The objective of the workshop was to create awareness in Mossel Bay on the NYDA programmes, products and service offerings. The workshop tackled the "what, how, who, when and where" of the entrepreneurship world and encouraged young people to be innovative and creative in their entrepreneurial thinking.
"This workshop, to me, is of such importance as more and more of our youth are crying out for jobs. You can only create a job if there are enough entrepreneurs to create work," Mr Gelderblom said.
"The need of the youth in our rural communities differ and, at times, these needs do not coincide with the budgetary cycle. The NYDA is the vehicle to ensure that youth's needs are communicated, as they are open to your challenges.
"With the world economy going on a down-scale, more jobs are needed to feed our people. The global financial picture is not good. The NYDA is a part of the office of the President of South Africa. It is their task to see how the lives and socio-economic environment of the youth can be improved. I believe the NYDA is best placed to help our youth in rural areas.
"The NYDA is skilled to help our youth in the rural areas with information on how to get finance, to teach our youth the skills necessary to run their own enterprises. Our youth has to take the responsibility to become entrepreneurs and to create jobs in the process.
"I have observed a lack of interaction between rural towns and the NYDA. It is imperative that open communication exists between the NYDA and rural youth.
"I have to thank the NYDA and my Parliamentary office for arranging this opportunity for the youth of Mossel Bay to meet face to face with the people of the NYDA. The NYDA is there to engage the youth, also the youth of Mossel Bay, in government programmes that may assist and ensure entrepreneurial development," Mr Gelderblom concluded.
The NYDA continuously seeks to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship development, for social enterprises that promote employment opportunities and develop skills and knowledge, to address unemployment.
NYDA launched the Ithubalentsha Micro Enterprise Programme in 2012 to address the needs of young aspiring and established entrepreneurs in peri-urban and rural areas. Ithubalentsha uses a thoroughly mapped integrated approach that comprises the following five key pillars: Identification and Technical Training, Entrepreneurship training, Micro finance, Business Mentorship and Business opportunities and Market Linkages.
"Strategic partnerships and collaborations in advancing youth development have never been more important among the private, public and civil society organisations. This very outreach programme is an excellent example of such a partnership between ourselves and the Parliamentary Constituency Office in Mossel Bay and it is our ongoing commitment to host similar workshops in the very near future," Steven Ngubeni, NYDA Chief Executive Officer, added.
Youngsters had the opportunity to interact on a one-on-one basis with the head of the Mossel Bay Parliamentary Constituency Office, Mr Johan Gelderblom, Member of Parliament, and shared their hopes and entrepreneurial dreams with him.
