest who was based in the township Langa. Originally known as Prison Caring Network, he organised a group of 6 women to visit offenders at Pollsmoor Correctional Centre in Tokai. Their work continued to grow and was run under the auspices of the Catholic Welfare and Development’s Caring Network. Today the project has grown into an independent non-profit organisation registered as Prison Care and Support Network.
We have grown from our initial 6 volunteers to a team of 22 volunteers, 4 associated volunteers and 2 full-time staff members, now providing services to offenders, ex-offenders and their families. We are proud to say that many of the first volunteers are still with us to this day.
Today the project has grown into an independent non-profit organisation registered as Prison Care and Support Network.
Our Programmes
During Incarceration:
- One-to-One visits
- Sacramental services
- Lay counselling
- Bible Study and prayer sessions
- Value-based structured programmes
- Restorative Justice
- Alpha for Prisons
- Choose Life
- Personal Development
- Anger Management
- Bursary Support programmes
- Support to foreign inmates
- Court support
- Supply of spiritual literate
- Art support
- Individual Consultations
- Basic Education Programme
After Incarceration:
To provide support for the social reintegration of the offender through:
- Ex-offender gatherings and support
- Food Parcel support
- Basic Education support
- Annual outreach for children
- Offender family support