The programme was presented in collaboration with local youth from The Hope Revolution Vision (THRV), who have recovered from addiction, as well as a community group partnering with the CNRS/REHABS Dune Project.
The workshop was guided by a non-credit bearing short learning programme registered at Mandela University “Carefronting: A Community-Based Substance Abuse Prevention Approach,” which aims to support local communities in responding to substance abuse with empathy, practical tools, and collective insight.
Over the two days, residents, young people, and faith leaders came together to reflect on the unique challenges facing their community, including youth vulnerability, unemployment, and a lack of recreational opportunities.
With storytelling, role plays, and open dialogue, participants explored early warning signs, co-dependency patterns, and alternatives to punitive responses.
The youth from THRV, who were co-facilitators in the training, shared critical knowledge of enabling patterns and social influence strategies that contributes to drug use, as well as strategies that can fast track someone’s readiness for personal transformation.
The Smutsville session carried a grounded, intimate tone, rooted in shared stories, laughter, pain, and possibility. It was not just a workshop; it was a reminder of community strength.
Participants received a practical implementation framework to guide next steps in schools, homes, and community spaces.
As one participant shared: “This is not the end of the conversation - it’s the beginning of a new way of walking together.”
This initiative reflects George Campus’s commitment to meaningful engagement, where learning meets lived experience, and hope takes root in the everyday.