Cape Town - In the lead-up to Youth Day, incarcerated youth were given a chance at living a reformed life when they graduated from the Department of Human Settlements’ Contractor Development Programme in Mossel Bay.
The group graduated on Tuesday and consisted of six women and 24 men between the ages of 18 and 35.
The five-day training programme was tailor-made for students of similar circumstances.
The programme’s content focused on technical skills in the built environment and the training they have received will assist in preparing them for a life outside prison and possibly becoming self-employed.
Infrastructure MEC Tertuis Simmers said: “We are always looking for innovative ways of encouraging our youth and equipping them with the skill set required to prosper and become self-efficient in the ever-changing built environment sector. This is our contribution towards the rehabilitation of these young lives, who took incorrect decisions in their previous lives, that lead to their incarceration.
“In an effort to combat the high levels of unemployment, the Western Cape government facilitates these training opportunities for all youths across the region, with the intention of unlocking future economic and employment opportunities where previously such would not exist,” said Simmers.
For the technical training programme, the department partnered with the National Home Builders Registration Council, South African Revenue Service, the Construction Industry Development Board and the Master Builders Association.
Ten of the 30 youths are set to be released on probation in during July, and the remaining 20 are set to be released within the next six months.
Between the financial year 2019/2020 and 2021/2022, 396 students graduated from the skills and development training programmes facilitated by the department, in partnership with the accredited TVET colleges and private sector.
“As we commemorate Youth month, I would like to encourage young people out there to go out and seek opportunities. These will not only provide them with skills to earn a living for today, but provide limitless future employment opportunities,” said Simmers.
Cape Times