Looking for a job in nature was the last thing Leandra Brandt (22) thought of. Now her future looks a lot rosier with serious prospects of employment since she has joined a nature conservation youth service programme in the Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve in the Western Cape in February this year.
Brandt is one of 70 previously disadvantaged young people who were selected for the one-year-programme, a joint venture between the Western Cape Nature Conservation Board (WCNCB) and Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF), a government-backed skills development and employment creation fund.
Three groups of 24 learners, aged between 18 and 25, are based at Vrolijkheid near McGregor, the Driftsands Nature Reserve in Delft, on the Cape Flats and the Witfontein Nature Reserve in Outeniqua, respectively.
UYF CEO Malose Kekana says the programme fulfils one of the goals of government’s national youth service programme, which is to provide unemployed young people with the opportunity to acquire skills and become of service to their communities and the country.
Vrolijkheid (meaning merriment) is located in the Breede River Valley in the Little Karoo south of Robertson and is characterised by low hills and flat gravel plains. Vegetation includes low Karoo shrubs, succulents and fynbos in the higher regions. Klipspringer, grysbok, grey roebuck and springbok are common in the area.
Participants on the conservation programme work towards achieving a National Resource Guardianship certificate and other sector education and training authority (Seta) qualifications, including entrepreneurial, business and computer skills. In addition, they acquire ‘soft” life skills such as conflict resolution, teamwork and self awareness, and ‘hard” life skills such as how to compile a CV and how to handle a job interview.
Brandt, who applied for a place on the programme after she saw it advertised in a local newspaper, says she particularly enjoys the life skills element of the programme.
‘I was brought up by my grandmother and don’t have a close relationship with my parents. The life skills part of the programme has helped me deal with issues relating to this and to develop a better relationship with my parents.”
Despite growing up in the beautiful area of Vrolijkheid in the Western Cape, Brandt says she was not tuned into nature and the beauty of her environment.
‘Since joining the programme, I have acquired a deep respect for nature and I definitely see a future for myself in conservation. Being a part of this programme has taught me that nature goes deeper than what the eye can see and I want to explore it more,” she says.
The programme is a residential one with participants living and working on site.
‘The Vrolijkheid team are pioneers of youth service programmes in conservation,” says site manager Deon Plaatjies. ‘They recently completed their first training session towards a Natural Resource Guardianship certificate at The Nature College.”
Plaatjies says participants begin their days at 6am and end at 10pm. ‘Our aim is to develop the young people holistically and, in addition to technical training, there is a strong focus on experiential service learning. They are involved in several community oriented activities throughout the day and they cook their own meals, wash their own clothes and study in their spare time,” he says.
At the college the participants receive theoretical input in the mornings and then go on practical excursions in the afternoons.
Typical activities include practical biology observations, identification of plants, birds, mammals, tracking and basic ecology; the erection, construction and maintenance of fences; practical windmill maintenance and repairs; and hands-on rehabilitation of eroded dongas and drifts.
Brandt believes the programme will open up numerous opportunities for her on completion early next year. ‘I feel confident that I will find some form of work when I finish the programme, either in nature conservation or by pursuing an entrepreneurial path,” she says.
The Umsobomvu Youth Fund
The Umsobomvu Youth Fund (UYF) was established by the government in January 2001 to create a platform for job creation, skills development and transfer for the South African youth. UYF has identified three major programme areas, namely n?Contact Information and Counselling (CIC);
– Skills Development and Transfer; and
– Youth Entrepreneurship.
The CIC programme gives young people access to information and counselling support. The Skills Development and Transfer programme equips young people with skills to access sustainable livelihoods, and offers clearly defined job opportunities for beneficiaries on exiting the programme.
The Youth Entrepreneurship programme facilitates economic participation by helping young people access sustainable business opportunities through funding and business development services. UYF has committed approximately R500-million to 90 projects over the past 36 months.