Empowering Youth Through Employment & After-School Programs

Literacy and Education Advancement

We place a highly value education, with the aim of breaking down the education-based poverty trap in this community. We aim to create better opportunities for future employment. This is done by providing tutors at various primary schools who tutor during and after school hours.

Wordworks and Paired Reading

Early intervention programs designed to strengthen early child literacy and language development using these proven programs. For more information go to .

We Take Action. To Make Better Changes

GCU works to bring confidence to children who struggle with reading and writing—creating safe spaces to learn, grow, and thrive despite the challenges around them

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Schools

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Tutors

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Wordworks Learners

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Paired-reading Learners

After School Tutoring

We provide one-on-one help with homework, literacy, math as well as games and coaching to primary school children.

Workshops

GCU provides workshops to foster positive life skills that aid healthy behaviors, goal setting, self-management, self-esteem and problem solving.

Continuum Project

GCU provides tutoring and coaching jobs for recent high school graduates in South Africa, focusing on helping youth at the grassroots level amid high unemployment

Chess

GCU has introduced chess to the primary schools in Heideveld which has been well received and is a popular activity.

Physical Education and Sport

At our after-school program we want the children to primarily have fun in a safe space. This is balanced with the structure of organized activities like soccer; rope skipping; volleyball; table tennis and more.

Physical Education

Many government schools in South Africa no longer offer physical education as part of the curriculum. GCU fills that gap by providing Phys. Ed. coaches to a number of primary schools in Heideveld. Sports and exercises are done with a strong emphasis on developing fine motor skills. Other benefits include: developing social competence, problem solving skills and enhancing self-esteem.

Soccer

GCU Football Club has around 200 players from u/7 to u/19. When needed we supplement kit, boots and food, and provide transportation. The uniforms are particularly important in giving the youngsters a sense of identity, pride and belonging and are often a powerful alternative to the colours and insignias associated with the gangs.

Rope Skipping

An activity that is both aerobic and anaerobic, rope skipping has had a huge impact on our children both physically and mentally. GCU has a long history of excellence in this sport and has provided various teams that have competed at the provincial level.

Promoting Fitness and Wellbeing To Our Kids.

We promote healthy habits and mental wellbeing through active play, guided by dedicated coaches—empowering every child to thrive through movement

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Coaches

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Participating Learners

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Schools

ECD and Foster Care

The Heideveld community has a shortage of ECD centres and many local parents can’t afford or do not understand the importance of early childhood development. GCU has established a small creche which is accessible and affordable. Property has been acquired to build a multi-classroom creche centre and for up to 200 local youth and the training of local teachers. It is currently being crowd-funded here.

Youth Empowerment & Employment.

Since 2020, GCU has been the proud implementing partner of the YearBeyond program in Heideveld. The program has had a profound impact, with many graduates going on to work within GCU—demonstrating its success in empowering youth and strengthening our community. YearBeyond remains a vital part of our mission to create meaningful opportunities and long-term change.

YearBeyond.

YearBeyond is a YOUTH SERVICE PARTNERSHIP between government , the National Youth Development Agency, donors and NGOs. Initiated in the Western Cape, YearBeyond is national program that provides unemployed youth (18-25) with meaningful work experience and a pathway to further studies or work, while at the same time encouraging a culture of community service.The YEBO theory of change is as follows.

Yebo Theory Of Change.

Serve

We provide much-needed services to vulnerable communities by creating opportunities for unemployed youth to serve. Youth work in a range of social sector roles.
70%+ of youth remain active in their communities after the Programme, and more than 40% pursue a career in the social sector.

Enable

We build the competence of youth through on-the-job mentoring and support and a curated personal and professional development training programme. Youth also have access to an eco-system of support focussed on maximising their wellbeing.
96% of youth feel more prepared to enter the world of work or studies.

Connect

We build social and economic networks by providing youth with pathway support, including connections to other youth, study and employment opportunity providers, and alumni. We also offer corporates and institutions an opportunity to be part of the solution.
75%+ of youth transition to a next opportunity within 3 months of exiting the Programme.

Community Development.

Tree planting and park improvement projects, as well as initiatives to clean up public spaces are ongoing projects undertaken by GCU. These are aimed at giving the youth a sense of ownership and teaching them about the benefits of looking after their environment. These projects also aim to generate an appreciation for cleaner spaces in the community and a respect for common properties in the community.

GCU has initiated a number of food garden and common property planting initiatives. These are challenging in the very sandy and windy environment with difficult access to water. Nevertheless, the projects have inspired members of the community and changes are evident.

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What We Do