Indaba to tackle social issues facing teenagers

MORE than 900 high school pupils will descend on UWC at the weekend to attend the third annual Youth Indaba.

UWC’s HIV and Aids Programme and the City’s Youth Development and Early Childhood Development Directorate will host their annual indaba, where youth from high schools in Khayelitsha, Delft, Bishop Lavis, Mitchells Plain and Blue Downs will gather to talk about issues affecting their communities and the possible solutions.

The children from these communities form part of the jointly run Life Skills Healthy Living PhotoVoice Project, which teaches them basic photography skills facilitated by UWC’s staff and under the supervision of the City.

The project has run for three years. The project runs over three months and culminates in the indaba.

The PhotoVoice project offered high school pupils from a variety of schools the opportunity to look at their community from behind the camera lens – teaching them basic photography skills, while also creating awareness around important social and community issues.

UWC’s HIV and Aids Programme director, Joachim Jacobs, said groups of young pupils were given disposable cameras and asked to capture the social issues they faced.

“Some of the submissions illustrated teen pregnancies, substance abuse (and) peer pressure,” he said.

Jacobs said while the event promised fun, it was also a space to talk about issues affecting teens in Cape Town.

“This is a culmination of their work. On Saturday we will identify the best work we received. The photographs will be exhibited at the event.

“We need to inspire an attitude of resilience (in youth). Originally this was a daunting task for them, but I think many of the young people found it interesting being able to be photo journalists,” Jacobs said.

Speakers at the indaba will include Cape Town deputy mayor Ian Neilson, UWC deputy vice-chancellor of academic Professor Vivienne Lawack, City representatives, Jacobs and the junior mayor of the City of Cape Town junior city council.

Singer Jimmy Nevis will entertain and Good Hope FM DJ Carl Wastie will be the master of ceremonies.

City Youth Development projects manager Abigail Jacobs-Williams said the number of youth involved in the interactive life skills project had increased yearly, with many intrigued at the opportunity to learn about a new outlet to tell their own stories, through photography and the creative conceptualisation of their ideas.

“We target between 30 to 40 youth in every community. It is an opportunity to share their experiences with other communities,” she said.

“The programme has been appealing to youth.

“They get to take pictures and not use words, which is what they are usually asked to do.

“Now they can show us, visually, their experiences. It gives those who are vulnerable and previously not engaged a voice,” JacobsWilliams said.

We need to inspire an attitude of resilience in the youth