Drug Educational Council in Noupoort - Christian Life Skills Program

Is This Program For You?

In addiction and substance abuse, what starts off as either a 'controlled' rush or a moderate coping
mechanism ends up a destroyer of means and relationships, a thing that is no respecter of class,
occupation, intellect, morality, emotions and quality of will.
To all purposes, one ends up having nothing and being even less.
In such desolation, two things do remain:
A wish to change, and our inward ability to choose.
From such ruins, or even less, health, hope and restoration rise once again under the conditions created
and maintained in the ministry.
It is our mission to cultivate, cherish, strengthen and counsel this process.

As we say: "Change comes from within".
Are You Ready For Change ?

The focal objective of the council is, firstly, to provide substance abusers with education and assistance in
overcoming the predicament that they find themselves in. Secondly, the DECM undertakes to play an
informative role in assisting families, corporations and the community at large of the impending factors
surrounding drug addiction. Thirdly, the DECM has, as a necessity, identified the need to play an auxiliary
role in the reintegration of recovered addicts back into their respective communities. Based on this third
objective the following Christian Life-Skills Program has been developed.

In determining the ideal place to conduct the program, due consideration was given to the accessibility of
drugs within the community. As one can well imagine, finding a town in our country which is drug-free is
virtually impossible; the influx of drugs has entered every sector of our country, with the only variant to be
found in the consistency of supply. With this challenge at hand, it was decided to start the program in a
small railroad town called Noupoort, which is situated between Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth. The town of
Noupoort at present is renowned for a very successful drug rehabilitation centre. It must be noted,
however, that the DECM has no direct relation or involvement with the said rehabilitation centre. The DECM
has purchased 4 railroad homes to accommodate recovering and recovered addicts. The homes are
equipped with homely requirements ranging from a splash pool to DSTV.

Conclusion

The Christian Life-Skills Program has been designed to enhance a person's life and is not limited to
recovering addicts. It would also be advantageous for anybody who simply needs to get his/her life back in
order. It is imperative to note that this is not a drug rehabilitation program but a program to restore one's
self-value and ethical integrity. We seek to make a realistic contribution to the embedding and sustaining of
a normal, acceptable set of life-skills for people who have the need to learn to deal with the trials and
tribulations of life.

The Drug Educational Council Ministries is a registered facility which follows conditions set out
under section 11(2) of the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency
Act 1992 (Act No. 20 of 1992).

The Importance of Registration

The Department of Social Development's requirements are of the highest standard.
To ensure that such standards are met the facilty of your choice must be registered.

The Drug Educational Council meets the high standard that the Department requires.

They are as follows :
1) Promoting and maintaining high standards of professional ethics.
2) Providing service impartially, fairly, equitably and without bias.
3) Utilizing resources effciently and effectively.
4) Responding to peoples' needs; the citizens are encouraged to participate in policy making.
5) Rendering an accountable, transparent and development-oriented public administration.
6) Compliant to Department of Health regulations and requirements.
7) Constant inspection by the Department of Social Services to ensure standards are met.
8) To ensure a program that is researched and applied.
9) To ensure that the individual has his/her rights respected according to the Constitution of South Africa.