Centres in three disadvantaged areas will offer career information and guidance, as well as business skills, to unemployed youth.
UNEMPLOYED young people living in three of Johannesburg's most disadvantaged townships will be thrown a lifeline when the City opens three youth advisory centres.
Youths in Ivory Park, Orange Farm and Diepsloot will be able to develop their business acumen and possibly raise their chances to get employed or open up businesses through services provided by these centres, thanks to a three-year partnership agreement between the City and the Umsobomvu Youth Fund.
The centres - at Lord Khanyile Youth Centre in Ivory Park, the Orange Farm Skills Development Centre and Diepsloot Youth Centre - will provide career information, job opportunities, business development opportunities, and economic development services, says Themba Mbele, the assistant director in the youth unit, which is part of the City's community development department.
"We have agreed in principle with Umsobomvu to set up youth advisory centres in disadvantaged areas to serve the needs of young people. The centres will cater for unemployed young people, students and women."
Staff on site will provide information and counselling support regarding careers, study strategies for those at school, and job preparedness - such as helping to write curricula vitae, helping to prepare for interviews and preparing for the work environment.
Young people will also be directed to employment agencies or youth service providers that can help them look for jobs, Mbele says.
In addition, those wanting to become entrepreneurs will be offered business development services to help them create and sustain their businesses, as well at to link them to business or employment opportunities.
Students will be helped with information on bursaries, learnerships and internships. Contact information for tertiary institutions around the country will also be available.
"On top of this, business consultancy vouchers will be given out to young entrepreneurs. They can use these vouchers to purchase business plans, marketing and branding for their businesses and other services," Mbele says.
Umsobomvu will provide funding to establish the three centres, while the City will foot the administrative costs and also chip in with equipment and furniture. There are also plans to establish techno-hubs in similar areas and Soweto, says Mbele.
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