On 5 December 2017, Alan Childs, CEO of
MES made a presentation to the CID Forum on ways in which MES can work with a managed area to address the issues that lead to homelessness.
The work that MES undertakes focuses on three core issues:
• Poverty alleviation and spiritual and community enrichment
• Education and skills development services
• Professional health and social work services
MES not only offer a wide spectrum of services that address poverty, but their programmes also assist vulnerable individuals to lead meaningful lives and empower them towards a sustainable livelihood.
One such programme is MES GROW
The MES GROW (God Restores Our World) Job Rehabilitation Project provides an alternative to aggressive begging and crime by offering clients the opportunity to participate in social development and job rehabilitation activities. Work includes cleaning services, weeding, storm water drain cleaning, graffiti removal and other services required by the immediate community. A developmental and incentive process is followed with increased responsibility for each job rehabilitation level. This programme is strongly supported by the social work and Occupational Therapy Services and provides a means of screening for clients to progress to formal training programmes. Cash in hand means that a client is given the opportunity to pay for overnight shelter, meals or cover other basic needs. The programme also provides an opportunity for the practical implementation of theoretical in-house training. GROW instils pride and uplifts these clients with hope for a better future.
Find the presentation by Alan Childs HERE.
Another example of an Improvement District working to assist homeless people is The Cape Town Central City Improvement District’s Social Development team. The Social Development team engages with the Central City’s most vulnerable on a daily basis, and concentrates much of its effort on assisting street people towards the services they need.
This is a vital component of any downtown that strives to be vibrant, resilient, tolerant and inclusive. The interaction on a daily basis that the CCID’s team provides can assist street people towards a path of reunification with their families, channel them towards appropriate rehabilitation or medical care, refer them for a job opportunity or a skills development programme, or even secure them a safe place for the night.
Read more about the CCID Social Development team
HEREThe
Show You Care brochure is an example of how the CCID assists homeless people and offers practical ways for those who want to help to do so in a sustainable way.
