Yesterday, 190 young people who were part of the 22 ALPHA course at the Chrysalis Academy graduated from the programme. This programme is a three-month development and empowerment course. The Chrysalis Academy is an initiative of the Western Cape Government (WCG) and commenced in the year 2000. The academy, which targets young people aged 18 -25, has to date seen more than 10 000 graduates.
These young people are from various communities across the Western Cape, such as Retreat, Lavender Hill, Khayelitsha, Philippi, Atlantis, Delft, Mossel Bay, Plettenberg Bay, the West Coast and many others.
During the various phases of the course, and amongst others, students received training in Basic Cookery, Office Administration, Security Training, Peace Officer, Welding, Office Administration and Electrical Circuitry. A focus was also placed on Personal Mastery, Emotional Intelligence, Leadership, Diversity and Conflict management, to develop important life skills.
Minister Reagen Allen said: “I’d like to congratulate all graduates on completing the course. They can be immensely proud of their accomplishment, as they demonstrated commitment and persevered. Since they have been empowered with various skills, insights and experiences, their responsibility is to now pay it forward and assist other young people in their various communities.”
“I am especially pleased that all graduates are matched with a 12-month long paid career opportunity, which will commence on 1 August 2022. These young people will amongst others be placed at municipalities, clinics, libraries and the SAPS. In addition to this, and as part of the continued manner in which graduates are developed and assisted, a 5-year after-care support programme is available to them, so that they are able to reach their full potential,” added Minister Reagen Allen.
Minister Reagen Allen continued: “The Chrysalis Academy, under the leadership of Dr. Lucille Meyer, should be commended for their hard work and dedication towards assisting young people at-risk. The Chrysalis programme continues to make a significant difference in the lives of many young people across our province.”
“As our ultimate goal is to half the murder rate in the province by 2029, I call on these graduates to help us in the overall fight against crime. Let’s discourage anyone who might be considering entering a life of crime. I further encourage our young people to join the various safety structures in their communities, so that we have more residents working against these evils in our society. In order for us to ultimately overcome the crimes that are plaguing our communities, we have to be united,” concluded Minister Reagen Allen.
