The Western Cape’s Minister of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais has released a statement that calls on all unemployed youth between the ages of 18 and 25 to apply and be a part of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport’s YearBeyond Programme.
The YearBeyond Programme started in 2015 with an aim to address the issue of youth unemployment in South Africa. Since the programme started, thousands of youth have completed it and over 75% have gone further to study or work within three months of exiting the programme.
The programme offers unemployed youth, who have finished Matric, an opportunity to give back to their communities by being reading champions, scout leaders, education activators in communities or helping learners in under-resourced schools address learning losses.
As part of the programme, YeBonneers are offered the opportunity to improve their work readiness, emotional intelligence and agency skills. At the end of the programme, the youth will receive a Certificate of Service, a bespoke reference letter highlighting the skills that they have mastered and are introduced to opportunity providers at a career fair. In 2021, 964 youth successfully completed the programme.
Minister Marais said: “It is crucial that we offer our youth a hand up to get them started on their professional careers. Many of our young people do not have access to opportunities for further training after school and the YearBeyond Programme aims to bridge that gap, while also giving them the opportunity to give back to their community. YearBeyond provides participants with a meaningful work experience, a pathway into studies or work and a social and economic network.”
Any youth interested in applying to this year’s intake can find out more about the programme and criteria by visiting https://www.yearbeyond.org/apply.
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