Generations taking hands in a quest to fight poverty. This is the purpose of the Inter-Generational Project, Sunshine Catering, which will be launched as follows:
Date: Wednesday, 27 March 2012
Time: 10h00
Venue: Regina hall, Calvinia
The National Department of Social Development, under the leadership of the then Deputy Minister for Social Development, Ms. Jean Benjamin Swanson, selected the Sonskyn Service Centre, in Calvinia, already in 2008, to pilot the implementation of the departmental inter-generational programmes, as part of the implementation of the Older Persons Act no 13 of 2006.
Inter-generational programs are defined as activities that bring together individuals of different ages as partners to explore, study, and work towards a shared goal, which foster cooperation and promote interaction among generations including children, youth and older persons. These programs can be youth serving older persons, older persons serving youth, or youth and older adults serving together.
At that stage research was conducted by the youth of Calvinia West, after they had been trained by the National office, to determine the needs of older persons in the area. The findings highlighted the need for inter-generational programmes, as well as economic empowerment programmes.
Ten beneficiaries, consisting of five older persons and youth each were identified and trained to implement a catering business, Sunshine Catering. In a partnership the Northern Cape Department of Social Development allocated funding for the purchase of the equipment; the Municipality made the building available, while the Non-governmental organisation (NGO), Age-in-Action, paid for the renovations of the building.
Sunshine Catering is now ready to start operating as a fully-fledged catering business. As a next step they will register on the service provider databases of the different Government Departments to access catering opportunities, as well as functions within the community.
The Benefits of Inter-Generational programs for the community are:
- Inspires Collaboration: as it can unite community members to take action on public policy issues that address human needs across the generations.
- Expands Services: Intergenerational community service programs can expand the level of services to meet more needs and address more issues.
- Maximises Financial Resources: When groups represent young and old, funders are more likely to respond positively because they can see broad-based community support. Intergenerational programs can save money and stretch scarce resources by sharing sites and/or resources.
The Youth will benefit in the following ways:
- Enhances Social Skills: Interaction with older persons enhances communication skills, promotes self-esteem, develops problem-solving abilities, and fosters friendships across generations. Positive attitudes are developed regarding sense of purpose and community service.
- Increases Stability: Youth gain positive role models with whom they can interact on a regular basis. Older persons as volunteers help to provide youth with consistency through mentoring and coaching.
Benefits for Older Persons are:
- Enhances Socialisation: Older persons remain productive, useful, and contributing members of society. They increase interaction with youth and engage more with one another to prevent isolation in later years.
- Stimulates Learning: Older persons learn new innovations and technologies from their younger counterparts.
Together the older persons and youth of Calvinia will make poverty a thing of the past!
For more information please contact:
Meisie Lekhobo
Cell: 082 856 1760
Elsabé Wylie
Cell: 082 925 9394
