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A voice for unemployed youth
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Young People Speak!
Issue 8: December 2014
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Note from the Project Director:



Read more about the Project Director on his website.
Click here
Welcome to issue nr 8 of our newsletter packed with lots of stories of our rapid growth. In this issue we report on our recent relocation to bigger premises, our various projects amongst unemployed youth and our plans for early next year.

Have a look at our special free life skills workshops for unemployed youth and how to book now already. Also read about our recent success stories and how our programmes assisted unemployed youth to be placed in employment.

Our end of the year graduation will be coming up on 13 December 2014 and it promises to be an exciting event!

Happy reading and please send us your feedback!
We have relocated!

Due to the growth of our projects we have relocated to the Centre for Counselling and Social Development (CSD) in Bishop Lavis on the corner of Lavis Drive and Helderberg Road. We are renting 3 offices including a computer room. There is also ample space for our life skills workshops and a big kitchen. Ronelda Louw, director at the CSD welcomed us with open arms. The two organisations will collaborate closely together with many youth attending our programmes who can now be referred for free counselling services if the need arises. YP@W has already offered bursaries to CSD staff for free computer training as part of our Community Investment Programme. 
Department of Labour partner with YP@W
How do unemployed youth access government and public employment? This was the theme at a recent one day workshop facilitated by the Department of Labour (DOL) and organised by YP@W. Freda Camphor, assistant director at the DOL and her team facilitated the workshop attended by 123 unemployed youth and adults. Frank Julie, YP@W projects director, welcomed the participants and provided an overview of the work of YP@W and how the unemployed can benefit. Participants were introduced to the services of DOL and how they can benefit. Particular emphasis was placed on how to apply for government jobs and the effective filling in of the Z83 form. 
Life skills course and computer classes come to an end

Our 3rd and final life skills and computer course came to an end in November 2014. This has been a busy year for all our trainers as our classes and workshops become more and more popular. Special computer training was provided to staff members from the CSD Centre and the Young Urban Women as part of our Community Investment Programme (CIP). The latter group was referred to us by the Wellness Foundation based in Observatory. They will be attending our end of the year graduation where they will perform some singing. Doreen Cussendala was the computer facilitator, assisted by Nasieba Adams.
Success stories

After many disappointments and frustrations with finding a job she joined YoungPeople@Work as a volunteer in August 2012. Determined to take charge of her life she attended all our workshops, was trained as a trainer and offered free online job search training at Adriaanse library. Today she is a manager at Dreamworker, running their office in Mowbray! Victoria Petersen is the BEST!!
"Good day Frank

I hope all is well.
I just want to thank you, Frank as well as your whole team from the bottom of my heart. I wanted to start my own NGO, however, through motivation and advice from you at the workshops I rather joined hands with existing organizations. So I am proud to say that today I got the news that I am officially employed at the Sports and Recreational Centre here in Belhar as team leader. Even though it is on a contractual basis I am grateful for the opportunity.

And I thank you for all you do. So grateful for it. Thank you.”

Sheri-Lee Dreyer



Victoria Petersen
Lorne Isaacs wrote:

"Hi all what a wonderful day this was, my first day at my new job and I wouldn't have been given this opportunity if it wasn't for Youngpeople@Work. It all started with a Personal Development Workshop where I discovered the true me and who I wanted to be then I developed my knowledge with all the workshops and computer classes that were available for free and I got a bursary to study @ Rlabs and received a UCT certificate and with my portfolio of evidence I applied and qualified for position and today I started my first day as a data capturer for the Foschini Group in the exports division. Thank you YPW you have taught me that not even the sky is the limit we can dream and achieve beyond that Thank you!!!!!




Lorne Isaacs
Profile of Lizelle Kock – computer facilitator

“My name is Lizelle Kock and I live in Ruyterwacht near Goodwood. For many years I worked in the manufacturing industry. I joined YoungPeople@Work last year as a volunteer after doing my free online job search training at Adriaanse library in Elsies River. Since then, I did not look back!

I attended all the life skills workshops offered by YP@W as well as a full basic computer course. Subsequently I attended the advanced computer classes and started shadowing Shirley De Jongh, our operations manager. I traveled to Arniston where I participated in the Youth Empowerment Week, training unemployed youth in that community. I am currently facilitating free online job search training at Adriaanse library and completed my train the trainer course in July 2014.

