History
The Nelson Mandela Community Youth Centre was opened in October 2003 by Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected President. Situated in the sprawling township of Chatsworth which has a population of almost 500 000 people, the Youth Centre has become a hub for all forms of activity to uplift the youth and community at large.
A tragic incident was the catalyst in the year 2000, when 13 children, some as young as 9, died in a stampede at the Throb nightclub while attending a matinee disco. Community leaders tapped into President Mandela’s concern for young people and appealed him to help provide safe and accessible recreational facilities. Nelson Mandela used his influence to solicit funding for the building of a Youth Centre, which he opened in October 2003.
In 2018, the Nelson Mandela Foundation gave the Chatsworth Youth Centre Trust permission to rename the centre after Nelson Mandela. The word “community” was also added to the name, thus enabling inclusion of adults in activities. The youth centre was renamed the “Nelson Mandela Community Youth Centre”.
Aim of the NMCYC
The aim of the Youth Centre is to create a safe environment for young people, while producing young leaders capable of contributing to the betterment of society in all aspects.
It is now a hive of activity for young and old, of all race groups and cultural backgrounds. The centre is run by volunteers from the community and all activities are free of charge. Dedicated volunteers play an valuable role by utilising their skills to run specific programmes, including various codes of sport.
NMCYC Programmes
The centre works with over 200 schools from Chatsworth and surrounding areas including Welbedact, Marianhill, Wentworth, Merebank, Lamontville, Umlazi and Queensburgh. Drugs, crime, promiscuity, early school drop-out and unemployment are common problems facing youth. The Youth Centre plays a pivotal role in advocacy and sporting programmes, lifestyle awareness, skills development courses and the setting up of clubs to drive projects. Today, thousands of youth utilise the centre for extra-curricular activities and find in it a safe space to hang out with other youth. We also work with community organisations, businesses and government departments in structuring programmes.
Challenges & Constraints
As set down in the youth centre’s Trust Deed when first established, no person using the centre should pay for any services or activities they participate in. The centre provides the necessary equipment for the different sport or other activities.
While it is our intention to ensure access to a wide variety of programmes, sustaining the centre is a major challenge given this stipulation in our Trust Deed. Funding for the different programmes or maintenance of the centre is sourced from the community, organisations or businesses.
However the centre is in urgent need of renovation and refurbishment and finances are limited.
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