Recruitment
The learners who attend our courses are all unemployed, come from disadvantaged backgrounds and are between the ages of 18 and 30. This will change to between the ages of 18 and 26 as from 2010 to keep in line with the ethos of the Salesian Institute. We send information regarding our courses to all Recreation Centres, Libraries, Clinics and Community Centres in communities that have been identified as disadvantaged in terms of the socio economic climate prevailing in those areas. The areas specifically targeted are; Khayelitsha, Delft, Mitchell’s Plain, Langa, Guguletu, Philippi, Athlone, Ocean View, Brown’s Farm, Mannenberg and Wallacedene. These areas fall within a 30-40km radius of the Cape Town CBD. Advertisements are no longer placed in newspapers as we have found that information about the courses is spread by word of mouth and advertising is no longer necessary. We will again target schools in the areas identified during October and November in order to inform school leavers of our programme.
Learners
Our main target market is women and men aged between 18 and 26. A fair number of the learners come from deprived households where unemployment, overcrowding, poor nutrition and a general lack of motivation prevail. The impact of drugs and gangsterism influence the day to day lives of these youth with the result that some of these youngsters are drawn into this kind of life, simply because it is so prevalent. There are young single mothers whose sole income is the government grant of R240.00 per month per child. The learners who attend our courses do so with the objective of improving their skills and thereby increasing their marketability in the employment field. These youth have realised that the way out of the unemployment cycle is through skills development and therefore the majority of learners are serious about successfully completing their course.
Learners who have a substance abuse problem or any personal problem and want help are counseled by a professional and then referred to an organisation that can further assist them.
We have encountered instances where learners have been abjectly poor. Assistance is given by means of waiving their registration fee and paying their transport costs. We have also assisted the youth who want to attend our courses but live on the street and have no means of sustaining themselves while on course. These students stay either at the Don Bosco Hostel at the Institute or are accommodated at the various shelters in and around Cape Town. These shelters have agreed to waive the fee of R10 per night whilst these youth are attending classes. We try to find employment for these youth as soon as possible as we realize how desperate their need is.
About half our students are Afrikaans speaking, the other half Xhosa speaking. All classes are conducted in English as this is the most widely spoken language in the business sector.
Courses
During 2010 we will only be able to offer 4 programmes as the Soccer World Cup will have an impact on our training as the Institute is close to the soccer stadium. We envisage that transport and access to the Institute will be problematic during that time with the result that we have decided to close for the duration of the Soccer World Cup.
Each of the 4 courses run concurrently for 8 weeks, Monday-Friday 0900-1530. There are four programmes per year thereby enabling us to train approximately 60 learners per programme, totaling 240 learners for 2010.
Life Skills comprise 3 weeks out of the total of 8 weeks per course, the remaining 5 weeks being the hard skills. Life Skills is run at the beginning of each course and attendance is compulsory.
Learners are required to sign a contract between the YES programme and themselves agreeing to certain terms and conditions for the duration of the course. Some points covered are absenteeism, late coming, exam pass rates, dress code and acceptable/unacceptable behaviour.
- COMPUTER LITERACY AND OFFICE MANAGEMENT
The first students began their training in October 2002. This is a popular course as youth realise that computer skills are a prerequisite for many of the vacancies advertised. The registration fee of R100.00 makes this course affordable with the only real expense to the students being their transport costs to the training centre. We can accommodate 29 students per course but average 26 graduates as there are a few drop-outs during the course due to various reasons. Each course has its own challenges as the individual characteristics of learners differ from course to course.
The following content is covered:
Computer Literacy:
MS Word, MS Excel, PowerPoint, Internet, email.
Office Administration:
Typing of letters, faxing of documents, filing, telephone skills, taking Minutes of Meetings, petty cash vouchers, all office correspondence.
Life Skills:
As detailed under the heading of life skills.
- COMPUTER MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
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Students who have completed the Computer Literacy and Office Management course are encouraged to enroll for this course as they gain additional skills which enhance their chance of employment. There is a registration fee of R100.00 and an additional cost of R100.00 for the toolkit. This course is very similar to the A+ courses offered by Microsoft. The first course started mid 2005. We can accommodate 24 students per course. Students build and repair donated computers as part of the course.
The following content is covered:
Information systems, troubleshooting, setting up the internet, basic networking, connecting printers, upgrading and installing operating systems, installing MS Office, configuring hardware and software, binary and hexadecimal, life skills.
