Junior Town Council
The Swartland Junior Town Council (JTC) was established in March 2007. The JTC’s primary focus is the general welfare and social conditions of the youth in the Swartland area. In each term of office, certain projects are launched to improve the general wellbeing of the youth. Mad about Me!, a campaign against teenage abuse, was successfully run in October 2008 and again in October 2009. On 29 and 30 September 2010 a Youth Symposium with the theme “B a gr8 U” took place in Malmesbury. Entrepreneurial skills, teenage pregnancies and healthy eating habits were covered. On 5 and 6 October 2011 the second Youth Symposium with the theme “B a Fantastic U” took place in Malmesbury. Entrepreneurial skills, cool sexuality, drug abuse and self defence were covered. They also did a dance and cooking competition. Elsabé Aldrich was the guest speaker. Between 60 and 70 youths from the Swartland attended the symposium. The facilitator’s report can be viewed here
A successful project “Wheels of Caring” took place in May when learners collected non perishable items at their schools and in the community. Soup was prepared and handed out by the Junior Council members on 29 June 2011 during the school holiday programme at Schoonspruit Secondary School. The Post Box project was introduced at Naphakade School where learners who were experiencing problems could drop letters in the box. The school related problems were referred back to the school and others were referred to the social worker. It was decided that awareness programmes will be introduced at the schools with regard to the problems identified. This project was also rolled out to Schoonspruit School. The JTC consists of two grade 10 and two grade 11 learners from each of the secondary schools in the Swartland. Elections are held at the schools in February each year to appoint new grade 10 learners to the council. The council is currently headed by Nelmaré Louwrens (Junior Mayor) and Leighton Jansen (Junior Deputy Mayor) from Dirkie Uys High School (Moorreesburg) and Schoonspruit Secondary School (Malmesbury) respectively.
For details about their 2011 "Bosberaad" and the above-mentioned projects, view report
