IkamvaYouth is an organisation which uses cutting-edge educational approaches to create pathways for young people from under-resourced communities to pull themselves and each other into sustainable livelihoods. Careers Portal recently sat down with them to speak more about the academic support and skills programmes they offer.
IkamvaYouth is an organisation based in previously disadvantaged communities who primarily work with high school learners. They provide a variety of programmes to ensure that they are in a better position to be able to live a dignified life after High School.
At the core, they want to focus on looking at what a learner from a disadvantaged community would need. This includes:
- Psychosocial support
- Computer-related skills programmes
- Career guidance
- Assistance with applying for tertiary education
- Life skills programmes
Assistance is not only available to Matrics but any high school learners. Although a small task, choosing subjects are a huge part of the decision making which comes with being a high school student and IkamvaYouth assists with this.
The subjects that you choose will later on determine the kind of career that you're in so we do intensive career guidance.
They also offer life skills programmes to make sure that learners who come from under-resourced communities are informed about what is happening around them and how they can protect themselves.
With their computer-related skills programme, IkamvaYouth wants to assist learners adjust to a 4IR (fourth industrial revolution) world.
"We acknowledged that the world is moving so fast, we are moving towards or we are actually in the 4IR space so we must make sure that our kids are equipped in order for them to be competent in basic stuff," said IkamvaYouth.
Accredited Skills Programmes
IkamvaYouth also offers skills development programmes to those who have completed Matric to help them get work placement.
These skills programmes are offered in ICT and Vocational courses and these are all accredited courses. In ICT, they offered computer systems development courses and then within the vocational courses, they offered Appliance and cell phone repair courses.
"We also want our young people to have the opportunity to access the job market with the skills that they acquire."
How You Can Join IkamvaYouth
IkamvaYouth has 15 branches across the country in the North West, Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal. There are also special projects running in Limpopo and the Northern Cape.
You can also contact them using their social media platforms and website.
The programme is free to join and benefit from.
