Earlier today, the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Mr Mcebisi Skwatsha presided over a graduation ceremony to honour 1104 participants of the National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC) who underwent a Youth Leadership Development Programme in 3 SAI Military Base in Kimberley, Northern Cape.
Deputy Minister Skwatsha said that the NARYSEC programme is aimed at providing rural youth with appropriate knowledge; skills; values and attitudes. It is also meant to empower them to transform their own lives; change for better the lives of their families and contribute towards changing the character of our rural communities.
After training participants must become change agents who contribute towards the vision of - “building vibrant; equitable and sustainable rural communities”
Deputy Minister Swatsha said the youth who graduated today have all been recruited from the feeder areas of the 44 Agri-parks across the country. The Agri-parks is flagship program of the department; as well as the broader Government.
“We are hopeful that most of these graduates will use their skills to participate in the economic opportunities created by these Agri-parks” he said.
In addition to inculcating discipline and patriotism, the objective of the Youth Leadership Development Training is to teach the new recruits vocational skills such as basic Personal Financial Management, OHS orientation, Hygiene, Fire Fighting and Civic education among others.
The NARYSEC programme is implemented by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform and is intended to contribute towards the state’s broader skills development initiatives for the country’s youth.
The programme targets unemployed youth from the rural areas who have completed a minimum qualification of grade 10. In 2010 alone when the programme started, over 7 000 participants were recruited and recent statistics show that in total the programme has recruited in 20 443 participants since it was established and the current number of remaining participants is 5161.
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Linda Page
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