Month celebrations
28 May 2007
Province-wide Youth Parliament workshops commence this week
The Public Participation and Communications Units of the North West
Provincial Legislature have embarked on their build-up to the Youth Month
celebrations starting in June. The Legislature begins with province-wide
workshops running from Tuesday, 29 May 2007 to Friday, 1 June 2007, followed by
a Parents Indaba to be held on Friday, 8 June 2007. These two are followed by
the Provincial Youth Parliament, which takes place at the Legislature on
Thursday, 14 June culminating in the national Youth Parliament taking place in
Cape Town from Thursday, 21 to Friday, 22 June 2007 where 12 youth from across
the province will be representing the North West at Parliament.
The aim of the Youth Parliament is to focus on the interests of, and the
issues facing the youth of our nation. The North West Provincial Legislature
takes youth issues very seriously hence a serious drive for every week of June
to have youth based or related issues. The objectives of the Youth Parliaments,
both nationally and provincially, is to debate contemporary issues facing young
South Africans including the role of constitutionally established structures.
It also aimed at creating an opportunity for the Youth to engage with
Parliament and the Provincial Legislatures. It is to encourage young people to
take part in decision-making and legislative processes, which directly affect
them, and to discuss sustainable developmental opportunities in South
Africa.
The themes of the Youth Parliament are "Masijule Ngenxoxo Lutsha
LwaseMzansi" meaning, "Let's deepen the debate, Youth of South Africa" which is
national theme and "Legislative Sector Protecting the Rights of the Youth"
which is the North West Provincial Legislature's theme.
The Youth Parliament workshops start in Lichtenburg in the Ditsobotla
Municipality at Boikhutso Community Hall on Tuesday, 29 May 2007, Moretele
Community Hall in Mathibestad in the Moretele Municipality on Wednesday, 30
May, Kanana Community Hall in Kanana in the Matlosana Municipality on Thursday,
31 May and at Huhudi Community Hall in Vryburg in the Naledi Municipality on
Friday, 1 June 2007. All workshops commence at 10h00 and are by invitation
only. 10 participants will be selected per district (per workshop) and these 10
will each represent their district at the provincial workshop to be held on
Wednesday, 13 June 2007, in Mafikeng. From these 40, a further 10 will be
selected to represent the North West province at Parliament at the end of the
month. An additional two learners from two senior primary schools in the North
West will be selected at observers to accompany the 10 to Cape Town.
Issues under discussion at the workshops will be skills developments
challenges facing the youth in south africa, drug-trafficking and its impact on
South African youth and youth and economic participation in the context of the
2010 Soccer World Cup. Questions to be answered at these workshops range from
strategies, interventions and mechanisms which can be introduced to address
issued relating to drug-trafficking amongst the youth through the economic
opportunities offered by 2010 Soccer World Cup and how youth can maximise
economic benefit from the event to the progress made to date in developing the
skills of young people in South Africa and what the main successes have
been.
The aim of the workshops is to take the concerns and frustrations of the
youth and their suggestion forward to the provincial workshop, Youth Parliament
and national Youth Parliament so that the relevant chairperson would, amongst
other things, ensure that the political report is submitted and processed
correctly. Inputs from the youth will be captured and written up in a report
that will reflect the discussions, issues and recommendations.
North West Provincial Legislature Youth Month activities
Tuesday, 29 May to Friday, 1 June 2007: Youth Parliament workshops
Friday, 8 June 2007: Parents Indaba
Wednesday, 13 June 2007: Provincial Youth Parliament workshops
Thursday, 14 June 2007: Provincial Youth Parliament
Wednesday, 20 June 2007 to Friday, 23 June 2007: National Youth Parliament,
Cape Town
Enquiries:
Ms Roberta Makhambeni
Media Liaison Officer
Tel: 082 779 4641
E-mail: roberta@nwpl.org.za
Issued by: North West Provincial Legislature
28 May 2007
