Heart and Talent Foundation: Grooming the Youth for the Workplace
The Heart and Talent Foundation and Harambee to help curb the problem of unemployment.
Harambee is a youth employment accelerator founded by a group of employers who were faced with the challenge of employing, as well as retaining staff. Using a unique approach, they chose to address the high rate of unemployment among South African youth.
Harambee has now placed over 30 00 young people with more than 300 of South Africa’s top companies across the country.
This includes well-known companies like Hollard, Woolworths, Nando’s, Standard Bank, Pick ‘n’ Pay and Burger King. They source their candidates from a large pool of young people who have the potential to work, but lack the experience.
From there they are assessed, following assistance to get them work ready and in touch with a suitable employer, based on where they are residing, as well as the most convenient.
The partnership between Harambee and The Heart and Talent Foundation (HTF) was born from this idea which was in aid of identifying, within the Eldorado Park community, the youth, between the ages of 18 to 34, which would like to apply for the programme.
With the high unemployment rate in Eldorado Park, it has become their (HTF) mission to decrease the unemployment rate in Eldorado Park by exposing the youth to this free opportunity given by Harambee.
On May 17, at the Don Mateman Civic Centre Hall, in Extension Five, Harambee and HTF set up their website. Feedback was received as soon as the doors were opened for access, and job seekers came through in large numbers.
Wade Vinnicombe, an applicant who was sitting at the table inside the Civic Centre, said, “I actually have a study group at the Don Mateman Hall with some of my fellow students and on our way here to our daily study group, upon we saw people applying for the skills development, we received information outside and that inspired us to apply as well, because what is happening over here is good and it is helping our community.”
For more news follow us on these platforms:
Twitter: @SowetoUrban
Facebook: Soweto Urban News
News site 1: Westside-Eldos Urban News
News site 2: Soweto Urban News
