YEP Clan, founded in 2007 and focusing on community development through
the empowerment of young people, started hiking on a monthly basis with
a group of kids ages 12-18 from Mandela Park in Khayelitsha. The primary
aim was to be able to provide the opportunity for the youths to experience
the beauty of nature, and visit places in Cape Town that none of them
had ever been, such as
Table Mountain.
Given the success of the hikes, which still continue years later under
the Greening Young Minds environmental Program, it became clear that
there was a huge need and desire for a constructive pastime for these
guys to put their energy into after school. In the absence of this,
the temptations of the gang and drug culture that dominate the lives
of youths on the Cape Flats become extremely
hard to avoid.
With the interest that later grew from young people in the community, came the development of other programmes that could possibly assist them in their growth and day to day desires. Today we are very proud as an organisation with the how organic our growth has been over the years and how well we have been received by the community and mostly young people in general.
However we are pleased to say that we are still continuing to find
ways and means that will further strengthen and develop young people,
allowing them to take their place in society by being better citizens
that can smooth the progress of society and humanity go forward
towards a common
vision for all.
Vision:
To see empowered youths that seek to initiate change in their lives and that of the greater communities.
Mission:
To empower young people in all aspects of leadership development,
encourage participation in sports and educational activities, and create
opportunities where young people can engage at
their full capacity.
- Replace negativities like drug abuse and gangsterism in our communities with positive activities.
- Create community builders out of young people, to take a positive stand in their communities through participation.
- Break down barriers between mainstream and marginalized youths by creating a platform through which they can explore other environments outside their own.
- Build healthier communities that inspire and motivate young people.