Developing and Empowering young people

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Today’s youth who aren’t attending school, and who grow up in informal settlements or poor communities, often lack stable school experiences and in turn, life opportunities. They may develop feelings of hopelessness, with little focus on or plans for the future. As a result of South Africa’s high unemployment rates, many young people lack the self belief required which seaching for a job. Risk of failure often holds young people back, so some wander aimlessly, filling their days with little while their boredom grows. However, these very same people when given an opportunity to gain work experience in a supportive and empowering environment, will rise to the occasion.

With this in mind, Youth for Christ KwaZulu Natal runs a 10 month Internship Programme that offers local young people, between 18 and 25, the opportunity to volunteer and gain child and youth work experience. In an environment where a strong work ethic is both modelled and required of these young people, opportunities to learn and grow in ways that they were unable to during their schooling years become the springboard to transformation and greater opportunities for success.

For interns who excel and show a keen interest in pursuing a career in child and youth work,YFC/KZN offers a second-year internship where they continue to work with children and youth, as well as begin formal studies in child and youth work.

The projects which our interns are involved in include those serving children on the streets, provide residential care, community family preservation work and school-based gender and HIV/AIDS awareness and education. This adds huge value to our programmes, bringing caring people into the lives of children and school-going youth, while also giving the interns the chance to develop their own skills, alongside other trained staff members, when addressing some of the complicated issues that our beneficiaries face.

The interns themselves often come from the communities they work in. This means our network grows, allowing us to reach more young people, while gaining insight into community life from the interns.

YFC/KZN is committed to instilling and offering interns an opportunity to become followers of Christ, to grow spiritually and to love Christ by serving those in need.

Project Activities

• Formal training is provided on a weekly basis, in a creative classroom environment. Sessions are based on personal development, life skills, child and youth work expertise and Christian service.

• Working directly with children and youth four days a week, alongside a staff member, within the project running in the interns own community.

• Supervision and mentorship in a project where the intern is accountable for specific job responsibilities. Training and feedback is provided regularly, with monthly reports on the intern’s performance, growth and areas for improvement.

• Wilderness outdoor experience is provided as an opportunity for self-discovery, to realise their strengths, the value of operating as a team and creative problem-solving in a life giving and nurturing environment.

• When necessary, counselling is provided internally or referrals are made to outside professional services.

• Quarterly evaluation meeting with interns, intern supervisors and project coordinators are held to make any necessary changes throughout the year.

Training is based on foundations for Christian beliefs, Christian discipleship and evangelism allowing the interns to deepen and share their faith.