YearBeyond employer breakfast drives inspiration for youth opportunities

On Wednesday, 28 June 2023, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport’s (DCAS) YearBeyond Programme, in partnership with the UCT Graduate School of Business, successfully hosted an Employer Breakfast focused on fostering meaningful conversations and inspiring the creation of opportunities for South African youth.

The event brought together industry professionals, experts in youth development, and government representatives to gain valuable insights into working with young people and address the critical issue of youth unemployment.

The event aimed to provide participants with data-driven perspectives, insights and key lessons learned from the YearBeyond Programme's experience, offering an informed understanding of the challenges and opportunities in youth development. YearBeyond has to date seen thousands of young people successfully graduate from its unique offering - a dual beneficiary programme impacting both youth and communities. YearBeyond's structured offering develops key 21st century competencies and places an emphasis on mentorship, building agency and emotional intelligence and the availability of an ecosystem of support for youth. 

After a thought-provoking presentation, attendees engaged in round table conversations that encouraged knowledge sharing, innovation, and collaboration.

During his opening remarks, DCAS Head of Department Guy Redman shared an important reminder with the attendees: "We all share a common purpose, to help youth imagine alternate futures for themselves and to believe in their abilities to achieve what they imagine for themselves. This imagination we speak of is an important fuel for hope. Hope then forms the foundation of this bridge to a brighter future."

Minister Anroux Marais also highlighted the Western Cape Government's commitment to addressing youth unemployment and the importance of public-private partnerships in driving meaningful change: "YearBeyond is about a building a bridge to a brighter future. Through this programme we want to create an environment where young people can cultivate curiosity, be confident, optimistic and believe in themselves." 

The YearBeyond programme continues to work innovatively to support our province’s youth in their quest to become successful, self-sustained and active members of society.