Safer Schools conference in Plett

GARDEN ROUTE NEWS - A Safer School conference is being held in Plettenberg Bay today, 18 March.

Student representatives from schools across the Garden Route District, together with their principals, are in attendance.

The focus areas of discussion will be to raise awareness amongst children and young learners regarding:

The impact of social media;
The impact of substance abuse;
Gender-based violence,
Gang-related issues; and
Sexual crimes and teenage pregnancies.

The event also realises the objectives of SAPS to link schools to local police stations, to raise awareness amongst children about crime and violence, as well as its impact on individuals, families and education.

The conference is being hosted by the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) in collaboration with the 7 B-municipalities in the district, as well as the Western Cape Department of Community Safety and the South African Police Services (SAPS).

Safer Schools encompasses a whole-of-society approach as well as a whole-of-government approach to address school safety promotion and violence prevention, working in partnership with numerous stakeholders.

These stakeholders include, amongst others, the Western Cape Department of Health, the Department of Community Safety, the Department of Education, the Department of Social Development and the Department of Correctional Services. Learners are participating in the conference.