Cape Town - The Department of Community Safety and Police Oversight is proud of the 190 formerly unemployed youth who graduated from the Chrysalis Academy.
The youths, who were part of the academy’s 22 Alpha course, graduated at the weekend from a three-month development and empowerment course. They will now be matched with a 12-month-long paid career opportunity.
Community Safety and Police Oversight MEC Reagen Allen said the graduates should be proud of their accomplishment, as they demonstrated commitment and perseverance.
“I’d like to congratulate all graduates on completing the course. These young people have been empowered with various skills, insights and experiences. It is now their responsibility to pay it forward and assist other young people in their communities.
“The Chrysalis Academy, under the leadership of Dr Lucille Meyer, should be commended for its hard work and dedication towards assisting young people at risk. The programme continues to make a significant difference in the lives of many young people across our province,” he said.
Allen said the department’s goal was to halve the murder rate in the province by 2029, and he called on the graduates to help it in the overall fight against crime.
The Alpha course offers training in, among others, basic cookery, office administration, security training, peace officer, welding, office administration and electrical circuitry.
The graduates will be placed in environments such as municipalities, clinics, libraries and the SAPS for the next 12 months.
Chrysalis director Lucille Meyer said: “In the 22 years we have been running, I have seen the impact Chrysalis has had on the lives of the youth who have gone through the programmes we have here.
“About 80% of the young people we take would have dealt with some form of trauma in their lives, and after the course, they would have received counselling support to turn their lives around.
“Many young people we have worked with are now in law enforcement, municipalities, and even running their own businesses. The course is becoming so popular that we have a backlog of applicants.
“For this cohort, we had over 2 000, and we took 190 because Covid-19 regulations had eased. For our next one in September, we are hoping to take even more,” she said.
