On average 3-4 incidents are reported each month; and the team aims to increase this to 7-8 monthly across campuses. The team has been clear that raising awareness is not enough unless it is accompanied by measures that ensure survivors are listened to and connected to appropriate services. 

While they are set to reach Day-100 on the 03 November, the focus is on building practices that will continue beyond this timeframe.

Encouraging awareness and visibility

The campaign has been designed to reach students through multiple platforms and in ways that speak to their daily lives. Social media initiatives on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter have been developed with the Marketing Department, while internal platforms such as the College TV system and the “Spotlight” bulletin have reinforced important messaging on GBVF. Activities on campus give this communication a more visible form. 

Wear Black Wednesdays, for example, has been expanded with colour-coded themes such as orange for physical abuse, green for financial abuse, and a wider spectrum of colours representing other forms of violence. This creative campaign uses clothing as a tool for discussion and education. Each campus also hosted an opening event that brought together staff, SRC members, management, and service providers. The launch of the 100-Day Challenge highlighted referral options through rape crisis centres, the Department of Social Development, and SAPS.

Making reporting more accessible

Because disclosure can be difficult, the team has worked to make reporting less intimidating and more supportive. Dialogue sessions, referred to as Incoko, have provided opportunities for students to raise concerns in an open setting and to receive guidance without judgement. Counsellors have been positioned as reliable points of contact, ensuring that survivors can speak to someone who is trained and able to connect them to services. 

Complementing these efforts, self-defence classes run by the TVET’s Sports, Arts, and Culture department have provided students with practical tools that build both confidence and a sense of personal agency. A solidarity walk, which drew broad student participation, has further strengthened the collective commitment to addressing GBVF. The SRC’s pledge of support, signed during its annual awards, has also made student leadership visibly accountable to the work.

Building partnerships and strengthening systems

Northlink recognises that colleges cannot carry this responsibility alone. Partnerships with organisations such as Pride Shelter, Saartjie Bartman Shelter, and Inceba have therefore been central to their work. These partnerships extend beyond referral, to include donation drives at campuses where students and staff collected non-perishable food, clothing, toiletries, and baby products for GBVF-focused NGOs. Counsellors have visited shelters to better understand how referral processes operate, enabling them to guide students with greater clarity. Saartjie Bartman Shelter has been noted as an especially important partner, since it offers integrated services that include accommodation, skills training, and legal support. Posters and visual materials from shelters have been displayed across campuses, and a feature on the College TV show in August gave additional visibility to the initiative.

Sustaining the momentum beyond 100 days

The challenge that remains is how to keep this energy alive across all 7 campuses once the 100 days come to an end. Campaigns can capture attention in the short term, but they only bring lasting change when they are supported by structures that ensure continuity. The Northlink team has therefore tried to balance high-visibility activities with longer-term systems of support. 

By combining awareness, accessible reporting channels, and collaboration with external partners, the College is working towards a student environment where GBVF is spoken about openly, where survivors are supported through each stage of the process, and where responsibility is shared across the institution.