Business Development Forum
Date : 19 April 2012
Time : 16:15 – 21:00
Venue : Foreat Hall – Bram-fisher Building , Bloemfontein, Free-State

Attendance individuals: 157 participants
Attendance Businesses : 48 Registered SMMEs

MC:  Denis N Ackulay

Panellists:
• Mr. Boitumelo Dithebe – NYDA
• Mr. Vijay Valla – DTI
• Mr. Lehlohonolo Mohlabi – NEF
• Ms. Zinn Sympson – Mangaung Metro

Institutions Presents:
• Department of Energy
• National Arts Council
• Government Communication Information System
• National Youth Development Agency
• Department of Trade and Industry
• National Empowerment Fund
• Department of Tourism

Absentees
• Mr. Seiso Mohai – MEC Treasury
• Ms. Mamiki Qabathe – MEC Economic Development ( excused)
• Ms. Sisi Mabe – MEC Public Works
• Free-State Provincial Departments
• FDC
• FSTA

Sponsorship
Mangaung Metro – Venue
Distell – Networking Session

Goals
To educate the participants about exhibitors functions, careers and business.
To create a platform of growth for young entrepreneurs.
To seek immediate opportunities for the youth

Resolution
The forum assigned a task team that will work toward the creation of a structure , a form of business network
whose goal is to further the interests of businesses owned by young entrepreneurs. The structure will advocate
on behalf of the Youth business community.
The task mean will ensure that the structure is ready by the end of the Youth Month.

Business and Career Expo
Date : 20 April 2012
Time : 09:00 – 14:00
Venue : Claredon Hall – Bloemfontein, Free-State

Attendance Visitors: 657
Attendance Exhibitors : 48

Institutions who exhibited:
• Department of Energy ( Supported the expo financially)
• National Arts Council ( Supported the expo financially)
• Government Communication Information System ( Supported the expo financially)
• National Youth Development Agency ( Supported the expo financially)
• Department of Trade and Industry
• Defence Force
• Navy
• Air-Force
• Department of Transport
• Palama ( Supported the expo financially)
• Department of Labour ( Supported the expo financially)
• Department of Correctional Service ( Supported the expo financially)
• Xtra Travel (local SMME)

Absentees
• All Free-State Provincial Departments
• SA Weather Service
• NSFAS
• Mangaung Metro
• Department of Sport and Recreation
• Department of Arts and Culture
• FDC
• FSTA

Participating
Delegation of Students from various higher learning institutions
STANDFORD COLLEGE 72     HATFILED 105        MOTHEO FET COLEGE 40
SANDTON COLLEGE 32    UCO 42         PC TRAINNING 31
ROSTEC 52   CUT 39   NCC 36

The campaign aims at encouraging youths to become independent and active in the development of the province, the country as well as to create an attitude of responsibility in them.

This campaign also aims at providing youth with information about various opportunities and careers that are currently available in South Africa. Access to information is crucial for the development of the youth in Kroonstad and the surrounding areas.

The campaign will create a safe, respectful, and celebratory atmosphere with structured learning and information opportunities where youth can use it to their advantage and succeed.

There are many responsibilities on our youth. The youth is responsible to build the nation, responsible to make the society good and noble, improve the community and culture of society. If the youth understands their responsibilities, a large number of crimes, substance abuse, women and child abuse, teen pregnancies may be reduced with such development programs coming into the townships and communities that are not as privileged as those in big cities and other provinces.

With the lifestyle challenges of this country marked by abuse of alcohol, irresponsible sexual behavior, HIV, unemployment and lack of service delivery. South Africa needs responsible, determined and hardworking youth with dreams and goals of a better future.

The 3 day Campaign will include activities such as:

• Motivational talks and Debates
• Exhibition ( Business and Careers)
• Soccer & Netball Tournament on the last day

The Campaign will target the youth from the Moqhaka area which compromises of 3 towns namely Kroonstad, Viljoenskroon and Steynsrus, of all these towns no such expo has ever been hosted that is open to both students and the unemployed youth.

The objectives of the expo are as follows:

• To create a network of youth organizations committed to combating poverty and unemployment in the Moqhaka Area.

• To instill a spirit of unity amongst the youth, the learners, the schools, teachers and principals.

• Most importantly to expose the youth of The Moqhaka Local Municipality to information and assistance never received before.

• The expo is a communication and resource base for exhibitors, to inform and guide the entire public visiting the expo.

Closing

An expo of this magnitude on an annual basis will be a great eye opener to the youth of all three towns being Kroonstad, Viljoenskroon and Steynsrus to bursary opportunities, learnership programs offered and employment opportunities as well as a chance to access the different databases for job registration purposes.

