The Pushin’ Progress youth life skills development initiative has 3 parts to it: Trailblazer+, Catalyst and the Community Partners Initiative.
- Trailblazer+ inspires and supports Grade 8-11 high school learners to create and lead meaningful change in their communities. The 9-month programme enables participants to learn skills that they can use in other parts of their lives; at school, when applying for a job, or doing further studies.
- Catalyst supports young people between the ages of 18 and 30 years to take charge of their lives and gain personal and professional development skills, develop a spirit of entrepreneurship, and understand pathways to employment, education, or enterprise development.
- The Community Partners Initiative is a 12-month pathway where organisations collaborate with the youth life skills development initiative’s implementing partner, Enke, to provide leadership and livelihoods development opportunities to young people.
A graduation ceremony was held at the De Aar Country Club on Saturday 25 March 2023, to celebrate and acknowledge those who completed the 6-month Catalyst Programme. Participants shared their personal development experience, encouraging their peers to apply to join the next intake of participants.
“I am proud to say that the programme helped me to enlarge my vision, giving me the motivation and discipline to remain on my path. I would like to encourage young people to not surpass opportunities like these that bring us hope.”
Mmabatho Marambane, a participant.
“The programme has enabled me to be more open minded and empathetic towards others. It provided the platform to identify my strengths and contributed to my choice of career path. I recently received a bursary from the Sibona Ilanga Trust and will be joining the South African Police Service.”
Abegail Isaacs, a participant.
