We kicked off Youth Month by doing a Q&A with our CEO, Michael Carolissen on the importance of youth development. Every young person carries a dream, a purpose, and untapped potential. When we invest in youth development, we equip them with the tools, confidence, and opportunities they need to thrive and become catalysts for positive change.
Q:Why is Youth Development so important?
A: With limited opportunities available in the country, the greatest impact is felt by the youth. As they strive to complete their studies and step into a career, they find that there is massive unemployment, very few resources to support them, and as a result, their hopes and dreams are shattered before they even get the opportunity to make them a reality. There are many who end up despondent and because of a need for income, they turn to unethical or illegal ways to acquire it. This leads to many losing their life or spending most of it in and out of prison.
Q: You have walked with our youth from the very beginning, what challenges do most of our youth face?
A: Every single individual that I’ve engaged with over the past 7 years struggles with the same issue, Identity. They either have a low self-image that they are trying to hide through aggressive behaviour, or they have been traumatised to the point that they don’t have any self-worth and look for this acknowledgement in all the wrong places. The Identity is key for them to know what they are capable of, who they are as God created them and sees them. There is nothing worse than waking up everyday believing that you offer nothing and the world agrees.
Q: How is The Father’s Heart investing into our youth, to help mitigate these challenges?
A: The Father’s Heart is doing what the name says, we are showing these young people, what the heart of the father is, and what it means for them. We look at the person, the individual needs and talents and unearth that, showing them how and why God created them, restoring their Identity to ensure that each one of them has the resources to go on and achieve what they set their hearts to achieve. We want every single one to know that there are people in this fallen world, that loves them, sees them and cherishes them, so that they never feel alone and forgotten.
Q: What impact have you seen through the programmes?
A: We seen true growth in our children, we have seen the development of their minds, hearts, character, and self-image, they have begun to flourish, to find those talents hidden inside that they can use for a better future. We have many success stories, young kids that joined, went on to complete schooling and tertiary studies and now they find themselves in positions where they can live a fulfilled life. Unfortunately, this is not reality for all, some have fallen away along the journey, they choose to not take the opportunities with both hands, and this we have to accept, because we cannot do this for them, this is not a hand out, they are responsible for how far they want to get in life. Thankfully, the majority want to be successful, they want to break the cycle they find themselves in and they want to know their God given Identity.
Q: What gives you hope for the next generation?
A: We have seen a shift in the hunger of this new generation, they want better and they want more, there is a shift in the poverty mindset that may have affected their parents, and they want to make the most of the resources that we have for them. This group is helping shape how we approach development, they are verbal and open to research and learning. This generation truly understands that if they want it, then they can achieve it. The opportunities are there for them, for tangible life change.
