WESSA Youth Volunteer Programme

About The Programme

One of the key challenges facing South Africa is how to harness the varied and massive potential of  young South Africans and to ensure that the youth can develop themselves and use their skills and  talents to participate and promote caring for the earth and to be part of the greater vision for the  country.   

The WESSA Youth Volunteer programme was conceptualized to gain a new type of commitment amongst young people through Volunteerism. To achieve this, the WESSA Youth Volunteer programme is focusing on providing appropriate coordinated support that builds on the strengths of young people through volunteerism in order to facilitate personal growth, accountability and social cohesion. 

By joining the WESSA youth volunteer programme, you will be helping to provide valuable support for important environmental initiatives and will be part of a growing environmental network operating at a grassroots community level. 

WESSA youth volunteers work to: 

• • • • • Protect and conserve natural habitats and biodiversity, by participating in important environmental action projects
        • Engage with individuals and communities to enable them to live more sustainably
        • Create opportunities for social and economic upliftment through environmental education and skills development
        • Collaborate and network with groups and organisations that have similar objectives
        • Raise awareness and promote public participation around important environmental issues

WESSA Youth Volunteers receive opportunities to attend introductory and volunteer induction courses. These courses provide mentoring and skills development as part of our Green Matchmaking and Environmental Leadership programmes. The WESSA Youth Volunteer Programme is linked to the WESSA One Million Youth initiative – an exciting programme which strategically coordinates all youth work and provides a platform for South African youth to actively participate in achieving the sustainable development agendas. For more information click here.

The WESSA Youth Volunteer Programme assists youth to identify and to understand the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, targets and indicators, it also gives them the confidence to positively contribute towards localizing the SDG’s and the 2030 agenda.

The objective is to have an inclusive approach by reaching out to all. This way we can ensure we leave no one behind and we reach our goal to be champions for the environment by promoting participation in caring for the earth. The strategy is built on the foundations of a one WESSA, one WORLD.

The programme is developed on the pillars, Namely: 

• • • • Leaving no one behind
      • Grassroots approach
      • Reaching out to all

The Programme recognizes youth development as it relates to addressing skills shortfalls and transitory mechanisms for young people between school, college and university to the workplace. The aim is to lower the levels of unemployment and improve social cohesion in our country. We aim to actively encourage youth to take charge of their personal and economic growth.

The programme seeks to increase the capacity of youth in order to support positive action towards the environment and to contribute to the welfare of those around them. The focus is on patriotism, social cohesion and volunteerism 

WESSA and UN Environment Programme SDG Classroom

The SDG Classroom designed by WESSA and the United Nations Environment Programme, aims to educate and equip the youth of South Africa to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals within their local communities, to act, conserve, protect and care for the earth.

Experiential learning is a process through which youth develop knowledge, skills, and values from direct experiences outside a traditional academic setting. The SDG Classroom has been designed for youth to participate in experiential learning through: 

• • • • Reflection, critical analysis and synthesis
      • Opportunities for youth to take initiative, make decisions, and be accountable for the results 
      • Opportunities for youth to engage intellectually, creatively, emotionally, socially, or physically 
      • A designed learning experience that includes the possibility to learn from natural consequences, mistakes, and successes

Encourage 

Young people to become active local citizens by offering education and learning opportunities through the SDG Classroom, the classroom consist of high-level interactive games and activities.

Empower 

Young people with the tools and information to develop key competencies

Deliver 

Young people with the capabilities to identify opportunities to action and promote the SDG’s

Contact your local WESSA Office.