Back, from left, are Advance Foundation Edukos peer educator Adrian Thomas, project coordinator and monitoring and evaluation officer for the AYP programme Ashley Spannenberg, linkage officer Matt Kula, peer educator Carmen Keffers, director Wendy Abrahams and Rocklands senior librarian Nonyaniso Tamera Kotyi. Front: applicant Amy Lee Daniels and Amandla Development peer group trainers Zarica Williams and Tamsyn February.
More than 100 young people were at the Rocklands library on Wednesday last week seeking assistance with job opportunities, studying further or returning to school.
Amy Lee Daniels, 21, from Rocklands, was among those seeking help from non-profit organisation Advance Edukos Foundation, which was recruiting youth for programmes that offer career guidance and training as well as work and mentorship opportunities.
Ms Daniels, who matriculated in 2022, said: “It is not nice being unemployed because people talk about you, saying that you are useless, lazy and you don’t want to work but this is not the case. You submit your CV, but there is no work.”
Connor Rhoda, 22, from Tafelsig, would like to be a wellness and fitness trainer.
It was easy to fall prey to people standing on the corner who “talk a good game” and made all kinds of offers, he said.
“As a young person, I rebelled, but I had to help myself. I needed to keep busy, and I would like to keep the youth busy with a run, play sport or encourage them away from the gangsters,” he said.
Advance Edukos Foundation director Wendy Abrahams said their partner organisation, Amandla Development, gave the applicants career and training advice.
“Young people often become despondent and hopeless. We hope to ignite a sense of confidence to dream and then to reach for those dreams,” Ms Abrahams said.
She said Edukos had signed up 78 young people on the day for its Adolescent and Young People (AYP) programme, which gives them access to various support services as well as social workers, mentors and career counsellors.
• A career exhibition will be held at Rocklands library from Tuesday January 23 to Thursday January 25. For more information call 021 814 1570 or email Rocklands.library@capetown.gov.za.
• The Advance Edukos Foundation will hold a community dialogue on HIV, Aids, TB prevention and gender-based violence at Rocklands library, on Friday January 26, from 11am to 2pm. For more information, call Ms Abrahams at 072 644 5775.