231 Young Men Embark On Their Chrysalis Journey

This past weekend 231 young men from across the Western Cape, between the ages of 18–25 years-old commenced with their development and empowering journey at the Chrysalis Academy. I am excited for these young men and wish them well as this rewarding process starts. There is much to look forward to and to learn. I encourage the young men to grasp every opportunity during their training and eventual work placement to become leading members in our communities.

The young men who arrived on Saturday, 13 January, come from various areas across the province, such as Beaufort-west, Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Delft, Saldanha Bay, George and Mitchells Plain. Their training will last for 3 months until 6 April 2024. The Chrysalis Academy is an initiative of the Western Cape Government (WCG), and the academy has seen more than 10 000 graduates, since 2000.

The course consists of various phases, and amongst others, the students will receive training in first aid, basic cookery, security training, peace officer training, welding, office administration and electrical circuitry. The programme commences with an induction, personal mastery, emotional intelligence, leadership, diversity, inclusion, drilling, and fitness. Along with this, there is also a curriculum in healthy living, environmental awareness, and conflict management, which is all done in an effort to develop important life skills.

The programme is truly lifechanging and has positively impacted the lives of thousands of young people already. Upon completion of the course, graduates are also offered a 12-month employment opportunity through our Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and are placed in various entities. This includes WCG departments, municipalities, and the South African Police Service, amongst others. These young people will eventually form part of our bigger pool of safety ambassadors, while they will also champion Chrysalis’ vision in their respective communities.