Christian Youth Development Program
The Christian Youth Development Program (CYDP)* is a youth exchange program where young adults are invited to BCC South Africa’s conference venue in Vanderbijlpark for a limited period (typically 1 year). During this time the participants are integrated in local church life, while also receiving practical training and work experience in various disciplines. The goal with the program is to equip the young adults both spiritually (soft skills) and practically (hard skills), as to improve their own quality of life, and enable them to contribute positively in their local communities.
BCC South Africa endeavours to involve participants of the program in development projects in their home countries after having been part of the program in South Africa. The program, in collaboration with our partners, also assists in creating sustainable employment for the participants in their home countries as far as practically possible.
* Occasionally referred to as “A-team South Africa” or “A-team”. The CYDP is not connected or related to other programs or initiatives named “A-team”.
Practical training & work experience include:
- Catering & hospitality
- Plumbing
- Building construction
- Electrical installation
- IT networking and desktop support
- Office administration
- Accounting
- Project management
Typical church and recreational activities include:
- Sunday and Wednesday evening church services
- Thursday evening Bible studies
- Friday evening youth church services
- Youth activities (sport & hobby)
- Voluntary work (cleaning & maintenance, children’s activity groups, fundraising, media production, etc.)
- Outings and road trips
- Time Management
- Productivity
- Communication Skills
- Leadership
- Management Principles
- Problem Solving Skills
- Interpersonal Skills
- Adaptability
- Teamwork
- Integrity
- Punctuality
- Diligence
- Professionalism
- Determination
- Leadership Skills
- Initiative
- Planning Skills
- Self Management
Images below: CYDP outings, on-the-job training, Bible studies, language courses
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Partners
The CYDP program is made possible through collaboration with partners who share the same vision for the program. The key partners are listed below.
BCC South Africa
Brunstad Christian Church South Africa is fully engaged with the program at all levels, providing accommodation, pastoral care and Bible studies to ensure the program participants get a well rounded experience.
PARTNER ORGANISATIONS
Since 2017, the CYDP was made possible by the ongoing support of funding partners such as BMS International, Wereldwijd Evangelie Werk, Stichting Zending Wereldwijd and the Hippo Mundo charity.
UPRIVER GROUP
The Upriver Group, also known as the Basfour Group, provides opportunities for in-service training and work experience/exposure for the CYDP participants
SCC Services
SCC Services (Pty) Ltd carries out the day to day operations of the program. This includes arranging flights, assisting with visa applications, catering and finding training placements for the CYDP participants. SCC Services is a fully owned subsidiary of Brunstad Christian Church South Africa.
