Durban - One year after the Wentworth Youth Development Centre officially opened its doors, the first class this week celebrated its graduation.
Speaking at the ceremony, MEC for Social Development Nonhlanhla Khoza lauded the government programme, saying it was making a dent in unemployment.
The area of Wentworth battles a variety of social ills, including substance abuse, lack of access to higher education, lack of employment opportunities, teenage pregnancies, school drop-outs, drug abuse and HIV and Aids. Young people who are participants in the programme are drawn from poor households, some are part of the department’s rehabilitation programmes, while some are in conflict with the law.
Courses offered, in collaboration with TVET colleges, include cheffing, electrical phase 1, garment making and computer literacy.
Through this programme, the department contributes towards increasing the number of skilled youth to be able to sustain themselves regardless of their past.
“All in all, we are saying thank you to management and leadership of this institution and their partners for ensuring that they are able to roll out the highly intense skills development programme,” Khoza stated.
“We are delighted that this institution also provided our children with basic computer skills. Among these graduates, some are business owners, while others will use their qualifications to search for employment in their specialised trades. We have invested in the training of a number of young people, some of whom were involved in drugs, some were in conflict with the law and some are from historically disadvantaged backgrounds,” she added.
Khoza said there was no doubt that more youngsters would be able to get life-changing opportunities.
“I really appreciate what has been accomplished here considering the fact that most of you had not been to class for a number of years and encountered a number of life-challenging situations,” Khoza said.
The centre is one of three that form part of the department’s aggressive programme, launched in 2012, to skill young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The other two centres are located in Eshowe (Vuma) and Umkhanyakude (Esicabazini). Khoza said the department plans to roll out the programme throughout the province.
IOL
Related Topics: