GEORGE NEWS - George Municipality’s Community Development division, which functions under the umbrella of the Corporate Services Directorate, consists of different sections that assist the community by developing and implementing effective community-based projects and programmes, focusing on children and vulnerable adults. 

Through these programmes, the division strives to address the social needs of the broader community of George and surrounding areas, including Uniondale and Haarlem.

Subsections consist of:

• Gender and disability development
• Youth development
• HIV and Aids
• Community projects
• LGBTQIA help desk

Gender and disability

Purpose and objectives

• Promote equality: Ensure that gender and disability considerations are integrated into all policies, programmes and practices.
• Advocacy: Advocate for the rights and needs of women, men, and non-binary people with disabilities.
• Support and resources: Provide support and resources to individuals facing gender and disability-related challenges.

Key functions

• Policy Development: Develop and implement policies that promote gender equality and disability inclusion.
• Training and capacity building: Conduct training sessions and workshops to raise awareness and build capacity among staff and stakeholders.
• Research and data Collection: Gather data and conduct research to inform policies and practices.
• Collaboration: Work with other departments, organisations and stakeholders to promote inclusive practices.

Activities

• Awareness campaigns: Organise campaigns to raise awareness about gender and disability issues.
• Support services: Provide counselling, legal aid, and other support services to individuals in need.
• Monitoring and evaluation: Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of gender and disability initiatives.

Impact

• Inclusive environment: Create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all individuals, regardless of gender or disability.
• Empowerment: Empower individuals with disabilities and promote gender equality in all aspects of life.

Social projects

The Community Projects subsection engages in several key initiatives that aim to enhance the well-being of the community through the following programmes:

• Project Hope supports individuals living on the streets by providing essential resources and services to help them regain stability.
• Early Child Development programmes focuses on nurturing the growth and education of young children to ensure they start life with a strong foundation.
• Disaster Assistance provides crucial aid and support to communities affected by disasters.
• Nutritional centres, generally known as soup kitchens, offer meals and food supplies to those in need, addressing food insecurity and promoting health.
• Aftercare Skills Development aims to equip children with educational life skills and resources.
• Pauper Burial Investigations ensure that destitute individuals without financial means receive respectful and dignified burial arrangements for their loved ones.

Each of these programmes is designed to address specific needs and make a substantial, positive impact on the community.

LGBTQIA+:

• One-on-one sessions with clients, scheduled with social workers. Clients receive psycho-social support and get referred where necessary.
• Support groups meet month
• The helpdesk refers clients to safe spaces
• Assistance and referrals are given on human rights and treatments
• Education and awareness of rights and safe sex (sensitisation training and condom distribution)
• Community outreaches to assist members in need of advice or assistance
• Visibility in the community

Special events that the helpdesk focuses on include Pride Month in June, Human Rights Day, Freedom Day and World Aids Day.

Youth office

The Youth Offices in George, Uniondale and Haarlem play a strategic enabling role for organisations and departments that are working within the youth sector. 

The Youth Office forms the bridge between access to local government services, products and advice to civil society. Some of the services that the Youth Office provides are listed below:

• assistance with tertiary applications (universities and colleges
• Assistance with NSFAS applications
• Assistance with EPWP unemployed database: George Municipality and Garden Route District Municipality
• Assistance with Chrysalis Academy applications
• Career readiness programme – includes assistance with CVs, cover letters and job applications, including other opportunities like learnerships
• Assists unemployed youth with photocopies, ID copies, copies of matric certificates for job-seeking purposes or other opportunities
• Assistance with Sars e-filing registrations (Uniondale and Haarlem)
• Arrange workshops on youth-relevant and -related information, such as entrepreneurship, life skills and leadership training, career-pathing and more with different stakeholders, such as the National Youth Development Agency
• Does referrals of young people to different stakeholders for assistance from the government, non-governmental organisations, and other institutions
• Assistance with school assignments (research and photographs)
• Assistance to fine-tune raw ideas into project proposals.
• Motivational and career sessions are held at schools and with unemployed youth
• Parental support programmes, with stakeholders
• Aftercare, holiday, and weekend programmes
• Skills transfer workshops such as beading, sewing, decoupage and upcycled goods programmes
• Strategic support to stakeholders and role players in the youth development industry
• The youth offices offer general information outreaches in different areas
• Facilitation of public participation in youth forums
• Logistical support provided in programme/project roll-out
• Youth ambassador programme, to assist community organisations.
• SRD assistance (Uniondale/Haarlem)
• PSIRA claim profile assistance (Uniondale)
• Universal bank assistance (Uniondale)
• Referral of social issues to Department of Social Development (Uniondale/Haarlem)

HIV/AIDS

The HIV and Aids section aims toward a reduction in the prevalence of HIV and Aids in the George municipal area. The section creates Awareness and Education with:

• Door-to-door campaigns by distributing information about the disease
• Pampering sessions for affected and infected people and
• Education and training campaigns

Arranging that people receive treatment and care through the correct channels, including treatment for infected and affected patients and families, support groups and support to the affected through civil society organisations, support and care to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).

This subsection is responsible for special events in different communities throughout the year, especially on World Aids Day (1 December), Khomanani Day and International Candlelight Day.

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