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A voice for unemployed youth
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Young People Speak!
Issue 10: July 2015
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Note from the Project Director:



Read more about the Project Director on his website.
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Welcome to the 10th issue of Young People Speak!

In this issue we report on the opening of another computer training centre in Bellville CBD, the successful completion of our second semester computer and life skills course and revamping of our job placement and tracking department with amazing results! At the same time our free online job search training continued at the various libraries.

We will soon be doing our mid-year assessment to review our objectives for 2015 and adjust our plans as we prepare to continue with our mission to empower more unemployed youth!

Happy reading.
Computer and life skills course 

Our second semester computer and life skills training came to an end in May 2015. Students were trained various computer programmes such as Intro to computers, computer based typing, MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Internet and email. Our second life skills course was also successfully completed, attended by an average of 70 participants. We offered the following free workshops:
  • Professional job seeking and networking skills
  • Basic office admin
  • Rights of the employed in the workplace
  • How to access public employment
  • Personal development and leadership
  • Effective money management
  • Customer relations
  • Project/event management
Rowena Messelaar wrote:

"Me and my 3 sisters we got our certificates today for our workshop in personal development, effective money management, customer relations, project management& events management for free and we didn't pay a cent thanks to Young People @ Work, a community project to help unemployed people to get their dream job and it gets even better we also received a learnership for 6 weeks also free and while we learn the government is giving us an allowance yipee! So proud of them, we never too old to learn.”
Students displaying their certificates
Some participants who completed the life skills course
A 2nd computer training centre launched in Bellville CBD

As part of our objective to deliver accessible and affordable training to unemployed youth and on a shoe string budget, we launched a new computer training centre in the Bellville CBD during May 2015. Computer classes officially started in June 2015. The centre is situated opposite the bus terminus in Bellville allowing easy access for the unemployed from the far northern suburbs. The Tygerberg Association for Street People (TASP) partnered with YP@W and provided us with free office and training space. Our operations manager and computer facilitator, Shirley De Jongh and volunteer Mandilakhe Songelwa from Lwandle were deployed at the Bellville centre. They were supported by Doreen Cussendala who assisted with office admin. 
Shirley De Jongh and Mandilakhe outside the Bellville computer training centre.
The start of the first computer class in Bellville
Success stories!

"Hi my name is Denver Potgieter I'm 29 years old and I've been living on the streets for 1 year. When I came to Tygerberg Association for Street People (TASP) it gave me a sense of safety and no need to worry where I'm going to sleep. It also gave me time to focus and reflect on what i want. I've decided to join the YP@W computer training course in Bellville and never knew I would met up with our facilitator Doreen. Thanks so much for what you have taught me. I also now found a job as a driver and a stock taker thanks so much"
Street people in Bellville empowered with computer skills.
Denver Potgieter with his trainer Doreen Cussendala
Sanlam Insurance internships

We managed to successfully place 9 of our students at Sanlam Insurance in Bellville on a 3 month internship as personal assistants to financial advisors. They started in June and received one week of training. Their transport costs is covered by the financial advisors and based on their performance, may even be employed permanently!
Our interns at Sanlam Insurance
Janine Quill 
Hairdressing and safety and security learnerships for YP@W students!


These are 3 participants who travelled all the way from Grabouw to register for the 1 year hairdressing learnership. YP@W volunteers interviewed over 50 interested individuals for this learnership. Successful candidates will be paid a R1000 per month stipend during their training.


Some of our students who qualified for the 6 week safety and security learnership. This group will be paid a fortnightly stipend of R2000.
Successful job placement

Erica Laban gets a permanent job at The Wheat Trust!
She started as an intern doing admin support only one day per week at The Wheat Trust. It was later extended to 2 days per week. But Erica Laban, who joined YP@W as a volunteer in March 2012 did not give up. She was dedicated and disciplined. We received the wonderful news recently that she has now been appointed as their marketing coordinator on a fulltime basis! Well done Erica! She is pictured here with the ex-director, Soraya Mentoor, who was also a volunteer at the Resource Action Group (RAG), the predecessor of YP@W. 
Mercia Blou gets the job after a second time!

After a long time being unemployed, Mercia Blou will be starting work at Basic Optics in Bellville after completing her computer course at Young People @ Work! This is what she wrote:

"Hey Shirley, firstly I want to thank you and the whole bunch at YP@W as you said this morning I'm a very quiet person but you guys really boost my confidence a lot. When I first got unemployed I really felt bad I had a very low self confidence in up until a few weeks ago when I started the computer course. A week before I started the class I told myself that I'm giving up on job searching. I was tired of being rejected and disappointments. I wanted to give up on everything but when YP@W phoned and asked if I'm still interested in the course then I said to myself "maybe there is still hope 4 me, maybe there is still people out there that cared and that people are you guys" I don't think I ever felt this good about myself as today!