The thing that I really love about my work is the opportunity I get to serve and contribute into people's lives. I'm fully involved in communities in a much broader spectrum than I ever imagined! Thank you YP@W!!”
Youth Empowerment Week – 29-30-31 January 2015

We will kick off our programme for 2015 with this event, focusing on professional job seeking skills, basic office and bookkeeping skills. The computer course will commence in the first week of February. Other life skills workshops will then follow on every Friday from 6 February 2015. The workshops will include personal development and leadership, professional networking, effective money management, customer relations and project / event management.

For more information and to make a booking, contact Josephine Silbourne at 073 820 1534 or email youngpeople.za@gmail.com. 
New computers for our training centre!

We have recently acquired and installed new computers at our computer training academy with funds obtained from Grandwest Corporate Social Investment. Our chairperson, Marileze Johannes was in the forefront to help the volunteers set up the new systems.

We expect fewer hardware and software challenges from now on. A big thanks to Grandwest CSI for this donation and hands up!
Spreading the word of youth empowerment 

As part of our continuous attempts to create awareness amongst unemployed youth about our empowerment programmes, we recently started to paint various murals at strategic places in our operational area and organised pamphleteering campaigns. We contracted Roger from Valhalla Park, an artist, to complete the murals. He offered us a discount. The murals and pamphlets are having a positive effect as more and more unemployed youth are now enquiring about our programmes. 
Nan Van der Storm supports YP@W computer facilitators

Our Dutch funding partner, SPZA, seconded Nan Van der Storm in September 2014 to assist our computer facilitators with training and improving our computer manuals.

The computer facilitators were all very impressed with her approach and willingness to support! Thank you Nan!!
Donations of clothes from St. Mary’s Home and Rainbow House 

A big thank you to St. Mary's Home of HOPE and Rainbow House for their generous donations of clothes sponsored to YP@W. We are in the process of establishing a permanent clothing bank to sell the clothes as part of our income generating strategy.
Train the trainers 
With the demands for our computer classes growing, we decided to prepare more computer facilitators. A train the trainer programme was hosted to prepare new ones. Lizelle Kock, Josephine Silbourne, Nasieba Adams and Doreen Cussendala were trained. Existing trainers were also retrained.

Estelle Hendricks provided extra training in Ms Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Lizelle Kock will be training full classes next year as part of a plan to relieve Shirley De Jongh to focus more on finance and job placements.
Head and foot massage for our volunteers

Our volunteers were spoiled with head and foot massages by the Wellness Foundation based in Observatory as a special treat for Women’s Month. Here Josephine and Lizelle take their turn to be spoiled. The day ended with a special lunch for the team at Blouberg Strand. 
End of the year graduation

This event will be held on 13 December 2014 at our training centre in Bishop Lavis. We expect 100 guests to attend, consisting of our computer students, volunteers, guests and strategic partners. Two stand-up comedians will be part of the programme including songs by the Young Urban Women group. Catering will be managed by Shirley De Jongh and her team of volunteers. To RSVP, please contact our office manager, Josephine Silbourne.
These 3 supporters made generous donations towards our upcoming graduation!
They covered 70% of our budget!! Thank you for your support!!
They are all second time donors!!
  Janine Julies-Nale – JHB (R1040)          Leonie Begbie-Cloete - Dubai  (R1500)     Luby Lui – Saudi Arabia (R2000) 
Thank you Grandwest CSI, SPZA (The Netherlands) and HCI Foundation for your financial support to cover some programme and operational costs!
Please support our work among unemployed youth!
YoungPeople@Work is managed entirely by volunteers who do not earn any fulltime salaries. About 70% of all current expenses are covered through self-generated income and volunteer labour! Your support is welcomed to sustain our work amongst unemployed youth! Help us to fix South Africa for those who will inherit it!!
Account name: Young People At Work
Bank: FNB
Branch: Parow
Code: 250655
Acc. nr. 62388828190
Type: Business Cheque
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Tel: 021 823 7837
Cel: 074 350 8582
Email: youngpeople.za@gmail.com

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