Youth Centre assists youngsters

The Carletonville Youth Centre is a little gem in the municipality of Merafong.

It is a non-profit, apolitical, community-based organisation, endorsed by the National Youth Development. The organisation was established as a one-stop development centre and a multi-resource facility. Here, young people are integrated into youth development programmes across sectors, thus promoting social activism and upliftment in key areas. These include socio-economic development, arts and culture, sports and recreation, education and skills development.

The centre also offers holiday programmes, kiddies’ fun days and programmes for entrepreneurship and skills development. It is also the venue for the mayoral Christmas programme, the indigent community outreach programme, to name just a few. The organisation also targets child-headed families and numerous other vulnerable groups as part of its community work. These include the indigent, disabled, unemployed youth, HIV affected and infected, youth in conflict with the law and rural/peri-urban groups.

The centre enjoys assistance from Nedbank, Merafong Charity Network Amadeka events, Jacky Machema, Bobo Ndlakuse, Merafong Fitness, Inkanyezi Charity Group and the Detox Lounge. The Carletonville youth centre is currently working in partnership with an organisation known as Mas Tutorial Solutions (MAS TUTS) which is a youth-based intervention programme providing tutorial sessions for young people in and around Merafong. It provides academic support services, particularly in mathematics, accounting and science subjects. There are special services for learner groups from Grade 8 to 12 and FET students N1-N4.

The mission of the Carletonville Youth Centre is to establish sustainable partnerships with the public and private sector in a bid to create a community of young people that actively participate in their own development.

For more information, visit 9 Calcite Street in Carletonville or call 018-780-5010.