Coinciding with its sixth anniversary of empowering young South Africans with progressive life skills, Pride Factor Academy has announced the launch of its dedicated online platform.
The first five courses – three of which are free – have been specifically designed for the nation’s youth, with the online format ensuring ease-of-accessibility during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our online courses had already been developed, so with the implementation of national lockdown and physical distancing, we decided that now was the best time to launch these services to the public,” explained Dene Botha, Managing Director of the Pride Factor Academy, and one of 2019’s 100 Most Influential Young South Africans for Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy.
“These courses are an extension of our live activations, inspiring young minds by offering life skills and work readiness tailored to the needs of South African youth.”
Since its inception in 2014, Pride Factor Academy has engaged some 57 000 youth through large-scale events, activations and university roadshows featuring high-profile South African influencers and impactful role models.
These have included the likes of Maps Maponyane, Minnie Dlamini, Kwesta, Candice Modiselle, DJ Fresh, Tracy McGregor and Danny K, among many others.
The programme has proven results, with many participants going on to become game changers in their respective fields – Vuyo Joboda among them.
A renowned television personality, author and the owner of Perez Events, Joboda describes the Pride Factor as being ‘hugely impactful’ on her life and those of many young South Africans.
“It helped me discover my passion and realise my ambitions,” she commented. “I’ve also had the honour of joining the Pride Factor team as a workshop speaker, addressing people across the country.
It’s been beautiful to watch the positive influence on other young people. The youth are truly South Africa’s source of hope for many, and through this programme, they can become leaders in their fields. I believe it is a programme that can benefit every young South African.”
Botha and his team have managed to capture the high-energy edutainment factor of live activations and transferred it to the online platform through five powerful courses.
Participants are able to engage directly with renowned South African influencers in their role as mentors, as well as enjoying the awards and ongoing competitions that set Pride Factor’s courses apart.
The entertainment value doesn’t detract from real-world skills participants learn on every course.
Setting goals, dealing with failure, building confidence and identifying opportunities in the modern world will prepare participants for future success.
“We identified a real need for the development of soft skills among the nation’s teenagers and young adults, but there were no locally-developed courses dedicated to the South African environment,” continued Botha.
“One of the biggest problems is that not enough people are actually listening to the youth, rather they decide what is best for them and instruct.
We’ve engaged with more than 50 000 workshop participants and elicited feedback from them. The responses have formed the basis for the courses which have been created specifically for Mzansi’s youth.”
The five Pride Factor Academy online courses currently available consist of three free courses and two affordable courses.
The free courses include:
· Cocooning Like a Boss – a four-part series focused on thriving during the lockdown period.
· Life Skills for Teens (13 to 17 years) – a 13-part course centred on relevant topics in an energetic and modern style.
· Life Skills for Young Adults (18 to 35 years) – a 13-part course hosted by Candice Modiselle and Dene Botha.
The other two value-adding courses are:
· Show Me the Money – the series lays the foundation for a responsible, informed financial life.
· Entrepreneurship 101 – a 5-part short course presented by industry experts, Jon Chetwynd-Palmer and Teboho Khauoe.
Additional courses currently being developed include Creating an E-commerce Platform, Creative and Emotional Literacy, Social Media Marketing, and many more.
In addition to offering individuals valuable guidance, the online platform also provides a unique opportunity for public and private sector entities to communicate with the country’s youth by offering student bursaries.