Jeffreys Bay – In an ongoing collaboration between Kouga Local Municipality and the JumpStart Group, over thirty unemployed youth from Jeffreys Bay and surrounding areas recently benefited from the JumpStart Programme – a free initiative designed to equip young people with critical life skills and valuable work experience in the retail sector.
The programme has been actively training youth in the region since 2018, with a recent session held at the Pellsrus Caravan Park during August.
The first group of participants received training earlier this year, in May, at Mentors Country Estate.
More than 30 young people, aged between 18 and 33, attended the three-day programme at the caravan park, engaging with a facilitator who provided practical, real-world tasks linked to the content shared.
The Life Skills Course covers Personal Development, The Art of Customer and Sales Excellence, Interview Skills, and Entrepreneurship, and is followed by a six-day retail work experience starting on 27 August 2025.
This hands-on exposure in real-world retail settings significantly enhances participants’ employability.
JumpStart Eastern Cape Assistant Regional Coordinator, Darryll Karolus, explained, “The three-day training will be followed by a post-assessment with me. I will give them a test to write, followed by interviews, and then we will hand out uniforms and work experience documents on 15 August. The programme is made possible through strong partnerships with the Mr Price Foundation and the SPAR Group nationally, which offer training and job placement opportunities through their various retail divisions.”
Participating employer partners include Mr Price Apparel, Mr Price Sport, Mr Price Home, Miladys, Sheet Street, Power Fashion, Studio 88, SPAR and Build It. The programme is facilitated by the municipality’s Local Economic Development and Tourism section, with young people invited to apply through an existing database, as well as other municipal channels.
