The Department of Social Development and the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) sharpened the candidates skills in specific areas to empower them to apply it in their various communities.
There has been a rapid increase in the levels of alcohol and drug abuse in South Africa over the past decade, with the age of first experimentation with drugs dropping to 10 years and younger. For this reason, resolving South Africa's substance abuse problems has become both a national, as well as a Western Cape Provincial Government priority. Drug and alcohol use is highly influenced by the attitudes and perceived norms of peers.
Children are faced with many social challenges such as substance abuse, domestic violence, truancy and lack of positive recreational activities; unemployment among the youth and HIV and other related issues. Peer support commonly aims to influence individual knowledge, attitudes, beliefs or behaviours and is often applied in the context of alcohol and other drug education and other life skills.
The Peer Support Programme train members of particular societal networks, to become 'experts' on this subject. They become peer educators and will be encouraged to pass information to others, in order to generate change. EPWP made funding available for this programme.
All ward councillors were asked to provide names of persons that would like to be peer educators within the social projects; HIV/Aids and youth subsections. These people were invited to come for interviews and the successful candidates attended an induction session.
During this session the peer educators received specific information about the EPWP project, as well as the general functioning of the social development section. A short presentation with regards to job readiness as well as effective communication was done as well.
The peer educators will continually receive training to enable them to function optimally within their respective communities.
Officials from the Department of Social Development at George Municipality and individuals attending the Peer Support Programme to influence other youth positively in their communities.
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