Youth Potential South Africa – YOUPSA

• Please list links to your Website and Social Media Platforms here:

Website: www.youpsa.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/youthpotentialsa
Twitter: @YoupsaAfrica
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/youthpotentialsa

• Describe in detail what your Organisation does:

Youth Potential South Africa – YOUPSA helps pave the way to awaken the creativity, potential and purpose in the youth of South Africa.
YOUPSA works with disadvantaged schools in remote rural areas of the Eastern Cape Province, SA, and impacts over 2,000 students and their communities, school principals, teachers and School Governing Bodies (SGB).

YOUPSA brings education alive by igniting the inner spark in youth. When children discover their “spark”, they tap into their own unique talents and interests.

YOUPSA develops learners’ social emotional competencies—that is, the knowledge, skills, attitudes, healthy habits and behaviors that individuals need to make successful choices. YOUPSA promotes activities that develop children’s ability to recognize and manage emotions, build relationships, solve interpersonal problems, and make effective and ethical decisions.

Developing social and emotional skills is even more critical for learners living in under-resourced rural areas. Students in these areas are surrounded by added stresses that make it difficult for them to learn. Social-emotional competencies not only prepare youth to be able to participate in learning experiences, they also increase the learners’ capacity to learn. They are more motivated and committed to school, as seen through improved attendance and graduation rates, and they are much less likely to cause disruption in class, fail their year, or get suspended from school.

YOUPSA’s main programmes are:

Creative Youth Empowerment
Creative Teacher Empowerment
Leadership & Team-Building for Students, Teachers & School Governing Bodies
Words Can Change Worlds Literacy programme
Creating Health with Community Gardens

• How long has your Organisation been operational?

2 years

• In your opinion, what has been the most challenging aspect of running your Organisation?

Not receiving enough funding

• Describe your Nonprofit Journey in three words:

Connecting, educating, empowering

• Do you collaborate with other Causes? If yes, would you like to mention them?

Awesome SA (www.awesomesa.co.za)
The President’s Award for Youth Empowerment (www.presidentsaward.co.za)
Herbalists Without Borders Int’l (www.herbalistswithoutborders.weebly.com)
South African Extraordinary Schools Coalition (www.bridge.org.za)
Eastern Cape NGO Coaltion (www.ecngoc.co.za)
NACOSA (www.nacosa.org.za)
Woolworths MySchoolMyVillageMyPlanet

• If you had one Organisation wish, what would it be?

More interest from local business in supporting rural youth

• In your opinion, which skills do Nonprofits in your Country lack?

Addressing the actual causes of the education crisis in South Africa

• Looking back at your Cause Journey, what advice would you give a newbie Organisation?

Identify the need clearly and build your programme around satisfying that need.

• If you could change one thing about the Nonprofit Landscape, what would it be?

Closer collaboration amongst Nonprofits

• Which Cause achievement are you most proud of? Feel free to elaborate on why and include any links:

YOUPSA’s literacy programme

• Last question, if your friends had to describe your Organisation in three words, which would they use?

Creative Youth Empowerment