Youth development where it’s needed most

GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - Western Cape Minister of Social Development Sharna Fernandez has been conducting oversight visits to different facilities of the Western Cape Department of Social Development along the Garden Route and in the Klein Karoo.

In a media statement on 27 March, she says she has been encouraged by the incredible work their non-profit partner, SUFF Academy (Southern Youth Film Festival) is doing in Oudtshoorn and neighbouring regions.

SUFF manages four youth cafes: in Oudtshoorn, George, Uniondale and Riversdale. Here, young people get training in accredited courses in digital literacy, coding, robotics, digital entrepreneurship and much more.

There are 12 youth cafes in the province, each one with different focuses in youth development.

SUFF's acting CEO, Annique Arris, says the training they offer is not only limited to the youth cafes they manage. They have extended their services to rural areas like Murraysburg and Kannaland, as well as Mossel Bay and Knysna.

They also offer training to the Outeniqua Child and Youth Care Centre in George, which Fernandez visited.

"This provides the young boys at this facility a chance to use their time at this safe space productively, equipping them with the skills needed in the digital age where computer literacy is so vital to success," said Fernandez.

SUFF also started an after-school agriculture programme for children in January, to encourage them to consider a career in the agricultural sector by working in a food garden and getting career advice.

Arris said they have noticed not all the children want to do digital training, so they started this programme for those who want to work with their hands.

"It is a new project. The provincial Department of Social Development has funded the first two gardens for us in Uniondale, one of which is at a high school."

Fernandez said with unemployment levels among youth between the ages of 15 and 34 at 46%, it is imperative that programmes like the youth cafes are supported. "The work SUFF is doing is proof that partnerships between government NGOs, citizens, and the private sector are key to making a difference in communities."