Evaluation of Outcomes Associated with a Leisure-time Activity Program for Disadvantaged Youth

Abstract

The SLEAK (Skills, Learning and Educational Activities for Kids) program was established in 2008 as a joint partnership between a community leader and the Division of Occupational Therapy Stellenbosch University. The vision of the SLEAK program is to create a sustainable, non-profit, leisure-time activity program for the youth (10-13 years of age) of the community in order to curb drug and gangster-related activities and tofoster healthy work-related skills in the youth to make them responsible and productive members of their community. The SLEAK program was evaluated in its entirety and this article will focus on the results for the outcomes set for the children in the SLEAK program. The results indicated that although it is still a rather small project, it seems as if the project is effective in what it set out to achieve and that it could serve as a pilot for starting projects in similar communities.