The day when I went for my second interview at that place they asked me do I have any computer skills for just in case I need to type in something on the pc or so then I said no but today I can tell them bring it on!" 
Free online job search training

This training was provided to unemployed youth at Bishop Lavis, Kensington (in partnership with Achfa Projects), Lwandle and Adriaanse libraries. Unemployed youth are training in Intro to computers, how to complete their CVs using word processing, open an email and Facebook account and browsing various websites advertising jobs. Many of the participants joined our free life skills course and others the more intensive computer training.
Bishop Lavis library
Lwandle library
Kensington library
Adriaanse library
This is what one participant had to say:

"Hi I am Crystal 21 year old mom of 2. I passed my matric even though I was pregnant with my 1st baby. Shortly after that I found out I was expecting my second child, I felt depressed. There's a lot of obstacles I go through every day but because of my children I want to be successful. I decided to go ahead and follow my dreams. By attending this course it really opened my eyes, gave me a new perspective of what I should be doing in life and it really change the way I think and feel. Thanks YP@W for this opportunity!
Train the Trainer course – 25-26-27 May 2015

This 3 day course was hosted in May and included 17 participants. It was facilitated by Frank Julie. 6 bursaries were offered to students who could not afford to pay the workshop fee. Students were trained in theories of adult learning, types of learners, characteristics of effective facilitators, stages of the learning process, training cycle, trouble shooting and much more! Another course will be held on 11-12-13 August 2015.
Volunteer changes at YP@W

Sisanda Magaba lives in Delft and has recently joined our team of volunteers. Doreen Cussendala is currently mentoring her to take over at Adriaanse library as an online job search trainer.
Josephine Silbourne gets a new job! 

She joined YP@W as a volunteer doing admin support work and became a computer facilitator in 2014. She took to admin work like a fish to water and in April 2015 she was appointed as admin officer at SAPS at Canal Walk where she is now permanently employed. Make us proud Josephine! She has committed to financially support YP@W with monthly donations to plough back into the organisation! 
Natricia Hendricks does job shadowing at SPP and gets a permanent job afterwards!

Natricia Hendricks joined us as a computer student during our second semester and was subsequently placed as an intern at Surplus People’s Project (SPP) where she spent a month doing admin work. She thoroughly enjoyed herself and we decided to provide her with more experience by allowing her to provide admin support at our office in Bishop Lavis. She only lasted about 3 weeks when she was appointed permanently at a company in Blackheath. Well done Natricia!
Natricia Hendricks at SPP
Here she is mentored by Clothilda at YP@W
Rummage sale to generate income

Our rummage sales have now moved to Bellville CBD to generate more income. Here is Doreen Cussendala with a happy customer trying out the clothes on offer!
Calendar of upcoming events:

New life skills course: 7-10 October 2015

This will include the following workshops: professional job seeking skills, rights of the employed in the workplace, basic office admin skills, personal development and leadership, money management, customer relations and project/event management.
Bellville South Youth Empowerment Week: 28-29-30 July 2015

This event will be hosted in partnership with the Proteaville Recreation Centre and the local Community Police Forum. It will involve workshops on professional job seeking and information sharing about jobs and training opportunities. These partners include the Department of Labour, Harambee, RLabs Social Media Academy, UWC, Dreamworker, SAPS and Bellville Joint Operations Centre. Unemployed youth will be assisted with their own CVs.

Women’s Day event for street people – 10 August 2015

YP@W volunteers and our supporters will be treating street people (especially women) with a day of pampering, food and clothes on this day. TASP will provide the venue.

Master Train the Trainer Course: 11-12-13 August 2015 (already fully booked)

This course is aimed at NPO facilitators who would like to sharpen and deepen their understanding of effective facilitation and presentation. The content include adult learning principles, theories of adult learning, different types of learners, conditions for effective learning, stages of the learning process, training cycles, etc. Venue: YP@W training centre in Bishop Lavis. The facilitator is Frank Julie.

Rural outreach – Stanford: 18-19-20 August 2015

YP@W volunteers will be visiting this community to empower unemployed youth in job seeking skills, personal development and leadership and sharing information about current job and training opportunities. We will be supported by local volunteers in the community who have a passion to bring about positive change amongst the youth. The community is reportedly plagued with drug abuse amongst despondent youth.

Lwandle Youth Empowerment Week: 3-4-5 November 2015

This event will be hosted for unemployed youth at the Migrant Museum in Lwandle. It will cover professional job seeking skills, basic office admin and sharing of info by our strategic partners. Participants will be assisted with their CVs for free.
Joint board meeting between YP@W and TASP

To cement the partnership between YP@W and TASP in Bellville, the baords of the two organisations held a joint meeting on 8 June 2015. This was in preparation for the launch of our computer training centre. Both organisations committed themselves to support each other in a spirit of mutual benefit!
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: 073 820 1543
Email: youngpeople.za@gmail.com
Website: YoungPeople@Work

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