Skills centre creates opportunities for youth

A Cape Flats training centre is celebrating seven years of helping young people find jobs.

Youth Impact and Sustainable Solutions (Yiss), which is based at Crystal High, in Hanover Park, claims to have trained more 300 youths for a range of jobs since it opened seven years ago.

According to co-founder Roberto Stemmet, most of the trainees either found employment, started their own businesses or went on to complete their studies at tertiary institutions. His wife and co-founder, Jesmina Stemmet, is the centre’s CEO.

“We are not just giving them a skill set, we are changing mindsets. All of the courses include life skills and business training. When they graduate, we also give them the tools they need, so we not only teach them to fish, but we give them the fishing rod as well. The hairdressing graduates, for example, receive hairdryers,” Mr Stemmet said.

All the courses are free, but after completing the course, the students go into an aftercare programme with a mentor, and are expected to complete 200 hours of volunteering a year.

The training includes career guidance, help with getting a learner’s licence and education on rape, drugs and gangsterism. The Yiss staff also do parenting programmes and home visits.

Yiss included the Fairy Godmother Seniors Club - an organisation it works with - in its anniversary celebrations last month.

“Women play an important role in the community. Many grandmothers are left to care for their grandchildren when the parents are caught in drugs, for example. The seniors are our stalwarts who still carry the morals we so need today, so we had to honour them,” Mr Stemmet said.

Former student Mark Downes completed barista and cooking courses with Yiss and now works in Doha, Qatar, as a junior bartender.

“I have the utmost gratitude towards the Stemmet couple for believing in me,” he said.

Aashiqah Pekeur, 21, who completed the hospitality course, said: “This opportunity opened up a new door for me. I used to be an introvert, but I have gained so much confidence. I want to become a chef and I needed basic training. Since matriculating, I have just come across closed doors. I just never made it into a tertiary institution. One gap year became another and another, until I arrived here. I am now doing a bridging course to help me continue my hospitality studies.”

Farieda Casper, 23, who completed courses at Yiss, has been working as a facilitator for the organisation for the past five years now.

“My mother runs a safe house and there could be up to 20 children in our home at times. It was tough for me to share my mother with them. I had anger issues. Here I learnt how to manage my emotions. They moulded me into the person I am today. I now have the ability to help my community, which I thought I could never do.”

Kashiefa Jonathon completed a course in beauty and hairdressing.

“I am grateful for the opportunity, as I was able to further my studies at the College of Cape Town’s Wynberg campus and am the proud owner of a beauty salon I run from home. It doesn't end here for me as I would love to go work on a cruise ship and am currently busy applying for it.”

Yiss is supported by the Department of Social Development, and some businesses, but funding has dwindled since the Covid-19 pandemic.

If you can assist Yiss, call Ms Stemmet at 079 566 4448.