CUT entered into a partnership with Youth Managers Foundation (YMF) in May 2016.  YMF is a Non-Profit Company incorporated primarily to address leadership skills of the youth, mentorship and career guidance support to young leaders from high schools across South Africa. The organisation partners with high schools in disadvantaged communities and provides youth leadership development, mentorship and career guidance to grades 8-12 learners.

YMF currently support schools in the provinces of Kwazulu-Natal (5 schools) and Gauteng (10 schools). The YMF programmes aims to develop qualities in learners’, which are believed to be critical in unleashing their true potential. These programmes enjoy financial support from corporates such as Shanduka, KPMG, Transnet, etc. and are offered to the schools at no cost. YMF wishes to expand their programmes to the Free State and CUT has been identified as a strategic partner to support this initiative in the province.  To this end, CUT has assisted YMF in identifying three schools under Motheo District that will benefit from the programme in 2016, namely Bainsvlei Combined School, Brebner Secondary School and Heartherdale Secondary School. These schools were identified due to their long-standing partnership with CUT through programmes such as the Winter School, Saturday School Technology Project and the Educator Mentorship and Development Programme. On 23 July 2016, YMF will conduct the first workshop where these schools will be trained on the programme. Through this partnership the Schools Advancement Academy aims to further enhance its contribution to the advancement of the CUT’s Vision 2020 to be a university that strives to respond to the social needs of the communities it serves. 

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1: CUT and YMF at a briefing meeting with the participating schools in preparation for the implementation of the programme. From left:  Mr T Ntombela, Executive Director: YMF; Mr B Jeremiah, Administrator: CUT Faculty of Engineering and Technology; Mrs V Jeremiah, Principal: Heatherdale Secondary School; Mr Mxolisi Mthembu, Chairman: YMF; Ms L Loate, Executive Director:YMF; Ms T Nethengwe, Professional: YMF; Ms S Mapiyeye, Manager: CUT Schools Advancement Academy; Mr J De Wet, Deputy Principal: Brebner Secondary School, and Mr P Monyamane, Executive Partnerships: YMF. 

2: Mr Mxolisi Mabutho Mthembu, Chairman of Youth Managers Foundation with Ms Sister Mapiyeye, Manager: CUT Schools Advancement Academy (SAA).