Heads together: Dr Roland Graser of the social development department with his master's student Ashley Shearar, recipient of a prestigious Skye Foundation Scholarship.

Master's student Ashley Shearar is an exceptional student. With a CV whose length and depth defies her youth, and an academic record scored with distinctions, she is made to measure in terms of the Skye Foundation's generous scholarships. (The foundation makes around ten such awards of about R40 000 each year.) Second, her supervisor, Dr Roland Graser (social development), believes that her research has the potential to make a significant contribution to the currently transforming field of youth justice and probation practice in South Africa.

"From the beginning of the honour's course, Shearar proved to be an exceptional student, performing well in both the theoretical and practical parts of her studies. Her marks for her assignment, the research project and her report on the practicals, were all well over 80%," noted Graser.

For the latter, Shearar went far beyond what was expected. "Her analyses of institutions (the youth section at Polsmoor Prison as well as Horizon Youth Centre), the SAPS' Helping Service, NICRO's programmes for Youth at Risk and the national Department of Social Development's role in the field reflected insight, critical thinking and sensitivity," Graser added.