Heinz Park GBV ambassadors ready to be positive change agents

On 17 September 2024, the Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD) launched a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Ambassador programme and Victim Empowerment Forum in Heinz Park.

This is the fourth GBV Ambassador model of its kind in the province, as part of the department’s commitment to strengthening its response to support victims of GBV.

Premier Alan Winde and Western Cape Minister of Social Development, Jaco Londt, were in Heinz Park to formally introduce the 18 individuals who have volunteered to be GBV ambassadors.

DSD trained the volunteers on GBV awareness and support services, identifying different forms of GBV, basic knowledge of child protection, basic interviewing skills, stress management, how to report GBV matters, and how to complete forms and referrals.

During the 2023/2024 financial year, 24 388 GBV victims accessed support services from DSD. GBV ambassadors play a crucial role in assisting DSD to raise awareness about the available services.

One of the volunteers, Tashreeq Perry from Heinz Park, said he became a GBV ambassador because he wanted to challenge himself to make a positive difference: “If we want to bring change, we need to first bring change within ourselves. I challenged myself to change so that I could change my community for the better, one step at a time. I challenge every man out there to do the same, equip yourself with knowledge and the necessary skills to be able to go into the world with more compassion.”

“The GBV ambassadors are ordinary citizens who have stood up and said ‘I want to make a positive difference in my community.’ They were chosen after extensive community engagements in Heinz Park and Magwaza Village and received training from DSD. These residents will continue receiving support from the department, as they will be playing an integral role in ensuring victims of abuse and domestic violence receive assistance,” said Provincial Minister Londt.

Premier Winde said, “The latest quarterly crime statistics are a stark reminder of the daily challenges too many of our residents have to endure and how unsafe they feel not only on the streets but often in their homes. Our residents are looking to us for help. We will never relent in bolstering our efforts to make our communities safer and this programme is but one intervention we have been consistently rolling out to prevent this scourge.

Of all the categories of crime that impact our residents, Gender-Based Violence and femicide worry me the most. I want to thank these brave, dedicated women and men for helping us to keep raising awareness and empower communities.”

Premier Winde was at the launch of the first GBV ambassador model in the Swartland Municipality in 2022. This programme continues to be a functional model with its 11 volunteers. These volunteers assist DSD and other partners such as the SAPS with referrals of GBV victims in need of support, as well as awareness campaigns.

The Delft GBV Ambassador programme, which was launched in 2023 with 25 volunteers, has successfully expanded to 49 trained volunteers. These ambassadors are often first responders to GBV crimes and work with DSD’s GBV helpdesk and its social workers in Delft.

Last month, DSD launched a GBV Ambassador programme in Grabouw, comprising of 13 volunteers who are members of the Grabouw Community Policing Forum (CPF), ordinary citizens, and safety parents.

For information on DSD services, please call our toll-free number 0800 220 250 or visit your nearest Department of Social Development local office. You can also visit: https://www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/social-development