7 000 to benefit from youth service
Thapelo Sakoana
2 June 2004
The National Youth Commission has announced plans to help create employment and develop skills to benefit thousands of unemployed youth in the country.
Launching the Youth Month in Rustenburg on Tuesday, the commission said it would help government register 7 000 youths for the National Youth Service programme. The registration, which commences on Wednesday, will be carried out until Tuesday under the theme: "Youth Celebrating a Decade of Freedom and Seizing Opportunities of Democracy."
The government would also compile a register of unemployed graduates to link them up with relevant institutions as well as help them start their own businesses and get jobs.
NYC chairperson Jabu Mbalula said the mobilisation of the youth will start at the local level to allow young people to speak on how they benefited from the opportunities created by the democratic government and to suggest solutions for the second decade of freedom.
"Youths who
have succeeded in seizing the opportunities and who are now role models will be mobilised to serve as a source of inspiration to the rest of our youth at the community level," he said.
Mbalula said another national activity, "Youth Train" will start on 8 June until 11 June and will be launched in Cape Town.
"Four trains will travel across all nine provinces until they reach the Mankwe military base in North West where a youth festival will be held between 12 and 17 June," said Mbalula.
In the trains, he said, the youths will discuss issues of development with specific reference to Cabinet's approval of the National Youth Service Programme.
Mbalula said government and various youth institutions will deliver youth development messages at the Olympia Stadium in Rustenburg on 16 June, on National Youth Day.
On 17 June, about 1 500 participants, in a youth festival, will discuss government's Youth Day message at the Mankwe military base.
The NYC
developments made over the past ten years in terms of the youth include the adoption of government's National Youth Development Policy Framework and the implementation of the Presidential Job Summit Resolution to set up the Umsobomvu Youth Fund.
The government-backed fund was established in January 2001, with a mandate to create a platform for job creation, skills development and transfer for South African youth.
"This also included the registration of 64 000 youths for learnerships with a target of 75 000 in 2004.
Source: BuaNews
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