The meeting in Cape Town finished last week. I am back home and only slowly finding my marks again.
One thing stood out in South Africa this time and provided inspiration: The City Year's volunteers who came to be part of our team.
Young South Africans (aged 18 to 25), all from different ethnic and social backgrounds, worked side by side with us and brought a breath of fresh air into our team. Their enthusiasm, motivation, candidness and sheer youth provided great inspiration to us and great service to our participants.
On the last day, we asked for their feedback and they were upfront and honest about what they enjoyed and what they did not. Among other things, they thought our team was not relaxed enough with them (we are getting old?!) and they would have wanted to know more about the end goal of their assignments. I must say, it was refreshing to hear such direct comments!
Called "Service Leaders", their engagement with City Year will last a full year. They are involved in education projects year-round, each with a responsibility to bring a better future for kids in the Johannesburg's area.
Admission into the City Year volunteer programme follows a drastic selection process and I believe the selected youths see their engagement as a privilege to serve their country. This class will graduate in November with so many dreams, added experience and the legitimate idea that they can achieve so much. Now that's something we all would like to feel again!
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