The City of Johannesburg’s Citizen Relationship and Urban Management (CRUM) Region F hosted a Youth dialogue event at the Workers’ Museum in Newtown.
The event was held under the theme “Youth leading transformative change and cultivating accountability”. It was held in partnership with Social Development.
The main objective of the dialogue, on Thursday, 30 June 2022, was to engage the Joburg youth on difficult yet important matters related to challenges they face.
Regional Director for Region F Irene Mafune delivered the keynote address while the Ward Councillor for Ward 59, Councillor Ian Nonkumbi, welcomed the attendees.
“Our youth is faced with various challenges, however, self-awareness is essential and one needs to reflect a bit and these kinds of engagement are important to create platforms for the youth to share their experiences and issues,” said Mafune.
“Such engagements play an important role in helping the youth to think and share ideas on the changes they would like to see and to contribute meaningfully to programmes and campaigns of the city,” Mafune said.
The programme incorporated different sessions including break-away group sessions focusing on youth issues such as access to education, entrepreneurship, gender based violence, drugs and substance abuse, skills development, unemployment, coaching and mentorship as well as the role of social media.
Among the attendees were officials from the city’s Social Development department and University of Johannesburg’s Community Engagement unit.
Some of the young people shared experiences on issues of access to job opportunities, skills development, training and internship, and other social issues which are overpowering the youth.
Wana Mubita, an international student from the University of Johannesburg, said: “We should be more practical in the way we educate people going through gender-based violence, we should offer more practical programmes where people are involved as these would be more beneficial to the community.”
Another University of Johannesburg student studying industrial engineering, Mpho Mulaudzi, said the structure of education needs to be improved as young people have to be educated early on life skills and social boundaries.
Written by Dudu Lushaba
30/06/2022