YouthBuild USA is a national leadership development program that gives low-income former high school dropouts an opportunity to rebuild their communities and their lives by rehabilitating affordable housing and working toward their high school diploma.
“Because South Africa will be starting a program around national youth service with the skills and development programs, they want to look at programs and program models doing similar things,” said Clayton Peter, international project director for YouthBuild USA.
Delegates toured the school and its current rehabilitation site at 3018 N. 26th St. before participating in a student panel discussion.
“The program gives young people hope, you know, and a sense of responsibility. It’s not just building technicians, but building young people to positions of leadership, picking up responsibility, picking up their lives,” said Busani Ngcaweni, senior policy analyst for Thabo Mbeki, president of South Africa.
In South Africa, young people represent 37 percent of the total population, according to government figures. Major socioeconomic challenges are poverty, substance abuse, crime and violence due to high youth unemployment rates.
In 2005, Mbeki made youth development a priority on the government’s national development agenda.
Upon their return home, officials are going to revise existing youth development policy, Ngcaweni said.
“We are going to finalize a plan of intensifying our youth service program,” he said.
YouthBuild, which has had a staff member in South Africa for the past two years, will provide technical assistance as the policy is implemented. |