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This course began late 2005 and is free to participants. Each course is able to accommodate 10-12 bricklayers. We have found it difficult to recruit women in the required age group for this course as bricklaying remains a male dominated profession. To change the perception that women are equally capable of completing the work remains a challenge, both to prospective women students and employers seeking to employ bricklayers.
During the course the following content is covered:
- Lay half plaster brick wall in stretcher bond between columns or profiles
- Lay one plaster brick wall in stretcher bond between columns or profiles
- Build a right angle return half brick wall between columns or profiles
- Lay one face brick wall in English bond between columns or profiles
- Build right angle one brick wall with half brick T-junction and stopped ends
- Build a one brick wall with an end and attached pier
- Build isolated brick piers
- Build a one brick wall with steel door frame, steel window frame and sill
- Build a semicircular arch
- Build a segmental arch
- Build a concrete block wall between profiles
- Build a concrete masonry block wall with right angle return between profiles
- Life skills
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- TILING, MOSAIC AND LAMINATED FLOORING
The first course began in 2007 and is free to participants. We have based the tiling course on SAQA Unit Standards on Levels 2 & 3. It was felt that tiling would be a usable skill especially as there is an entrepreneurial component to the course. The course covers the following;
- Set out work for tiling
- Prepare work surfaces for tiling
- Mix adhesive and grout
- Tile plastered walls
- Tile plastered walls and circular columns
- Tile around a bath or pier
- Lay tiles to a screeded floor
- Lay tiles to concrete steps
- Mosaic basic skills
- Laying of laminated flooring
- Entrepreneurial skills
- Life Skills
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As from January 2007 we decided to block the life skills at the beginning of each course for a total of 3 weeks. During this timeframe we are able to deal quite extensively with some the issues challenging the youth of today. Life Skills is a very participative and activity driven programme with the emphasis on group work, games and role plays.
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This programme will help learners to focus on this one aspect of the training as it will create time for them to absorb and process the information given to them and also to participate in a positive environment around issues that affect them on a daily basis. They will have the opportunity to interact with their peers on the same level around the same issues. The sessions follow a pattern, building onto each other. During this time, emotional and traumatic issues will be dealt with and referrals can be made to relevant institutions should students require counseling beyond our expertise.
When the five week practical part of the course begins students should have gained a higher level of motivation and focus which would then enable them to concentrate on attaining their respective hard skills. The topics covered in Life Skills:
Day 1 – Orientation & getting to know each other
Day 2 - Trust Building
Day 3 – Self acceptance and self esteem, positive thinking
Day 4 – Motivation, problem solving, drumming
Day 5 – Time management, stress management
Day 6 – Communication
Day 7 – Conflict resolution, criticism
Day 8 – Peer pressure, drumming
Day 9 – CV Writing, interview skills
Day 10 – Interview skills and role plays
Day 11 – Gender, domestic violence
Day 12 – HIV/AIDS
Day 13 – Substance Abuse, drumming
Day 14 – Body mapping and goal setting
Day 15 – Fun day
Job Placement
We assist graduated students to find employment on completion of their course. We have managed to build strong relationships with a number of individuals and companies who then contact us for placements on a regular basis.
The job placement officer has to be proactive, have knowledge of the market place and in many cases is able to match the student to the job. We have a very successful employment rate as the placement rate for 2007 was just short of 100%. During 2008 we reached a 98% placement rate.
Employment stats for 2007 (Courses 1 - 5)
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Females Trained 2007 |
Males Trained 2007 |
Females Employed 2007 |
Males Employed 2007 |
Total Trained |
Total Employed |
| TOTAL |
134 |
99 |
124 |
107 |
233 |
231 |
The total employed for 2007 includes some students trained in 2006 but employed in 2007.
Employment stats for 2008 (Courses 1 - 5)
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Females Trained 2007 |
Males Trained 2007 |
Females Employed 2007 |
Males Employed 2007 |
Total Trained |
Total Employed |
| TOTAL |
141 |
138 |
151 |
123 |
279 |
274 |
The total employed for 2008 includes some students trained in 2007 but employed in 2008.
