The Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, is hosting a school holiday programme, with a focus on safety, for grades 5, 6 and 7 learners. The programme began on Monday 26 October and is ongoing until Friday 30 October. It is taking place at four primary schools in Mitchells Plain including Rocklands Primary, West End Primary, Cascade Primary and Eastville Primary. Please see photos attached.
Participants in the programme are taking part in sports activities while simultaneously participating in workshops on crime awareness and prevention, violence against women and children, substance abuse and safety promotion. The Department’s Safety Ambassadors are playing a vital role in this programme as they are facilitating it and are simultaneously being assisted by the DOCS hotspot staff.
Minister Fritz said, “We are targeting 60 learners per school, per area and will benefit 240 learners in Lentergeur, Rocklands, Tafelsig and Eastridge. The objective is to offer learners a structured violence prevention and safety promotion programme during the school holiday. This forms part of the School Safety Ambassador programme and will be facilitated by the Safety Ambassadors and Community Liaison Officers situated with our DOCS hotspots.”
Minister Fritz added, “The holiday programme has further received support from Chrysalis Academy, through their youth hub ambassadors, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sports who are providing access to coaches and sports equipment, and the JP21 Foundation who are providing a cricket clinic and equipment.”
Minister Fritz continued, “Learners who show great potential during this week will be selected to join an outdoor adventure leadership camp to be hosted in December 2020 by the Department and Chrysalis Academy as part of the violence prevention initiatives of the Western Cape Safety Plan.”
The School Safety Ambassador Programme seeks to reduce violence and anti-social behaviours among school learners. The School Safety Ambassadors form part of the Extended Public Works Programme and beneficiaries are placed at primary schools.
During the programme, the Safety Ambassadors are responsible for:
- facilitating safety awareness and life skills to promote positive social norms and behaviours;
- safeguarding school premises through patrolling and the supervision of key learning and play areas; and
- providing administrative and project support to schools.
Minister Fritz said, “Our safety ambassadors are having a tangible impact on the lives of young people in vulnerable communities. I am very pleased by the Premier’s announcement that the Department will further be appointing an additional 1000 safety ambassadors.”
