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YMCA Signs MoU
YMCA Signs MoU
The ever-proactive Greater Durban YMCA, which provides holistic support for young people, has signed an MoU with the Westville Community Corrections to enable both parties to work more closely together on projects to assist and support ex-offenders and help them integrate back into society.
The Y-Justice programme helps to transform young people "from subject to citizen" and is one of the focus areas of YMCA outreach. Y-Justice does ongoing work with low and medium risk ex-offenders from Westville Prison providing skills, education and support once they leave prison, and to oversee their integration for at least three years after parole or until they become fully independent and self sufficient.
The formal MoU was signed at a morning long workshop and presentation at the Durban YMCA, and commits both Community Corrections (ComCor) and YMCA to assist and support each another, working together and pooling resources. The MoU puts guidelines and rules in place to maximise the joint working relationship for increased efficiency.
Many success stories are lauded from the joint Y-Justice / ComCor project in recent years. One of them is a team of a dozen former offenders with an interest in upholstery. After serving their sentences, they all completed their SETA skills training and jointly opened a functional and operational upholstery business.
"It is a challenge for former offenders to re-integrate into society as finding gainful employment once a person has a prison record is a huge disadvantage and life-long challenge," suggests Mr Lee Mbongwe
"It's easy to ignite one match and watch a piece of paper burn," said Mbongwe: Head of Development of Medium C at Westville Correctional Centre. "The choice is does one want to light up the world or burn it down. You can make a difference with only one match," he said.
The MoU was signed by representatives from Westville Community Corrections; YMCA National and YMCA Durban. Present at the signing were representatives from Westville Correctional Services. The MoU is effective immediately.
The YMCA strives to empower young people for life, leadership and service. Durban YMCA is a registered NPO and is affiliated toSouth Africa YMCA - part of an organisation with 45 million members in 125 countries around the world which offers student accommodation to UKZN during the academic year, and comfortable andaffordable accommodation for visitors during the University vacations. The greater Durban YMCA serves over 5,000 young people with a variety of programmes aimed at improving their lives and equipping them for life, leadership and service.
For more info contact 031 - 305 4496 or visit https://www.dbnymca.org.za.