Employment statistics for 2009 (Courses 1 - 4)
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Females Trained
Jan-Sept 2009
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Males Trained
Jan-Sept 2009
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Females Employed
Jan-Sept 2009
|
Males Employed
Jan-Sept 2009 |
Total Trained
Jan-Sept 2009 |
Total Employed
Jan-Sept 2009 |
| TOTAL |
134 |
146 |
138 |
171 |
280 |
309 |
These figures include students trained in 2008 and 2009 but employed in 2009: January – Sept. 09.
The figure of 309 also includes Don Bosco Hostel youth/Learn to Live Workshop youth who have been employed by various organizations and also youth whose contracts have come to an end and have asked us to assist them in obtaining employment. We can assist these youth as they now have work experience. These jobs are not in conflict with the jobs first time job seekers apply for.
Statistics for the 2009 Samsung Real Dreams Programme only (Courses 1-4)
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Females Trained
Jan-Sept 2009
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Males Trained
Jan-Sept 2009
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Females Employed
Jan-Sept 2009
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Males Employed
Jan-Sept 2009 |
Total Trained
Jan-Sept 2009 |
Total Employed
Jan-Sept 2009 |
| TOTAL |
134 |
146 |
81 |
85 |
280 |
166 |
These totals are students trained and placed in 2009 only. The placement number changes on a month-to-month basis as students find employment.
Click here for detailed statistics on attendance for 2009.
Click here for detailed statistics on attendance for 2010.
Accomplishments
It is very rewarding being able to empower students to improve their skills and knowledge. The courses are affordable, comprehensive and form an excellent basis from which to enter the job market. We have generally been successful in finding employment for our students and the feedback from employers has been very positive which reflects well on all our facilitators, the job placement officer and, most importantly, the students.
The Contract between the Learner and YES Project that all students are required to sign has seen an improvement in the absenteeism rate and late coming.
Challenges
There are quite a few students who do not start the course although they have filled in the application form and paid where applicable. The cost of travelling to Cape Town for many of the tiling and bricklaying students is a challenge, especially towards the end of the course. We help these students who truly need assistance with travelling money. We have found that there have been students who arrive hungry and need assistance for meals. Where necessary, we provide sandwiches for these students.
We have found that pupils change their cellphone numbers and omit to inform us which causes problems when we need to contact them for employment and follow-ups. Bricklaying and Tiling students often do not have telephones with the result that contacting them becomes very difficult. We often have to contact 3 or 4 people before we can get a message to them.
Single mothers are sometimes unable to find suitable minders for their child/children, children get sick more often in winter as do the youth themselves with the result they miss days during the course. Youth from shacks need to protect belongings during heavy rains and flooding with the result they are unable to attend class.
We have had instances where we have asked learners to leave as they have failed to comply with certain conditions. This drastic measure is only undertaken when all attempts at counseling has failed and behavior has not changed.
Graduation
It is a pleasure to see the students graduate. Their sense of pride and achievement is palpable and this has a positive effect on facilitators and students alike. The graduates receive a certificate which is issued by the Salesian Institute Youth Projects/YES Project. We include our Service Provider details from the Department of Labour on the certificate.
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Success Stories
We had many success stories but two stand out as remarkable given these learners backgrounds.
Maxwell
Maxwell lived under a bridge before joining our bricklaying course. He stayed in one of the shelters in the ity while he attended the course, was on time and never missed a day. He showed dedication and commitment to his work which resulted in him being placed with an electrical company in Cape Town. He showed the same dedication and commitment to this company as he did to the course with the result that he is now going to do an apprenticeship with this organization. He had the courage to turn his life right around, well done Maxwell.
Siyabonga
Siyabonga lived on the street for 9 months before turning his life around. He is a very determined and ocused young man today, successful in his job as a fireman. He attributes much of his success to firstly the 3 week life skills sessions he attended and secondly to the actual hard skills he acquired. He completed the Computer Literacy and Office Management and Computer Maintenance and Repair courses. While living in the shelter he was able to repair computers as an income and even repaired the office computers in the shelter. They were so impressed with his ability they gave him an old computer to fix and to keep. He was chosen as one the 50 or so successful candidates from over 350 applicants for firefighters for the City of Cape Town.
2008
We have had a very good response for the first courses of the year. We targeted schools in disadvantaged areas last year and as a result the students who matriculated last year are now attending the computer courses. We will continue to advertise in community centres, churches, libraries, clinics, schools and local newspapers. |
