YCAP NATIONALS 2022: Showcasing the next generation of Active Citizens

During the weekend of 28 – 30 October 2022 the junior and senior provincial finalists competed in the National Championships of the 2022 Youth Citizen Action Programme. The first in-person event since the start of the Covid19 pandemic was the culmination of a year’s hard work in a showcase weekend held at Hotel Sky in Sandton, Johannesburg.

The 90 finalists from eight provinces had the chance to present their projects and show that they have made a sustainable impact on social, environmental, educational or economic challenges in their schools and communities.

The YCAP programme, powered by Empowervate, has been running since 2010. The programme empowers, motivates and equips our youth to identify and address social issues such as poverty, racism, social and economic challenges and gender inequality in their schools and communities.

“The finalists have showed their enthusiasm about becoming active citizens and creators of change in their communities while helping to step closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Empowervate CEO Amanda Blankfield-Koseff.

Through the 2022 programme, learners were provided with the YCAP step-by-step values and project management toolkit and in-person as well as online and some in-person workshops to launch their projects. The adjudicator feedback assisted the best of those impactful projects who made improvements to their portfolios to progress to the semi-finals and then the finals.

The programme is powered by the non-profit organisation Empowervate and is implemented in collaboration with the National Department of Basic Education. The 2022 national event is made possible by the headline sponsor, the National Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and the Institute of Internal Auditors as well as YouKnow Digital and Airlink.

The Covid19 pandemic, as with most other things has influence YCAP, its operations and entries and we grateful that we are moving to a more normal flow of events. This year almost 200 hundred schools registered to participate, comprising over 3500 primary and secondary school learners from across South Africa.

The showcase event included addresses by the DDG of the National Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, and the Director of Social Cohesion and Equity in Education.

The second day had inspirational guest speakers Thabiso Sikwane who runs Borona Productions and has a Foundation as well as Claude Ndeko who is a personal fitness trainer, life coach, NLP master practitioner and entrepreneur with an amazing personal story of overcoming and triumphing over adversity.

Heartfelt congratulations to the finalists for YCAP 2022, we at Empowervate are proud of you and your efforts.

The overall winners:

Junior Category

1. St Patrick’s Primary, KZN – Won R5000, tablets
2. Intermediate School Louisvale, Northern Cape – Won R3000
3. Gugulethu Primary, Free State – Won R1500

Senior Category

1.Willowridge High, Gauteng – Won R5000, tablets

2.The Glen High, Gauteng – Won R3000

3. Rainbow Preparatory Academy, Eastern Cape – Won R1500

IIA Budget Award

Junior:

1. De Deur Primary, Gauteng – won R3000
2. Insebenzwenhle Primary, KZN – won R2000
3. Ntokozweni Primary, Gauteng – won R1000

Senior:

1. Postmasburg Secondary, Northern Cape – won R3000
2. Taiwe Secondary, Free State – won R2000
3. Mathubesizwe Secondary, KZN – won R1000

The Voice Clinic Presentation Award

Junior:

1. Ncihana Junior Secondary, Eastern Cape
2. Eden Primary, Western Cape

Senior:

1. Shobiyana Secondary, Mpumalanga

Change Agent Sustainability Award:

Teacher: Dina Tladi, North West – won Boston City Campus Higher Certificate

Individual: Puseletso Mathe, North West – won Boston City Campus Higher Certificate

Best Provincial coordinator:

1. FS – Cecilia Komphela
2. NC – Wilfred Marais

Best District coordinator:

1. GP – Tshwane South, Christopher Mashala
2. FS – Moipone Tsoai, Lejweleputswa
3. KZN – Ilembe, KZN, Bheki Shwala

Best Educator:

1 Mandisa Mtolo  – KZN, Mathubesizwe Primary

2 Yolandi Opperman – Gauteng, De Deur Primary

3 Regina Adams – Western Cape, Eden Primary

Our finalists who showcased their impactful projects at the National Championships are:

Gauteng

De Deur Primary School – Environment: fixing the school yard

Ntokozweni Primary School – Poverty

The Glen High School – Mental Health

Willowridge High School – Social and Emotional Environment

Free State

Gugulethu Primary School – Unemployment and Poverty

Taiwe Secondary School – Substance Abuse

North West

Tirisano High School – Gender Based Violence

Mpumalanga

Shobiyana Secondary School – National Days

Kwa-Zulu Natal

St Patrick’s Primary School – Bullying

Insebenzwenhle Primary School – Unemployment

Mathubesizwe Secondary School – Mental Health

Western Cape

Eden Primary School – Unemployment

Monumentpark High School – Mental Health

Eastern Cape

Ncihana Junior Secondary School – Covid19 recovery

Rainbow Preparatory Academy – Environment and Food Security

Northern Cape

Buffelsrivier Primary School – Gender Based Violence

Louisvale Intermediate School – National Days

Postmasburg Secondary School – Mental Health

Together, we are encouraging the youth to be proactive, to be the change they want to see. Youth: Empowered.