Participants are youth from Kroonstad, Steynsrus and Viljoenskroon will participate in intense discussions, create action plans for their communities and visit exhibition stands set up by government departments, parastatal institutions, private institutions as well as local businesses.

Contact Details:

Aretha Malakoane

076 754 5989

aretham@live.co.za

Tebogo Taje

076 672 2077

Tebogo.taje@hotmail.com

registration_form_smme

Download the registration form for smme here

Local businesses owned by young people are invited to showcase their services, products and talents, this will also enable them to network with other business owners, share ideas and help plan and grow their businesses. Corporate companies will also exhibit on the day and exhibitors will range from government institutions, public and private enterprises.

This will give government institutions and corporate business a chance to mingle with public and private enterprises, sharing ideas, knowledge and networking, this might lead to a partnership and everlasting business relationship between corporate, local business owners and other business exhibitors’ also not forgetting young entrepreneurs.

The will also be a dialogue between Mangaung youth, local, provincial and national authorities, the youth will be able to ask business wise and related questions, they can share knowledge about their businesses and take advices from invited authorities, the dialogue will also be a way to assess how many young people in Mangaung own businesses and the skills, talent and help they need to sustain their businesses.

The dialogue will serve as a business development platform as authorities from local to national will be assisting and answering arising questions thus mentoring and boosting the confidence of small business owners. This will strengthen the relationships of business owners as they will be able to assist struggling businesses by giving them tips which will be vital.

To be Part of this event Registration forms are available  and can be downloaded on www.fsguide.co.za and at local libraries

TEBOHO MASAKALA

MEDIA OFFICER

As part of the Youth Empowerment week which will commence on the 18th to 21^st April 2012, which will be hosted by the Free State Guide, a business networking session and the launch of the Mangaung Young Entrepreneurs Database will be held at the Roses hall at the Bram Fischer building in Bloemfontein on the 19 April 2012. Young entrepreneurs of Mangaung are invited to come share knowledge, skills and network with other business owners, while also sharing knowledge about their services, products and businesses.

This will strengthen ties between young business owners in Mangaung and will lead to establishing partnership with other business owners. A networking session will help make young entrepreneurs provide better and more services as they will be taking advices from established young entrepreneurs thus following in their steps to make their businesses grow.

The Mangaung Young Entrepreneurs database launch will be a good platform for boosting the confidence of young entrepreneur in Mangaung as this will enable them access to government to access funds easily which will help their businesses to thrive, also it will help the Mangaung metro government to document all business owned by young entrepreneurs in Mangaung and giving them skills, funds and training needed to help their business to thrive.

The business networking session will bring all Mangaung young entrepreneurs (Bloemfontein, Botshabelo, Thaba Nchu and surrounding areas) under one roof and every Mangaung young entrepreneurs should take part in this vital session. Young entrepreneurs will get the opportunity to share ideas, talk about their businesses and get help from fellow young business owners on issues relating to business.

Young entrepreneurs of Mangaung will in future help curb the unemployment rate as they will be hiring people in their businesses and its very vital all young entrepreneurs attend the business networking session as they are future employers of the Mangaung metro residents and will help decrease and curb unemployment in Mangaung especially creating jobs for the youth which will lead to economic growth of Mangaung and Free State.

Registration forms are available and can be downloaded on  www.fsguide.co.za and at local libraries or vist  81 Zastron street Taxco building(Bloemfontein).

TEBOHO MASAKALA

MEDIA OFFICER

The second annual Mangaung Youth Empowerment week hosted by the Free State Guide will be held from the 18

Youth from various corners of Mangaung are requested to register and enter the Mangaung Youth Empowerment Tournament that will be held on the 21 April 2012 at the Mangaung Outdoor center in Bloemfontein. The day activities will consist of fun run (males and females) scoccer (males and females), netball (females) and rugby.

The fun run is opened to people of all ages both male and female; it will be the 5km and 10 km fun walk or run. Registration is also open to high schools, and sports organizations.

Netball and soccer tournament will be played by women and men of all ages, also local organizations, companies and high schools are welcomed to enter. The netball and soccer tournament will kick off from mid-morning till late afternoon and the estimated games for soccer will be 10.

The rugby games will only be demonstrated games which will serve as an information center where people can learn about the sport and have a Q&A session with the participants of the day and the game will be aimed at educating and marketing rugby as a sport. The will be certificates, medals and other memorabilia awarded.

The event will also include an outdoor lifestyle exhibition where exhibitors will use the opportunity to inform the public about their services, products and projects.

Registration forms are available and downloadable on www.fsguide.co.za and at your nearest library.

Registration forms are available at local libraries or visit 81 Zastron street Taxco building (Bloemfontein).

