The Gauteng Social Development MEC Morakane Mosupyoe says young people need skills and economic opportunities so that they can be involved in programmes that respond to their socio-economic conditions.
Mosupyoe was speaking during the official opening of Ikusasa Lethu Youth Development Project (IYDP), a centre of excellence based in Alexandra township, on Thursday.
She said, "Many have characterised the current youth as the 'lost generation'. However, I want to contend that young people are not lost, and they do not need to be found."
"Our youth need training, they need to be involved in programmes that prevent crime and substance abuse. Through the Department of Social Development Centres of Excellence, we can offer these programmes to the youth in our communities that will fundamentally change the lives of many young people for the better," said Mosupyoe.
The centres of excellence were piloted in the year 2015, and were developed to integrate all services offered within a Development Centre Model, to provide quality accredited training services to the youth.
They offer state of the art facilities for accredited artisan training, hospitality and culinary training, IT and horticulture training that most of our community-based training institutions lack.
Those that will benefit from the establishment of IYDP are young people, particularly unemployed and poor, and welfare recipients such as unemployed young mothers receiving Child Support Grant, recovering substance users, and victims of gender based violence.
Speaking at the opening, IYDP Chairperson, Constance Benesh said "Today we are not only launching Ikusasa Lethu Youth Development Project but it is a realization of a dream."
"Growing up in the rural Eastern Cape, where a friend of mine committed suicide because of poverty, has encouraged me to be part of this organization so that I can help support young people who cannot provide for themselves and their families," she said.
Benesh has thanked the Department, through its Sustainable Livelihood Programme, for the support and has devoted herself to assist the most vulnerable youth in Alexandra township.
A commitment was then taken by the Department to integrate some of the graduates at the centre to learnerships provided by the Gauteng Department of Social Development.