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Declaration of young delegates who attended the OVC pre-conference workshop on 30th June – 2nd July 2006 at Achterbergh Camp site, Krugersdorp
Department of Social Development
SARPN acknowledges the South African Department of Social Development as the source of this document.
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As a result of the deliberations during the workshop, the following issues were a highlight of concerns raised, and against this background an agreement was reached, whereby delegates committed to the following:
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To raise community and family awareness regarding issues affecting OVC
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To advocate for access to bursaries thereby enhancing career opportunities
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To set good examples to other children
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To promote sports and arts to be used as a tool to communicate with the youth
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To promote youth talent
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To motivate other orphans to improve their circumstances
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To introduce youth clubs
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To get tested for HIV/AIDS and ensure a healthy lifestyle
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To seek relevant information on issues affecting the youth
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To work hand in hand with police to maximise service delivery, i.e. child protection and prevention of crime
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To encourage entrepreneurship as a means to job creation
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To hold community dialogues to solicit children’s views
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To establish support groups for orphans within their communities
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To promote self awareness in order to minimize peer pressure
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To associate ourselves with people who have good influence
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To mobilize communities to support OVC
This is our call to government and other service providers:
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To ensure that care-givers educate and motivate families affected by HIV/AIDS during their visits
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To educate people and raise awareness to the fact that ARVs are a treatment and not a cure
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To make information available in twelve official languages
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To provide skills development programs for out-of-school youth
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To educate teachers on issues of confidentiality especially regarding issues affecting OVC
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To establish youth forums to advocate for young people’s needs
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To make information available regarding services accessible to communities, e.g. Umsobomvu Youth Fund
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The child care workers must monitor the administering of grants for children under 18 years of age - age restriction for grant applications must be lowered to 16 years
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Government must treat the process of grant applications for OVC as a priority
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Government must provide necessary support to community development projects
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Government in partnership with relevant service providers must offer skills development programs for youth in conflict with the law
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Job placements for youth with necessary skills/qualifications must be a priority for both the government and business sector
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Government to impose stricter measures regarding bail applications
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Government must provide houses and renovate old structures for OVC
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Government must provide adequate training for care givers and sufficient remuneration
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Government must introduce measures to protect estates for orphans
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Government must provide free services such as rent, electricity, water, etc. to poor families
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Children’s homes must extend age restriction for admission of children from 18 to 20 years of age
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Government must educate and raise awareness around issues of criminal acts such as child trafficking
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Social workers must pay unexpected visits to OVC foster homes
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Civil servants, organizations and individuals working in the children’s sector must adopt the ‘Batho Pele’ approach to service delivery
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Parents, teachers and child minders must be trained on first aid
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The government must make information on foster care grants accessible and educate communities on what processes and procedures need to be followed to access them
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Government must review age restrictions for children heading households to qualify for RDP houses from age 16
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Government must have clear communication strategy to school principals regarding school fees exemption for OVC
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Government must scrap the birth certificate application fee to enable poor families to apply for birth certificates without unnecessary delays
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In cases whereby parents of a child were never married, government officials should not make the fathers ID a conditional requirement if his whereabouts are not known.
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