Social Development Month 2011

Social Development Month is celebrated during October every year. This year, the Department of Social Development will launch the event at the Provincial Golden Games on 1 October in Stellenbosch. The Department of Social Development, in collaboration with the National Development Agency (NDA), South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), provincial departments, non-governmental and community-based organisations, uses this month to highlight key programmes that aim to address South Africa's socio-economic challenges.

The focus of Social Development Month is to expedite service delivery by increasing access to services for our communities. These are some of the focus areas of this year's Social Development Month:

• Engaging communities and stakeholders in development as part of the "Taking DSD to Communities" campaign. Community participation is imperative, as this interaction is used as a tool to create ownership of projects that encourage sustainability.
• Improving access to basic services.
• Interacting with communities, particularly disadvantaged communities, and informing them of government services.
• Promoting effective inter-governmental relations and broader partnerships in respect of social development programmes.
• Promoting the human rights of older persons by hosting the Provincial Golden Games event on 1 October in Stellenbosch. The department will also commemorate International Day of Older Persons on 1 October and Grandparents' Day on 2 October.
• Promoting the human rights of homeless people by observing International Day for the Homeless on 10 October and holding an expo on the Grand Parade.
• Promoting youth development by hosting diversion programmes aimed at diverting youth from criminal activities.
• Raising awareness around substance abuse.

Activities will be hosted all across the province, spearheaded by the regional offices. Should you wish to gain more information regarding these events, call your local Regional Office (numbers listed in the table below) or call 0800 220 250.

West Coast Tel: 022 713 2272	Matzikama (Vredendal) Cedarberg (Clanwilliam) Bergriver ( Piketberg) Saldanha (Vredenburg) Swartland (Malmesbury)
Cape Winelands and Overberg Tel: 023 348 5300	Witzenberg (Ceres) Drakenstein (Paarl) Stellenbosch (Stellenbosch) Breede Valley (Worcester) Breede River Winelands (Robertson) Theewaterskloof (Caledon) Overstrand (Hermanus) Cape Agulhas (Bredasdorp) Swellendam (Swellendam)
Rural Eden/Karoo Tel: 044 801 4300	Kannaland (Ladismith/Calitzdorp) Hessequa (Riversdale) Mossel Bay (Mossel Baai) George (George) Oudtshoorn (Oudtshoorn) Bitou (Plettenbergbaai) Knysna (Knysna) Laingsburg Laingsburg) Prince Albert (Prins Albert) Beaufort West (Beaufort West)
Metro North Tel: 021 597 1025	Bellville SDA (Bellville) Delft SDA ( Delft) Elsiesriver SDA (Elsies)/Goodwood Atlantis SDA (Atlantis) Milnerton SDA (Milnerton) Cape Town SDA Cape Town) Langa SDA (Langa)
Metro East Tel: 021 900 4500	Kraaifontein SDA Eerste River SDA Somerset West SDA Khayelitsha 1 SDA Khayelitsha 2 SDA Khayelitsha 3 SDA
Metro South Tel: 021 763 6280	Athlone SDA Gugulethu SDA Philippi SDA Mitchell's Plain 1 SDA Mitchell's Plain 2 SDA Wynberg SDA Retreat SDA Fishhoek SDA