Mitchells Plain Youth Café launched by Minister Fritz

As part of our continuing Youth Month commemorations, the Western Cape Department Minister of Social Development, Albert Fritz, launched the innovative Mitchells Plain Youth Café.

The Mitchells Plain Youth is a new facility which sees the relocation of the previous Rocklands Youth Café, to this new site in the Mitchells plain town centre.

This central location means young people from all over Mitchells Plain and surrounding areas can easily access this Youth Café, which is serviced by rail, taxis, bus and the MyCiti.

The Minister was joined by our NGO partners, R-Labs, represented by Craig Japhta, who also manages the facility, and the City of Cape Town MAYCO Members, Ald. JP Smith and Cllr. Eddie Andrews, and Ward 43 Councillor, Elton Jansen.

As per the Provincial Youth Development Strategy, the Youth Cafés are tailored to offer opportunities for young people broadly referred to as “NEETs”, namely young people not in employment, education or training. There are currently 6 Youth Cafés, and by the end of the year that number would have risen to 10 Youth Cafes that are either fully operational or in the final stages of planning.

Along with a good cup of coffee, the Mitchells Plain Youth Café will provide internet access and computer access to budding entrepreneurs and aspirant job-seekers. In addition, the facility will render opportunities and training in;

• Digital Training,                                                
• Work Ethics,
• Business Entrepreneurship,                          
• Life Skills Sessions,
• Creative Design,                                                
• Youth Data,
• Event Management,                                        
• Leadership Training,
• Project Management.

The newly launched Youth Café mobi-site has more information, and can be accessed by young people at www.westerncape.gov.za/youth-cafe.

The Department will continue to roll out services and opportunities to young people, and has allocated R15.6-million this financial year to youth services.

*In the photo from left to right, Eddie Andrews (MAYCO Member), Alan vd Meulen (youth at Youth Café), Cllr. Elton Jansen, Ricardo Mckenzie (MPL in Western Cape Provincial Parliament), Minister Fritz, Craig Japhta (R-Labs and Youth Café Manager), JP Smith (MAYCO Member).