The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) welcomes the launch of the You Decide campaign TV series, which is part of an anti-substance abuse partnership campaign between the South African Breweries (SAB), the NYDA and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The NYDA joined hands with SAB and the DTI to be part of this great initiative, the “You Decide” Underage drinking campaign, a comprehensive campaign aimed at tackling the scourge of underage drinking in our country. “We joined hands to tackle head on one of the biggest challenges that confront our youth and the future of this country. Too many young South Africans are engaged in alcohol and substance abuse. Young people should be addicted to education and not alcohol, it should be the book before the bottle for any learner!” says NYDA Chairperson Yershen Pillay.
As part of the on-going You Decide campaign, today saw the launch of the a reality TV show “One Day Leader presents Future Leaders” where teenage alcohol users embark on a 13-week real life adventure that encourages them to decide to stop drinking alcohol, pursue their dreams, turn their communities around and be positive role models to their peers. Speaking at the launch today Pillay said “As custodians of youth development we are encouraged by the strategic role that young people occupy in this great initiative. Through this campaign, we will be able to see young people working together in influencing one another in terms of behavioural change, only this time towards positive change.”
The You Decide campaign falls within the NYDA health and wellbeing focus, which has a focus on anti-drug and substance abuse campaigns. In April 2013, the NYDA concluded a peer counselling programme in partnership with SANCA having trained 520 peer counsellors in 26 schools in the Western Cape and 180 peer counsellors in nine schools in the Northern Cape. A further 28 young people were trained as ambassadors for substance abuse campaigns in Hammanskraal where the drug Nyaope is crippling the lives of many young people. “We acknowledge that much more needs to be done in the struggle for a drug free South Arica. The NYDA will continue to work with partners in the struggle against substance abuse,” says Pillay.
“We must be able to deal decisively with these threats to the well-being of our youth and ensure that we raise a productive nation, whose youth is able to actively participate in the socio-economic advancement of our country,” he concludes.
For media enquiries contact:
Siyabonga Magadla, National Youth Development Agency
Cell: 083 686 9016
E-mail: Siyabonga.magadla@nyda.gov.za
