New groundBREAKER’s start training
JOBURG - LoveLife’s groundBREAKER programme is based on an understanding of peer motivation and training.
The programme, the country’s largest youth leadership development initiative, has been successfully implemented nationwide for the past 14 years.
In all nine provinces, 687 young people – aged between 18 to 25 – will undergo Core 1 training which prepares them to serve in a year-long peer motivation and leadership programme. As peer motivators and community mobilisers, they implement the organisation’s comprehensive healthy sexuality, positive lifestyle and skills development programmes in schools, clinics, loveLife Y-Centres (youth centres) and community-based organisations nationwide, reaching more than a million youth aged 12 to 19.
Over the two-week course, the groundBREAKERs will be equipped to accurately inform and assist youth to tackle widespread challenges.
Speaking about Core 1, Nomxolisi Malope, loveLife’s senior manager in charge of games and schools said, “This training will give our groundBREAKERs skills that will not only prepare them to implement loveLife programmes, but that will empower them to achieve their goals long after their year-long tenure is over.
“The groundBREAKER programme aims to develop strong, professional, self-driven young leaders who are social change agents in their communities. The programme aims to increase their assertiveness, confidence, self-awareness and health-seeking behaviour as they encourage other young people to do the same,” said Malope.
Each groundBREAKER will work with a team of five mpintshis (loveLife volunteers) who they will guide and support in the implementation of loveLife programmes. During the training, valuable skills for recruiting, maintaining and mentoring will be provided.
In the last evaluation, 65.3 percent of groundBREAKERs were either in full-time employment or education two years after participating in this programme, which is significantly higher than the general population with similar characteristics.
This is a great success for the programme considering South Africa’s high youth unemployment rate.
The groundBREAKERS, equipped with a set of new skills, will soon help the South African youth tackle a number of sensitive issues for the good of society.
Details: 011 523 1000.
