Free to Grow: benefitting businesses where it matters most

The document examines 'Free to Grow', a curriculum-based intervention delivered during work hours to address risk factors for violence against women and children. Implemented at Tikketai in partnership with the Seven Passes Initiative, the programme uses a human-centred design to improve interpersonal communication, stress management, and parenting skills. Findings indicate that the programme is feasible for busy workplaces and results in positive outcomes for both employees—who report improved home relationships and emotional regulation—and businesses, which observed increased productivity and reduced workplace conflict. The brief emphasizes the importance of quality facilitation and the need for ongoing refresher sessions to sustain behavioral change.

• The 'Free to Grow' programme, delivered during work hours, positively impacts participants in both their home and professional environments.
• The intervention is novel because it simultaneously addresses violence against women and children through a workplace-based delivery model, expanding the reach beyond traditional community settings.
• Participants in the programme reported improved emotional regulation, better stress and conflict management, and more nurturing relationships with their children.
• The business owner at Tikketai reported that the programme led to increased productivity and a decrease in conflict between employees.
• The programme is feasible for implementation in busy workplaces, provided that sessions are staggered and scheduled during the least busy times to minimize production line disruptions.
• Successful outcomes depend heavily on quality facilitation; facilitators must possess progressive views on gender and violence, self-awareness, and the ability to support survivors of trauma.
• Because sustained changes in beliefs and behavior take time, the programme requires follow-up and refresher sessions rather than being treated as a one-off intervention.

APA

van Heyningen, T. (2024). Free to Grow: benefitting businesses where it matters most. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1727874589414-PB-192.pdf

Chicago

van Heyningen, Thandi. Free to Grow: benefitting businesses where it matters most. Institute for Security Studies, 2024. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1727874589414-PB-192.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=van Heyningen |first1=Thandi |title=Free to Grow: benefitting businesses where it matters most |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=2024 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1727874589414-PB-192.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{vanheyningen2024free, author = {van Heyningen, Thandi}, title = {{Free to Grow: benefitting businesses where it matters most}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2024}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1727874589414-PB-192.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }