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Date : 04/12/2006
Source: The Presidency
Title: Mlambo-Ngcuka: National Youth Service Volunteer Campaign


Statement by Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, on the occasion of the launch of the second phase of the National Youth Service (NYS) Volunteer campaign, Union Buildings, Tshwane

Let me thank the National Youth Commission and the National Youth Service Unit for organising this media launch of the National Youth Service Volunteer campaign.

About the National Youth Service

The National Youth Service Programme (NYSP) is a youth development of government initiative championed by the Presidency. This initiative is aimed at engaging young people in activities that develop and benefit their communities, whilst acquiring skills that can enable them to access economic opportunities for sustainable livelihoods.

Various Cabinet meetings have examined the question of deepening youth development programmes and inextricably integrating them into the set targets of the national development programme.

As government, we agreed that the NYSP has a direct strategic fit with the second economy interventions of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA). Hence the Cabinet Statement of 23 November 2005 reads:

"The (Cabinet) meeting examined the question of short- and medium-term youth development programmes in the context of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative (AsgiSA). These include such opportunities as provided by the human resource development initiatives, expanded public works programme, development of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), Business Process Outsourcing and mineral beneficiation and 2010 Soccer World Cup projects."

Launch of the NYS

The Minister in the Presidency, Dr Essop Pahad, officially launched the National Youth Service Programme in Phillipi, Cape Town, in August 2004. After that launch, a lot of work has happened throughout the country as part of the rollout of the programme. Informed by the success of the initiative, the youth sector, working with government has agreed that the NYS programme rollout must be massified.

About the NYS Volunteer Campaign

In an effort to up-scale the roll-out of this programme, government mandated the National Youth Commission to spearhead the mobilisation of at least nine thousand (9 000) young South Africans across the country to register into the National Youth Service Volunteer Campaign during the months of December 2006-January 2007.

The underlying concept for this campaign is to mobilise these young people to provide voluntary services to their communities. Through their engagement in this NYS initiative, these young people will be given an opportunity to demonstrate their resourcefulness in the development of their communities. This initiative will also go a long way in inspiring local people to do things for themselves, i.e. providing local solutions to local problems -Vuk'uzenzele.

We, therefore, saw it appropriate to declare "Proud to Serve" as the main theme under which the activities of this campaign will be implemented.

As we are gathered here today, we do so to mark the national launch of this important campaign. It is further important to highlight that we are launching this campaign just on the eve of the International Volunteers Day, which will be celebrated all over the world tomorrow, 5 December 2006.

The main purpose of this campaign is to fulfil the following objectives:

* to inculcate a selfless culture of voluntary service amongst young people
* to mobilise at least 9 000 young people to provide essential services to develop and benefit their communities
* to create awareness and profile the National Youth Service
* to mobilise stakeholders for the massive implementation of the NYS, thereby assisting departments to meet their delivery targets
* foster social cohesion and re-integration of young people into their communities
* leverage the energy of young people in meeting the needs of their communities
* promote young people as resources and not problems in their communities.

In undertaking this work, the NYC is working with Umsobomvu Youth Fund, the National Youth Service Unit, Provincial Youth Commissions and Government Departments to identify and implement projects in various communities. All these institutions have committed to undertake and support various volunteer activities, which fall within their scope of work.

All the various sectors of youth organisations that are organised under the South African Youth Council should be mobilised to actively engage their membership in the activities of this campaign in their respective areas of operation.

A synopsis of programmatic activities

As we launch this campaign today, various departments and provinces are ready to hit the ground with the implementation of volunteer activities in communities. These volunteer activities will include:

* The Department of Transport will engage 1000 young people as Road Safety Ambassadors as part of Arrive Alive efforts during this festive season.

* The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) will engage about 1350 young people in Marine & Coastal Management related services along the coastline areas, including community clean-up activities.

* The Department of Agriculture will engage 1 000 young people and avail "Food Starter Packs" in establishing community food gardens as part of the department's Letsema campaign.

* The Department of Arts and Culture (DAC) will also engage young people in activities that educate and create awareness about our national symbols.

* The Department of Provincial Affairs and Local Government (dplg) in partnership Tshwane Metro, will engage 1 000 young volunteers to provide various essential services in Multi-Purpose Community Centres (MPCCs).

* Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) will engage young people in various sporting codes' activities through their "Siyadlala Mass Participation Programme."

* The Department of Health will engage volunteers in HIV/AIDS Awareness and health promotion activities.

We thank all the departments that undertook to support this important initiative and also call upon all other departments to follow this good example and integrate the activities of this campaign into programmes of their line functions.

At the same note, we are proud to announce that as we launch this campaign today, the provinces are ready to commence with the implementation of the campaign activities that I just alluded to. With this launch, we are not merely announcing an idea but, unveiling projects that are supported by practical activities that will be witnessed by many South Africans throughout the duration of this campaign and beyond.

For example:

* Only yesterday, the Western Cape Youth Commission engaged about 1 000 young people in anti-crime activities, as part of this campaign.

* The Eastern Cape Provincial Youth Commission is ready to engage 6 000 young people in various voluntary service activities in six municipal areas of that province.

* The Free State Youth Commission, in partnership with Meetsemaholo Local Municipality are ready to involve 1 000 young people in the voluntary service activities.

* On Saturday, 9 December 2006, the Gauteng Youth Commission will be utilising its Economic Youth Faire as a platform to launch the NYS Volunteer Campaign provincially.

Call to Action

As clearly demonstrated through the co-ordination of this campaign, its success depends on the full commitment of all partners involved.

We therefore call upon:

* All government departments to undertake and support the activities of this campaign by creating alignment and synergies with their existing programmes.

* Provincial and Local Government spheres to spare no effort in making the activities of this campaign a great success in their respective areas

* The Private Sector to join hands in unleashing their Corporate Social Investments to support this campaign. We also encourage private companies and State Owned Enterprises to align their planned charity work to the activities of this campaign.

* Young people themselves, through their organisations and individually, to heed this call and participate in large numbers in the activities of this campaign for the benefit of their own communities. Young people should not only participate in the designed activities of this campaign but they should also lead self-initiated activities.

Conclusion

Through the success of this campaign, we shall be declaring our state of readiness to participate in the activities of the 8th Annual Global Youth Service Days from 21 - 23 April 2007.

As the Presidency and as government as a whole we are very proud to be associated with the NYS and we are ready to provide all the necessary leadership and support in realising the noble intent of this campaign.

As Frantz Fanon once asserted, "each generation has its own mission in life, it is up to that generation to fulfil or to betray that mission." As we commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Soweto and connected uprisings, we are proud to say, the generation of 1976 defined its mission as that of tirelessly struggling to bring about liberation in South Africa. Without any cast of doubt, they chose to fulfil this mission.

The onus is with the current generation of young people to be given a platform to write their own legacy through voluntary service.

And the implementation of this campaign during this busy time of the year provides the broader youth sector with an opportunity to disprove the labelling of our youth as apathetic.

The Department of Provincial Affairs and Local Government and Government Communications have committed to avail their infrastructure in municipalities and Multi-Purpose Community Centres for registration of the participants. The NYC Youthline will also be open during the festive season to provide all the necessary information on the campaign and other points where registration forms are available. Young people may call the Youthline on 0800 000 001 for further details.

Thank you.

Enquiries:
Thabang Chiloane
Spokesperson of the Deputy President
Cell: 082 888 8783
Monde Mkalipi
National Youth Commission
Cell: 082 575 3976
Issued by: The Presidency
4 December 2006

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