Geluksdal – The Ubuntu Community Empowerment Centre was established in October 2012, and as part of its 12th anniversary, it organised a career expo at the Geluksdal Stadium on October 11.
Centre manager Patrick Mabilane said the purpose was to build a good foundation for the youth and community members by exposing them to various stakeholders who could provide them with different opportunities.
“This event will empower school children as well. It will make things easier for them, knowing where to go for skills and job opportunities once they have finished matric.
“We are using this career expo as an exhibition that gives children and the community many opportunities while providing knowledge,” he said.
He added that they invited grade 10 and 11 learners to form part of the programme. He said because the matric learners were preparing for their final exam, they could not form part of the career expo.
“At least current matric learners had an opportunity to partake in last year’s career expo because this is an annual. Each stakeholder at the event contributed differently to bettering individuals’ lives,” he added.
He said their centre currently offers these technical courses for free to the community:
• Boiler making;
• Welding;
• Carpentry;
• Plastering and painting;
• IT;
• Electricity and energy renewal.
“I encourage the youth to pursue these free courses because the skills offered are in demand in our location. The courses last about three to six months but continue quarterly,” Mabilane said.
Deon Mabotha from the Department of Social Development (DSD) said it was important for the DSD to form part of the expo because they are liable for youth development.
He said the DSD came to the expo to offer several services to the community, such as government services.
“We have the labour department onsite to ensure young people are exposed to employment and included in the economic market, which will equip them to fight poverty. This will enable them to stand on their own and become independent.
“We have skills development NPOs onsite continuously ensuring young people with no access to formal education are trained and given skills that enable them to participate in the mainstream economy,” he said.
He mentioned that these skills include vocational and artisanal skills provided by NPOs funded by sustainable avenues.
“The DSD does development and research. To do this, we come into a specific area like this one (Geluksdal) and profile the households, the community and young people who receive the SRD grant so we can alleviate them from the poverty and inequalities they face.
“Our main goal is to be the chief stakeholder because we provide services that affect all the departments of government and private businesses,” said Mabotha.
He said research had proven that Geluksdal is primarily affected by unemployment, poverty and substance abuse, citing that the DSD aims to break that cycle.
Various stakeholders presented their services and their functions to the community members. Health professionals from the Geluksdal Clinic offered high blood pressure checks, HIV testing and professional health advice.
Health worker Sarah Maluleke explained how the High Transmission Area (HTA) operates while disclosing that they bring health services to the community as many people hardly visit health facilities.
“We visit hotspot areas like taverns, clubs and other places where people gather. We supply them with condoms, demonstrate how to use them and give them lubricants.
“We also accommodate the LGBTQI community. We also approach sex workers, whom we refer to as our ‘clients’. We educate them about safe sex and refer them to the right departments for further intervention and assistance,” explained Maluleke.
She said they also educate truck drivers about the importance of safe sex and give them condoms.
“We give them health talks, health advice, emphasise the importance of testing for HIV, the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis, and refer those who tested positive to the right departments that will help them deal with what they are facing,” she elaborated.
She added that they support Grade Seven learners to prepare them for high school by teaching them about health matters.
Nadia Stoep from the Bereshith Centre explained that the centre helps substance abusers overcome addiction.
She said they are anti-drug activists who bring awareness to communities and schools. She pointed out that they offer a safe home with supervision and structure to help individuals during the critical first three to six months of early recovery.
“Our philosophy is based on a tried and tested social model of recovery principals of peer support and involvement, maintained living spaces and mutual-help group strategies. This emphasises recovery as an interaction between an individual and their environment,” Stoep said.
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She added that they have programmes that focus on healing the person from within by providing access to various types of counselling, therapy and personal and skills development.
She said this prepares individuals to live a healthy life beyond addiction. The event saw performances by community dance groups and individuals, creatives and stakeholders. Resident Kgaugelo Mokoena said the youth appreciate such events in the township because they bring much change.
“These events expose us to opportunities at our convenience. I am unhappy with how these events handle placement processes once we have submitted our CVs at the event. We never get feedback on our applications and don’t know where to follow up,” Mokoena said.
Resident Thami Mthiya (22) said he wants expos that embrace the arts and sports because many young people are gifted in the arts and sports but not so much in books and learning.
“As individuals, we have different strengths, which must be embraced in their unique form. Most of our schools in the township have no sporting facilities. Athletes and artists are not as encouraged as those offered skills and learning opportunities. I wish for organisations and NPOs that would shine a light on sports and art,” cited Mthiya.
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