Empowering young people

DSV has been a major sponsor for Empowervate Trust’s Youth Citizens Action Programme (Y-CAP) for the past five years. Through this partnership, DSV has helped Y-CAP to change the lives of more than 36,000 primary and high school learners across South Africa from rural to urban areas.

The programme is implemented in over 700 schools in collaboration with the Department of Basic Education and provides young leaders with project management, social entrepreneurship and life skills through the Y-CAP Toolkit and workshops. Y-CAP also gives the learners a platform to showcase their impactful sustainable projects at district, provincial and national level.

Learners become agents of change as they develop practical skills in communication, organization, project management, team work, leadership, time management, discipline, commitment, perseverance, public speaking and information technology. Importantly, they gain a sense of ownership in solving problems. At the same time, social, environmental, educational and economic problems are being solved by the youth!

Y-CAP celebrates its tenth anniversary this year and is expected to reach another 7,000 learners this year.

Jenna Fulcher, Industrial Engineer at DSV adjudicated the YCAP Nationals in Durban in 2017, “It was mind-blowing to see projects successfully implemented, and we believe so much in the programme because it empowers the youth to be active problem solvers and change agents in their communities.”

District eliminations take place in May, provincials in June, Youth Month, and the national champions will take place at the end of Mandela Month, in July.