On 6 April 2023, 220 young women from across the Western Cape graduated from the Chrysalis Academy. Students completed a holistic, 3-month programme that focused on personal mastery, leadership, technical and vocational, training, and community service. The Technical and Vocational Training offered during this course included Basic Cookery, Early Childhood Development, Security Training, Peace Officer Training, Youth Development, Office Administration, and Occupational Safety Training. On 11 April, all students commenced their 12-month EPWP at the Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety’s various safety partners, including SAPS. The objective of these placements is for graduates to gain much-needed work experience.
It was a joyous celebration of youth achievement, attended by parents, other family members, Chrysalis Academy Trustees, and two MECs from the Western Cape Provincial Government, Ministers Fernandez and Allen. The keynote address was delivered by the Minister of Social Development, MEC Sharna Fernandez. She addressed students stating, “Here at the Chrysalis Academy, you have been taught to stand in your power, with confidence. I wish that you use this power for good in the spaces you occupy. Be change-makers. If you are going back to homes where there is domestic abuse and violence, for example, I urge you to seek help urgently, whether it be for yourself or a relative”.
The Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, MEC Reagan Allen put a call to action and said that, “The investment in our young people will always be very important. The manner in which this academy is making a difference in the lives of these young people can never be downplayed. Not only does it impact the individual, but it also brings about a change in their families, which in turn can lead to considerable changes in their communities. They have a responsibility now to take the skills and insights that they have obtained and to not only apply it to themselves, but to influence other young people in their area, so that they too can make choices that will divert them away from choosing paths that could be detrimental.”
