Oudtshoorn, 04 May 2016 – The youth of the broader Oudtshoorn will soon be the beneficiaries of another breakthrough initiative of the Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD).
It is envisaged, that the Oudtshoorn Youth Café will open its doors on 24 May this year, with the aim to develop and grow the youth of Oudtshoorn. By opening these Cafés in the Western Cape, DSD would want to see that every young person in the Province will be inspired, educated, responsible, independent, healthy and a productive citizen by the age of 25.
The programmes and services that the youth can look forward to receive at the Café include: empowerment programmes, job readiness training, community development programmes, wellness programmes, arts programmes, personal development training, leadership mentoring and entrepreneurial training. Through these services, the Youth Café seeks to make the youth more employable in order for them to find a work or start their own businesses.
During a Task Team meeting that was held on Wednesday, 24 February 2016, Mr Elrico Van Rooyen from Suff Academy (Service Provider appointed to open the Café) walked the representatives of the Department of Social Development, Eden District Municipality and Oudtshoorn Municipality, through the building where the Youth Café will be housed in St John Street. “We are optimistic that the Youth Café will create an environment where the youth of Oudtshoorn will feel safe and developed to their full potential”, Mr Van Rooyen said.
The vast building with its multiple segments and colourful walls that belongs to the Eden District Municipality, is foreseen to be a place that the youth of Oudtshoorn can only benefit from.