Cape Town: The Community, Arts & Culture Development Department guided 133 families through its eight-week Strengthening Families Programme that was held in the last five months. 51 families celebrated their graduation from the programme, last week.
Reportedly, the most recent batch of graduates are from Blackheath, Masibambane, Athlone, Lansdowne, Mitchells Plain, Kraaifontein and Atlantis.
The Strengthening Families Programme is recognised internationally and aims that both parents and children should recognise the value of familial relationships and thereby improved the home environment.
In total, 10 sessions were conducted over a period of eight weeks that focus on family relationships as well as deal with stress and help children to unlock their potential by setting goals and dreams in to order to make good life choices.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services and Health – Councillor Patricia Van der Ross said that the pressure on families is immense as the programme aims to strengthen the relationships in the home and its impact resonates into the future.
According to Ross, Children who come from strong families are less likely to fall into addiction or illegal activities. The benefits stack up to include the enhanced emotional health of the family. It has also improved their self-confidence and academic performance with the resolution of conflict.
Notably, Strengthening Families Programme is a part of City of Cape Town’s basket services that is directed at addressing substance abuse. Last week, 51 families from Imizamo Yethu, Tafelsig and Ocean View celebrated the completion of the programme.
The Ocean View session welcomed few mothers who have already completed the programme a decade ago. They returned for a refresher course with their younger child as they have found value in the time spent and the difference it made to the child and their relationship.
Councillor Patricia Van der Ross highlighted that it was a life changing moment for the parents and children, when they attended the event together. She mentioned that the family meetings are instituted especially for those in the household who are trying to improve communication positively.
Ross, MMC for Community Services and Health emphasised that many parents who were present at the event mentioned that their new calm approach and other tools were beneficial in dealing with all the children in the house.
Although, older siblings who were not a part of the programme, also benefitted from the new parental approach by Strengthening Families Programme.