TEBOHO MASAKALA

MEDIA OFFICER

We all know that there are many challenges facing young people in the Free-State. These include lack of access to information, very limited business opportunities, health issues like HIV and Aids, unemployment, alcoholism, drug dependency and in the worst case scenario, a sense of hopelessness. Surely, there is a need for different ways of dealing with these challenges and it required involvement of youths, government, non governmental organisations and the proliferating private sector.

The government goal of having a country where millions more of South Africans have decent employment opportunities, with an exalted modern infrastructure and a vibrant economy, and where the quality of life is high can be achieved using platform such as the Free State Career Focus week where active young people that are working for various companies including government institutions or running their own business will put their head together in finding solutions to the socio economic problems they are currently facing. It is the responsibility of all to work hard to make this a reality.

Objectives

.

(i) To Support national and provincial priorities and government initiatives.

(ii) To Co-ordinate the skills, strategy, resources, policy and procedures of the Parties.

(iii) To create platform for co-operation with all relevant stakeholders, including relevant government representatives, non-governmental organisations and strategic partners.

(iv) To Lead to meaningful interventions in and contributions to the development and growth of communities beyond financial support for organisations.

(v) To Empower poor and under-developed communities and facilitate sustainable human development through the provision and development of knowledge skills and other resources.

(vi) To focus on outcomes and not just inputs by assigning value to the improvement of peoples’ lives.

(vii) To promote investments that improve people’s well being and enhance their skills and capacity to take care of their individual and collective needs through education.

(vii) To promote empowering individuals and communities to gain independence and self-sufficiency.

Goal

To educate the participants about exhibitors functions, careers and business.

To create a platform of growth for young entrepreneurs.

To seek immediate opportunities for the youth

Target Market

1. Young people who have skills and talents but are currently unemployed.

2. Tertiary Students from colleges and Universities are also invited to attend the expo.

3. Young entrepreneurs who run business in the Mangaung area will be exhibiting and Networking with other stakeholders including the Authorities, Media, and other Exhibitors.

Public Works Related Activities

The Free-State Guide will work in a very solid partnership with the local authorities, local community Media and various youth institutions to improve in the quality of the event and produce a result that will benefit the people who will be attending the event.

Contact

Direct Contact : 074 123 3647 |

Email : info@myarts.co.za |

Fax : 086 592 3001|

Tel 051 447 1658

18 – 21 April 2012

Business Registration Form

Please fax or email this form to the event organisers before the 10^th of April 2012

Fax 086-592-3001 e-mail : info@fsguide.co.za

Call 074 123 3647

Please fax this form to 086 592 3001 or email it to info@fsguide.co.za

The event aims at creating a platform for growth to young entrepreneurs and also to create immediate opportunities for unemployed youths.

Last Year, The Free State Guide hosted the first ever Mangaung Youth Empowerment Day in order to assist young people from the Free-State with teeming Careers and Business opportunities. More than a thousand young people visited the exhibition area which was held at the Bloemfontein city hall. Many young people were spotted waiting outside the city hall before the official opening of the hall. The remarkable presence of the defence force, National government departments, the Setas, and the live broadcast from Lesedi FM attracted many young people to the city hall in search of new opportunities.

The event was also marked with the visit and address by the deputy minister of Public Works, Ms. Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, as well as the Deputy Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr Benedict Martins.

This year, the event has been extended to a week of empowering activities which kicks off by a media opportunity for young people to ask questions about government programs for youth empowerment. This will be followed by a Networking Session with young entrepreneurs of Mangaung who will work on creating a database that will assist them to interact and also interchange information and businesses. The registered businesses will also be able to exhibit during the expo day where organisers are expecting close to 1000 people to visit the expo.

Only Open minded entrepreneurs with unique ideas , products and services will be accepted to join this network. The criteria for choosing like-minded people is based on a common entrepreneurship personality trait of wanting to take active control of the future and starting to build professional empires in the Free-State province so as to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come. Hence , only registered and approved SMMEs will be allowed to exhibit and network with other businesses so to protect the integrity of businesses and also keep the intimacy in order to add value to people’s lives. The participants will be able to interact with each other and discuss issues pertaining to their enterprises as well as use the opportunity to look for new markets and opportunities.

Organisers who have a strong stand against tenderpreneurship and favouritism hope that business working together will fight corruption. FS Guide is calling on real entrepreneurs to identify other opportunities outside of government tenders and channel their energies in the right direction.

The Mangaung Youth Empowerment week is a shining example of what can be achieved when a group of Professionals are serious enough about their futures. Organisers really hope to go into an in-depth understanding of the challenges that are facing businesses and seek solutions as well as action for an intervention.

Interested business people can download the registration form on www.fsguide.co.za or collect it at any local library or visit FS Guide on 81 Zastron street, Taxco Building.