Two groups consisting of learners of the Kimberley Technical High School (THS), took first and second place after participating in a national Youth Advocacy Festival that recently took place in Pretoria.
These two groups formed part of five groups, and a total of 28 learners, of the school who participated in a five-month Engage South Africa my.voice Leadership and Civic Management programme.
This programme helps young people discover the necessary skills, knowledge, platforms, and confidence to find their voice as young leaders, and to become active and empowered citizens that are able to create a positive change in their communities and the country at large.
It included eight sessions of my.voice leadership and civic engagement training, four sessions of my.initiative mentoring that helped them design and implement their own youth-led community initiative or project to tackle issues of social justice in their immediate surroundings, and travelling to Pretoria where they participated in the national Youth Advocacy Festival.
Here, two groups of Kimberley THS took first and second place in the Engage South Africa my.voice Best Youth-Led Initiatives of 2022-’23.
The group Fighting Substance Abuse (FSA), who won first place, organised an incredible campaign to educate the youth at their school and the community about substance addiction and abuse, its dangers and the long-term effects that it has on the human body.
FSA created posters to raise awareness and organised an assembly where they invited speakers from the Department of Health and the Agape Drug Addiction Treatment Centre to encourage youth to enrol in programmes that would assist in reducing substance addiction.
The group Diamond Girls, who won second place, successfully mobilised their school and community members, and collected clothes and food to donate to the less fortunate.
They organised soup kitchens and created posters to raise awareness and to reduce poverty in their community.
