Eleven young adults received certificates after competing an upskilling programme which will assist them with securing job opportunities.
The Passport to Success (PTS) programme was organised by the non-profit 9Miles Project and held at their headquarters in Strandfontein from Monday 2 June until Friday 6 June.
9Miles was founded in Cape Town in 2013 by Nigel Savel and his wife Sher’Neil. It provides safe spaces and structured after-school programmes for impoverished and vulnerable children from marginalised coastal communities.
Previously, People’s Post reported that the surf-support group surpassed their fundraising target and collected more than R100 000 at their 100 Wave Challenge at Strandfontein on Saturday morning 3 May.
The goals of the programme were to develop confidence and prepare the 11 young adults who took part in managing their first job and exploring entrepreneurial ambitions.
“PTS is an accredited, immersive programme tailored for young adults aged 18–29. Through roleplaying, storytelling and hands-on learning, it helps youth confront self-doubt, develop emotional intelligence, and gain the personal and professional tools they need to thrive in the real world,” said 9Miles spokesperson Margo Carelse.
The participants covered the following themes during the workshops: Managing Strong Emotions, Assertive Communication, Entrepreneurial Thinking, Goal Setting and Workplace Readiness.
“The workshops focused on emotional regulation, communication, and confidence building, these young people were given tools to rise above their circumstances and shape a better future,” said Carelse.
People’s Post spoke with three young participants to uncover what they learnt.
Michelle Saidi (21) from Lotus River says she was introduced to the programme through a friend.
She says it was thrilling meeting people from different backgrounds and improving her public speaking.
“What I found most exciting about the programme was the role play we did in groups. It was very fun and I enjoyed it the most.
“However, the challenging part was answering questions in front of everybody because there were times that I was not confident about my answers and I was scared of giving the wrong answers, but I overcame it as the day went by,” she recalled.
In the future she would like to do aupair overseas and specifically in New York.
“I love kids and I’m passionate about working with them. I would recommend these workshops to other people because it teaches you a lot about life and how to deal with difficult situations and how to react to them and becoming responsible, which is something most people struggle with,” she said.
Niyaaz Schuller (21) also completed the course and lives in Schaapkraal.
“I saw ad on our community WhatsApp group about the programme and immediately applied as I felt like the ad spoke to me and my interests. I got to meet new people from different backgrounds and it allowed me to see life in a new perspective,” he explained.
Schuller hopes to attend similar skills training workshops and work on building his own company brand one day.
“I hope there will be more courses such as this one available for the youth. I’d like to thank the facilitators and those that worked behind the scenes to make this possible,” he said.
For details call Carelse at 062 305 6176.
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