Work experience opportunities for Western and Eastern Cape youth now open  

The Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, through its Youth and After School Programme, is calling for unemployed youth, aged between 18 and 25, to apply to be section of the Year Beyond Youth Service Programme for 2024.

Applications for the education programmes are now open for youth living in the Western and Eastern Cape who meet the criteria. 

Every the education programmes require a matric certificate and some require minimum marks for language or maths.

The Year Beyond platform offers young people the opportunity to secure a year of hands on working experience and build their work readiness competencies, while also giving back to their communities. 

Commonly known as YeBoneers, successful applicants will be placed either at a school or community hub where they will assist learners and parents. 

The Eastern Cape programme is rush with funding from the national government and facilitated by the Western Cape Year Beyond team. 

“The opportunity to provide youth in the Eastern Cape with this experience is an indispensable fraction of skills development beyond the Western Cape,” the statement read.  

According to the provincial department, the success of the programme is evident as seen from the feedback received from previous years. 

Citing the data, the department said 96% of participants believe the experience helped them to obtain to know themselves better and 95% feel the programme prepared them better for the world of work and study. 

Meanwhile, between 75% and 78% of YeBoneers maintain progressed to becoming economically active in the world of employment or study, or a combination of the two, upon finishing the programme.

“I encourage our young people to apply for this opportunity. It is a remarkable programme for our youth which equips them with skills for entering the world of work or study. We want to give our youth a hand up to become successful and active members of society who contribute not only to the economy but also serve their communities,” said Western Cape MEC of Cultural Affairs and Sport, Anroux Marais. 

Applications and further information on the education streams are now open via the website: https://www.yearbeyond.org/apply. 

Applications close on 18 February 2024. – SAnews.gov.za