Opportunities for Youth
One of the most important aspects of the C4L mandate is to assist young women and men to develop their skills and talents. They are the future - both as its leaders and as the backbone on which South African society will rebuild and grow.
Opportunities for youth at C4L include some accredited courses that are part of the National Qualifications Framework, as well as other courses that have a more motivational or occupational focus. These are distinguished as "formal" and "non-formal" training.
By offering courses that are accredited, C4L is participating in capacity building according to national standards set by SAQA, the South African Qualifications Authority. The students involved in this training are in their late teens or early twenties. For various reasons they have been unable to complete their high school previously, or they are out-of-school and unemployed. These young people can register for courses at either:
- Level 4 to obtain the equivalent of matriculation, or
- Level 5 which is the equivalent of a one year post matriculation certificate programme.
For more information on the context of these levels, see Understanding the South African National Qualifications Framework.
The courses are one year long and include a small stipend to provide for costs of the training and family life.
With an accreditated certificate, graduates are qualified for employment, specifically in the area of community development and project management. They are also accredited assessors and mentors so that they can assist others to learn this kind of work.
Accredited Courses
Development Practice
C4L's courses have been developed to fit the culture and context of their lives and the communities in which the learners live. They are taught to understand the processes and skills necessary for starting and running a successful project, including conducting community assessments, developing business plans, making applications for funding, and managing finances. While 30% of the course time is spent in the classroom learning theory, 70% is spent in the field putting these theories into action. The practical work for each student centers on assisting orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC) in the areas surrounding C4L by:
- Organizing and operating an after-school Kids Club at one of thirty local schools, to provide stability and emotional support to the OVC at that school. In addition to teaching crafts, supervising sports activities, and assisting with homework, they are:
- Acting as role models by promoting healthy life styles, and giving the children opportunities to talk constructively about drugs, pregnancy and alcohol abuse.
- Making regular visits to evaluate the home situation of each of the affected children and preparing and submitting written assessments to the Programme Manager of C4L's OVC Project.
New Venture Creation (Entrepreneurship)
The youth registered in a New Ventures Creation course will develop a good understanding of what they will need to start their own business in the area of their personal interest. This is a one year course and includes practical business skills, including developing a business plan, making a loan application, registering a small business, and the various aspects of business financial management. During the process they will also develop and practice the social skills, business ethics and moral responsibility needed by young entrepreneurs. Their practical work will involve setting their plan into action so that when they complete their course, they will have a small business that is up and running and already starting to provide them a living.
Child and Youth Care Worker
Previously, accredited training at C4L has involved joint ventures with other training providers. In 2010, in collaboration with the Services SETA, the plan is for C4L to provide both training and placements. This is one small step for the Services SETA, but one huge step for C4L. It means that youth activists serving as community volunteers can study and works towards a certificate called Child and Youth Care Worker. The government of South Africa has mandated that 5,000 youth be trained in this course, to strengthen the efforts of the National Youth Service. Plans are afoot to enroll 60 of these youth at C4L in an 18-month project.Mentoring Youth Organizations
In collaboration with the German Development Service (DED), C4L runs a support programme to the managers of 12 other youth organizations in Mpumalanga Province - by facilitating weekly visits by a C4L faculty member to their workplaces. This mentoring support provided to these organizations includes training in:
- Programme management
- Fund raising
- Report writing
By transferring the knowledge and skills for administering youth organizations effectively, this programme provides an excellent illustration of C4L's goal to help build capacity in South Africa.
Social Enterprise
In the past, C4L has taken an ad hoc approach - to provide support to various emerging enterprises among members of its Youth Corps.
One such group is a 15-member drama, music and dance troupe calling itself Jikelele Performing Arts Company. It was begun with funding from the National Arts Council of South Africa The plan for Jikelele to perform in local communities began in 2009 with VELDFIRE, a show it put on in Nelspruit.
Another venture is ALLOVER CONSTRUCTION. With on-going mentoring from a local businessman in White River, five youth members formed a paving-brick company. For more, see the Success Stories page...
Microfranchising is being adopted in 2010 as amore cohesive and structured approach to self-help development. C4L has formed a joint venture in the Energy Sector with V-Sun-Tech, called the Africa Power and Light Company. This will be linked to training of micro-entrepreneurs. Each one of these will join APOLICO as a micro-franchisee. This will mean more than job creation - it will reduce elecricity consumption which is a national priority in South Africa, And it will reduce the carbon footprint as well.
