Several high schools in Mitchell’s Plain are part of the United Nations Youth Association (UNYA) and youth clubs and mentorship programmes have been launched at Portland High School, as well as at Summerdale and Aloe high schools, both in Lentegeur, on Friday September 30.
Henry Jacobs, president of the United Nations Youth Association, forming part of the United Nations Association of South Africa, told the Plainsman on Friday that they are excited to be launching this initiative.
He toured the country with this programme. They tried to launch the clubs in 2019 said Mr Jacobs: “Schools were quite busy, then Covid-19 hit and it became challenging. Once schools were back to normal, we could connect with schools and get the programme up and running (again),” said Mr Jacobs.
Mr Jacobs has been involved with the UN Youth since 2010 in New York. He has served in the SA Navy as chef, SA Army as rifleman and SAPS as a community policing officer and received many awards for his efforts in youth and community empowerment before immigrating to America in 2002.
He also served in the Australian Federal Police for a few months then moved to New Zealand where he served as a corrections officer for three years. “I returned to South Africa in October 2017 due to family ill-health and also to help the youth of South Africa,” he said.
Sharné Adams, a teacher at Portland High School, said the club was activated on Friday.
The school will create sustainable programmes as well as developmental leadership programmes for their pupils. They will mirror what they do at international level and discuss solutions.
“We are excited to be a part of it. We always try to put our pupils at the forefront of every opportunity – this is a great opportunity for them to become global citizens,” Ms Adams said.
Portland High School Grade 10 pupil, Asange Poni, said it brings them joy to be a member of the UNYA. “There are many opportunities that await us and how great it’ll be to change the community of Portland.”
Grade 10 pupil, Zeke Lombard, said he will be able to help a lot of people at their school and in their community. “I am looking forward to meeting new people and coming out as a leader.”
lsmail Jardine, who is in Grade 8, said the UNYA can open doors for them, intentionally giving them a wider scope of things to choose from in future.
Principal Ridwaan Williams said it’s important to broaden the horizon of pupils. “We are global citizens, the cellphone has taken them to places already and we want them to connect to the world’s issues and help find solutions.
“It’s about what you can do in Mitchell’s Plain to assist the whole world to survive, especially when it comes to environmental issues,” he said.
“The club concept was started in 2015 – the idea is to introduce schoolchildren on a grassroots level. How are we going to get youth interested if we don’t expose them to the opportunity. This programme will benefit them,” said Mr Jacobs.
Summerdale High School Grade 8 pupil, Luigi Carsten, said he is excited to learn new things and to help improve this country, while fellow Grade 8 pupil, Muminah Adams, said she was nervous but looking forward to the experience and to help improve society.
Teacher Althea Baartman said joining the UNYA is a first for the school and it can help pupils become global citizens. “We’ve worked in isolation for a while but this will expose us to other schools, pupils and broader spaces when they leave here and not have it be as though they were raised under a rock – they will be exposed. Some of them are struggling with social ills in the community and this will help them from that distraction,” she said.
Principal Rakim Rooi said this is a good initiative. “The realities our pupils face are at times a negative one. The UNYA gives them an opportunity to learn on a global level.
“This is an awesome platform for young people to engage with other youth in collaboration with our youth and world today. It will empower them with coping mechanisms to contribute to the community, to involve them to realise they can add value to break away from the norm,” said Mr Rooi.
Aloe High School deputy principal, Jonathan Emtoch, will act as a liaison between Aloe High and the UNYA.
“As a school we are passionate about creating opportunities for our pupils. We’re excited about working with the UNYA as we hope that the UN Youth Club can be a platform for our pupils to discuss and highlight, not just school-related issues, but also global issues. Our pupils will develop skills such as public speaking, debating, presentation skills, leadership skills, to name a few,” he said.
For more information about the UNYA, email unya@unasa.org.za or unleadershipacademysa@gmail.com or call Mr Jacobs on 076 374 8119.
