Well, we finally did it. Since August 1999 we have been talking about voluntary membership fees for CYC-NET and at the end of March we announced the plans agreed to by the Editors and the Board of Governors. We like the ideas that —

• Ordinary Membership of CYC-NET remains free of charge — that anyone involved in child and youth care work is welcome on the web site and the discussion group. There are many who value this network but whose circumstances don't allow them to contribute financially; and

• Voluntary paid membership is available for individuals (Associate Membership) and for groups such as agencies, associations, teaching programs (Collegiate Membership), along with voluntary student donations — all on a scale of fees which allows people to choose what is most comfortable.

Fact is that in Calendar 2001 it cost R160 000 (South African Rands — which translates into about US$15 000) to keep CYC-NET happening. About two-thirds of this was a sponsorship from the Netherlands Embassy in Pretoria and one-third was contributed by Pretext Publishers in Cape Town. It will be an interesting exercise in CYC-NET’s maturity and independence to see if we can become self-supporting in this way. You are invited to visit our MEMBERSHIP area to see how this works and how you can help.

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The first week of May is only one month away. This is the time of the year when we celebrate International Child and Youth Care Workers' Day. The work we do is so important and preoccupying that we often forget to celebrate the role which our profession and the child and youth care service throughout the world plays in the lives of troubled kids and families. And in our personal quest for professional objectivity we often deny our own skills and courage (and neglect our own need for acknowledgement and support) in the tough work we do every day. Decide this week what your agency or class or team might do on one day or evening during the first week of May — and visit HERE to tell us about it.