One of the biggest highlights of 2023 was the official launch of the YES! Project. This project was in incubation for a number of years, and CABSA was delighted when the URCSA Cape Synodical Commission for Diaconal Services grasped the dream and partnered with CABSA to launch two pilot sites in the Eastern Cape.
YES! Stands for Youth, Empowered, and Supported and focuses on unemployed out-of-school youth. They are inducted into the project through a five-day peer educator training and mentored and supported for 6 months by a Churches, Channels of Hope facilitator and faith leader from their area. Rev Clinton Petersen, who was trained as CCoH facilitator in 2004, and again in 2021, is the mentor for peer educators in Parkside, East London. Rev Simphiwe Tshabalala, who was trained as CCoH facilitator in 2021, is the mentor for peer educators in Dimbaza, outside Qonce.
“My day was so over the moon. I loved everything. I love my teachers. I also love my peer educators. I wish this could go forward.”
“I am so glad I got this opportunity!”
“It was huge, I feel like I can answer any question and it even helped me personally.”
Dimbaza YES! Peer Educators
We are delighted and grateful for the outcome of these pilots and are eagerly improving and adapting in accordance with the evaluation and lessons learned before entering the next cycle in April this year.
