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GEORGE NEWS - The YearBeyond Youth Service Programme, which offers young people aged between 18 and 25 years the opportunity to render a year of service to their own community, has proven to be highly successful in George.
According to Pastor Debbie Bruce, under whose leadership the programme was rolled out for the first time three years ago, the impact on many of the YeBoneers who have completed the programme has been far-reaching, with many of them realising their dreams of finding a satisfying career or acquiring university training.
"There are many testimonies of the influence of the programme on young lives and their futures," she says.
According to a statement issued by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport earlier this year, 75% of YeBoneers progress into further work or studies at the end of their experience. The programme provides young people with the opportunity to develop a number of key skills needed in the workplace, with the support of a mentor, while also learning to serve the children in their own community.
"It's a two-pronged programme that benefits both the youth who enroll and the learners they serve. Eventually, society as a whole gains," says Bruce.
The YeBoneers are trained to work with Grade 3 and 4 learners in low and no-fee schools who battle with their school work. During school hours, they provide support to teachers in the classroom and one-on-one reading support to certain learners.
They also assist learners in literacy, numeracy and their homework in an after-school programme, and have to run the Scouting in Schools programme for Grade 4 to 7 learners. YeBoneers furthermore work in libraries as reading champions who encourage children to read.
PHOTO GALLERY: YearBeyond Youth Service Programme highly successful
Theoretical training by Waves of Change at Built on the Rock Ministries' premises. Photo: Alida de Beer
YeBoneers in practical training in July at the premises of Built on the Rock Ministries. Photo: Alida de Beer
Professional development
Each YeBoneer is allocated a mentor who is responsible for helping to develop their personal and professional skills.
"The mentors offer YeBoneers psychosocial, study and career progression support. The YearBeyond programme is also linked to meaningful work placement. This provides the youth with a real work experience and opens a range of career opportunities for them," says Bruce.
At the end of the year they receive a certificate of service for participating in the programme, which they could place on their CVs.
Bruce says YearBeyond is forming partnerships with employers who are looking for young people of a certain calibre.
"At an alumnus function earlier this year, Yeboneers from last year gave amazingly positive feedback on how their lives have changed for the better. One youngster who had huge negative challenges is now working in Norway. Many of them find work or enroll at university, something that they would never have dreamed of if it had not been for their YearBeyond experience," says Bruce.
Fifteen holiday clubs were held during the July holidays. Photo supplied
Impact on community
The impact of the YeBoneers in George goes further through an @Home group which reaches out to 720 children with behavioural problems and/or experience trauma. This group provides a link between the home and school and social workers' assistance is also called in where there has been abuse. Some 250 children and their families are fed on a regular basis and help is given with clothes where needed.
During the July school holidays, YearBeyond ran 15 holiday clubs concurrently in various neighbourhoods, impacting 1 790 children in Blanco, Pacaltsdorp, Rosedale, Thembalethu, Conville, Rosemoor, Borcherds, Parkdene and Maraiskamp.
A few of the YeBoneers who are in the middle of their service year. Front, from left: Sakkie Kupido, Asanda Sithole, Naigan Wolmarans and Ridowaan Potgieter.
Back: Amanda Hili, Alicia Jantjies, Evardene Abrahams and Karien Goldman.
Photos: Alida de Beer
• YearBeyond is a flagship programme of the Western Cape Youth Development Strategy. Bruce is the founder of the Womb to Tomb Development Centre, which is the implementing partner of YearBeyond in George.
• YearBeyond is presented through a partnership between the government, the Community Chest of the Western Cape, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, and various non-government organisations.
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