Safe Schools Holiday Programme
3 August 2023
Learners across the province attended holiday programmes organised by Safe Schools during the winter break.
60 Learners from Swartberg Primary, Boontjieskraal Primary, Botrivier Primary, Mount Pleasant Primary and Die Bron Primary, were taken on a five-day camp at Bosheuwel, Agulhas Nature Reserve.
Safe Schools, together with School Social Workers, People Management and the Enrichment Components in the Overberg Education District, joined forces and partnered with San Parks and Cape Nature to provide an unforgettable learning experience to these learners through games, awareness sessions, motivational talks, team building activities and visits to historical sites in the area, namely Nuwejaars Wetlands, Elim Moravian Heritage Site, Bredasdorp Shipwreck Museum, De Mond Nature Reserve Estuary, L’Agulhas National Park Lighthousde Historic Caves, Struisbaai harbour.
The overall aim of the program was to empower the youth by enhancing life skills, and to provide valuable environmental education to the learners.
Various organisations and departments like Social Development, Health, SAPS and the Mossel Bay Municipality collaborated to host a holiday camp in Mossel Bay. Various activities were also offered at Groot Brak and Albertinia.
The holiday programme at Diazville Primary School and Masiphatisane Primary School, organised by officials in the West Coast Education District, focused on providing identified youth with experiential work sessions, training and capacitation. Discussions also focused on issues like substance abuse, gender-based violence, bullying, sexual grooming and abuse, gangsterism, absenteeism and truancy.
Safe Schools officials in the Cape Winelands Education District organised leadership camps for high school learners at Bainskloof Pass and Bon Amazi while primary school learners were kept busy with life skills programmes and sports.
Learners from Worcester Secondary School went on an educational excursion as part of the Girls in Motion Life Skills Programme. The three-day programme focused on leadership while keeping learners entertained at the same time.
The holiday programme at New Orleans Secondary School concentrated on mediation, substance abuse, bullying and peer pressure and gangsterism and conflict resolution.