To kick off Youth Month, like-minded youth with a common goal to become an impactful group towards the growth of Umdoni Local Municipality recently gathered for a two-day session of the Umdoni Youth Summit, which was held at the Premier Resort Cutty Sark Hotel in Scottburgh.
Youth structures and government departments deliberated on various issues with a view of making resolutions that will be utilised in advancing the youth’s vision of a youth-conscious and youth-inclusive municipality. The summit aimed to emphasise on the criticality of youth structures as they play a significant part in the development of any society.
“Youth structures provide a platform for youth participation in decision making and for the shaping of the future. A youth with a vision and that is goal-driven will ensure the cultivation of any organisation and community,” said Councillor Zwelethu Jeza, Umdoni’s Deputy Youth Champion.
Skills development and training, sport development and training, youth economic participation and youth council participation were some of the key talking points and various government departments presented their respective roles and responsibilities pertaining to the local youth.
The summit was abuzz with ideas and guided with constructive information from the departments and various stakeholders.
Thami Zwane, new chairperson of the Youth Council, said that it was an honour to be entrusted with his position and that he holds his position with utmost respect, vowing to benefit youth from all walks of life, regardless of race, sex or creed.
“Sports programmes deliberated upon and adopted will definitely assist in ensuring that sports development is taken seriously. I also note with concern the lack of assistance in SMME development; delegates of the summit proposed that funding must be made available to aid young people in business. Furthermore, the world requires job creators, not just job seekers; various programmes are also looking to be adopted to address skills development to close the unemployment gap,” Zwane added.
