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5 Mar 2012

Youth development is generally defined as “A positive process which prepares and facilitates the smooth transition from childhood to adulthood through a coordinated, progressive series of activities and experiences which help young people to become socially, morally, emotionally, physically and cognitively competent.

Positive youth development addresses the broader developmental needs of youth, in contrast to deficit - based models, which focus solely on youth problems.”

Therefore against this definition the department engaged in the establishment of Youth Service Centres, as a one-stop service centre for youth. This centres offers a range of services and programmes, ranging from computer services, social cohesion programmes to training and capacity building workshops.

Like most townships, Louisvale has a high youth population and unemployment is very high amongst young people. The township is plagued with a variety of social ills ranging from substance abuse to teenage pregnancy and violence against women and children. In fact this small town became known as the place where the youngest child was raped, namely baby Tshepang. Young people continue to constitute the majority of victims of crime and perpetrators of crimes in the Louisvale area.

On the 6 March 2012 MEC Alvin Botes will be officially opening the Henry Goeieman Youth Service Centre to the community of Louisvale in Upington. The main aim of the Henry Goeieman Youth Service Centre in the Louisvale Community is to assist with the:

• Reduction of substance abuse
• Access to Social Development Services
• Tackling of social crime
• Promotion National Youth Service Programme
• Community development through mobilisation, advocacy and social facilitation
• Strengthening of service delivery by government
• Promotion of access to information and programmes aimed at young people
• Job preparedness programmes
• Support Business Services for upcoming youth entrepreneurs
• HIV/Aids programmes
• Inter-Generational Programmes.
  

The department funded the Service Centre with an amount of R 120 000 to establish the centre and to implement programmes which will achieve the above-mentioned aims.

The media is hereby cordially invited to the official opening of the Henry Goeieman Youth Service Centre. The details of the launch is as forth:

Venue: Henry Goeieman Youth Service Centre, Khara Hais Municipal Office, Louisvale Upington
Date: 6 March 2012
Time: 15h00

For any further enquiries you can contact:
Conrad Fortune
Cell: 079 873 0679

Issued by: Northern Cape Social Development
5 Mar 2012

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