The Eastern Cape department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture (DSRAC) this year achieved its objective to integrate the National Youth Camp (NYC) into the department’s mandate.
This was confirmed by DSRAC general manager Deidre Sedras who was speaking at the closing ceremony of the week-long Trailblazers National Youth Camp held in Port Alfred last week. This is in line with EC DSRAC’s vision to promote a united, active and winning province through sport, recreation, arts and culture.
Sedras expressed her satisfaction on how the 250 Trailblazers responded to the youth camp and its objectives. But above all, she was particularly pleased that they displayed high levels of discipline and punched above their weight in understanding the three core themes making up the camp – leadership, social cohesion and nation-building.
These were complex concepts to be mastered in just one week, she said, but what was going to be a defining moment for the Trailblazers was to live by the these concepts in their various communities.
“When you are on the sports field or in your community, I want you to communicate the message that the future of South Africa is bright and that you want to be part of building that future,” Sedras said. “You never know when opportunity will come knocking at your door but you have to be ready at all times to accept it when it comes your way.
“And it is sport, nothing else, that has the power to change the world.”
Sedras encouraged the Trailblazers to take up leadership roles in their schools, sport clubs and communities in order for the objective of the youth camp to be fully realised. They should do so in such a manner that they become ambassadors of the envisaged prosperous South Africa united in diversity.
At the end of the youth camp, 10 Trailblazers were selected by their peers as “leaders”. They are Amy Gradwell, Odile Maree, Siyanda Nogwanya, Quaid Jefferies, Nukou Booysen, Indibabale Vanda, Lishaan Macomas, Sam Solz, Adam Nolte and Mihlali Dyonase.
The majority of the 10 leaders are from Joe Gqabi District and NYC host – the Sarah Baartman District.
The 10 shining stars will be roped in by DSRAC into its youth development programmes.
Sedras said: “We will not start something and then just let you go. Therefore we will further groom, nurture and mentor the 10 young leaders.”
From the 10, promised Sedras, a further four, will be selected to live and work in Germany as part of the twinning agreement between the Eastern Cape provincial government and the State of Lower Saxony.
The selected chairwoman of the Trailblazers 2016 group Sam Solz expressed gratitude to camp organisers of behalf of the Trailblazers.
“During the duration of the youth camp, we, the Trailblazers, have learnt a handful of useful skills and techniques,” she said. “We had a great experience and will go back to our communities to practise what we’ve learnt and encourage others to follow suit.”
After four years of the camp taking place in Port Alfred, there is talk of a change of venue for next year. But this has been met by resistance from the ANC in the Sarah Baartman region who are strongly opposed to the proposed move to take the NYC elsewhere.
Their argument is that the event was declared the flagship of the district back in 2012 by then MEC of DSRAC Xoliswa Tom.
National Youth Camp a huge success
This was confirmed by DSRAC general manager Deidre Sedras who was speaking at the closing ceremony of the week-long Trailblazers National Youth Camp held in Port Alfred last week. This is in line with EC DSRAC’s vision to promote a united, active and winning province through sport, recreation, arts and culture.
Sedras expressed her satisfaction on how the 250 Trailblazers responded to the youth camp and its objectives. But above all, she was particularly pleased that they displayed high levels of discipline and punched above their weight in understanding the three core themes making up the camp – leadership, social cohesion and nation-building.
These were complex concepts to be mastered in just one week, she said, but what was going to be a defining moment for the Trailblazers was to live by the these concepts in their various communities.
“When you are on the sports field or in your community, I want you to communicate the message that the future of South Africa is bright and that you want to be part of building that future,” Sedras said. “You never know when opportunity will come knocking at your door but you have to be ready at all times to accept it when it comes your way.
“And it is sport, nothing else, that has the power to change the world.”
Sedras encouraged the Trailblazers to take up leadership roles in their schools, sport clubs and communities in order for the objective of the youth camp to be fully realised. They should do so in such a manner that they become ambassadors of the envisaged prosperous South Africa united in diversity.
At the end of the youth camp, 10 Trailblazers were selected by their peers as “leaders”. They are Amy Gradwell, Odile Maree, Siyanda Nogwanya, Quaid Jefferies, Nukou Booysen, Indibabale Vanda, Lishaan Macomas, Sam Solz, Adam Nolte and Mihlali Dyonase.
The majority of the 10 leaders are from Joe Gqabi District and NYC host – the Sarah Baartman District.
The 10 shining stars will be roped in by DSRAC into its youth development programmes.
Sedras said: “We will not start something and then just let you go. Therefore we will further groom, nurture and mentor the 10 young leaders.”
From the 10, promised Sedras, a further four, will be selected to live and work in Germany as part of the twinning agreement between the Eastern Cape provincial government and the State of Lower Saxony.
The selected chairwoman of the Trailblazers 2016 group Sam Solz expressed gratitude to camp organisers of behalf of the Trailblazers.
“During the duration of the youth camp, we, the Trailblazers, have learnt a handful of useful skills and techniques,” she said. “We had a great experience and will go back to our communities to practise what we’ve learnt and encourage others to follow suit.”
After four years of the camp taking place in Port Alfred, there is talk of a change of venue for next year. But this has been met by resistance from the ANC in the Sarah Baartman region who are strongly opposed to the proposed move to take the NYC elsewhere.
Their argument is that the event was declared the flagship of the district back in 2012 by then MEC of DSRAC Xoliswa Tom.
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