A social development strategy has been integrated into the design and implementation of the Inner-City Housing Project (ICHP). The programme encourages sustainable community development, which means that residents from areas targeted for development will ultimately be responsible for managing the process of change in their communities. The Social Development Manager and Project officers have responsibility for all community development activities and related programmes.
From Squatter to Home Owner
We recognise the importance of improving the social and personal skills of prospective beneficiaries and other citizens in the areas targeted for improvement.
Some people will need to make the transition from 'free living' or squatting to home ownership, which will require the payment of mortgage. To facilitate this transition, beneficiaries are required to register with us and develop a pattern of savings as a precondition for home ownership. Encouraging inner-city residents to pay a mortgage is part of an overall strategy for ensuring that the ICHP is socio-economically sustainable.
Social Competence
The cultivation of a commitment to peaceful co-existence with neighbours, and a sense of pride in one’s physical environment as demonstrated by attractive and tidy dwellings are measures of social competence are indicators that mark the increased success of the project.
Training and the ICHP
The aim of the ICHP skills training programme is to help residents of the targeted communities improve their employability and/or entrepreneurship. This is to be achieved by providing access to vocational skills training as well as training in other relevant personal and social skills.
The programmes selected are guided by market forces and prospective job opportunities, as well as stated preferences by the residents. For each training programme, job placement is an integral part of the initial negotiations with the providers and other relevant agencies and important linkages have been forged with members of the private sector in order to strengthen job placement efforts.
Identity & Self Esteem
The Social Development Programme also includes a focus on enhancing social and personal well-being in recognition of the need to address problematic identity and self-esteem issues plaguing people living below the poverty line and so areas such as drama-in-education, conflict resolution, leadership training, grooming, sports and cultural development will be areas of focus.