The Durban Youth Council (DYC) is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

community service Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community without any form of compensation. Community service can be distinct from volunteering, since it is not always performe ...

-based youth organization located in

Durban Durban ( ) ( zu, eThekwini, from meaning 'the port' also called zu, eZibubulungwini for the mountain range that terminates in the area), nicknamed ''Durbs'',Ishani ChettyCity nicknames in SA and across the worldArticle on ''news24.com'' from ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

. The DYC aims to empower the youth of Durban through service to the community. The organization has been operational since 1966 and was initially a project of the

Junior Chamber Junior Chamber International, commonly referred to as JCI, is a non-profit international non-governmental organization of young people between and years old. It has members in about 124 countries, and regional or national organizations in mo ...

South Africa (Durban Chapter). The Council is composed of over 130 grade 11 students from more than 30 schools in the Durban area. The Council is run by a democratic hierarchy of student and governed by an adult steering committee. The Durban Youth Council is not recognized as the official youth city council of Durban

About

The DYC provides a learning platform for learners to develop their leadership qualities, through actively managing and participating in community based outreach projects. This is in efforts to develop an awareness of the community and uplift and empower the lives of many.

Core Operations

The Durban Youth Council comprises 130 councilors, who hail from 40 schools in the greater

area. Membership changes each year. The council year begins in September of their Grade 10 year with their specific onboarding and ends in December of the next year. Each school has the opportunity of sending four grade 11 students to represent on the DYC, and a select number of schools have the opportunity of sending six. The DYC is run as a democracy, and each council year has its own hierarchy. The student Board runs the council, and is headed by a smaller group known as the Executive Board, consisting of a

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

Deputy Mayors The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor, assistant mayor, or mayor ''pro tem'') is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many, but not all, local governments. Duties and functions Many elected depu ...

, and a Council Manager. Some of its more notable achievements have been the move in 2019 to a fully digital enabled operating model to enhance and streamline work and in 2020, the DYC introduced a Coaching Program (Develop Your Core) to better enable all students with more formal leadership development offered by its Steering Committee.

Pillars

Within the Durban Youth Council are identified

pillar A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...

s. As the Durban Youth Council's main objective is

, there are six community service specialised group. Each committee is specialized to channel its community service projects into a category, Eg. Health, Social Development, Education . The pillars are as follows: Education - Creating awareness of issues affecting the youth, as well as being a voice for the underprivileged. Arts & Culture - Promoting a focus in the arts among the youth, with projects that target the culture of Durban. Environmental - Targeting issues relating to the environment and infrastructure of the community. Social Development - Helping those in need who may be affected by hunger, disability or a related cause as well as other groups who are oppressed or underprivileged. Health - Targeting issues relating to epidemic diseases such as HIV, as well as the humanities. Sports & Recreation - Encouraging an active lifestyle of sport and recreation among the youth, as well as the general population of Durban.

Schools

A list of schools represented on the Durban Youth Council: * Sivananda Technical High School *

Al Falaah College Al Falaah College is an independent Islamic school situated in the coastal city of Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. History In 1985, Ahmedia School opened its doors in Bellair Road, Cato Manor, Durban. The school marked the establish ...

* Brettonwood High School *

Clifton College ''The spirit nourishes within'' , established = 160 years ago , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent boarding and day school , religion = Christian , president = , head_label = Head of College , hea ...

*Crawford College North Coast *Danville Park Girls' High School * Durban Girls' College *

Durban Girls' High School Durban Girls' High School (known to the students of the school as DGHS) is a public high school for girls located in Glenwood, a suburb of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1882 and is home to over 1200 students. Nose-st ...

*Durban Girls' Secondary School *

Durban High School Durban High School is an all-boys public school in Durban, South Africa. DHS opened its doors in 1866 in two rooms and with seven pupils in Smith Street. From there it moved to a disused granary in Cato Square in 1880, just after the Zulu ...

* Durban North College * Eden College *

George Campbell School of Technology George Campbell School of Technology is a public high school specialising in technical education, located in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The school was founded as George Campbell Technical High School in 1963 and today has a co-educatio ...

* Glenwood High School *Grosvenor Girls' High School *Holy Family College *The Kenmont School * Maris Stella School *Mowat Park High School *New Forest High School * Northlands Girls' High School *

Orient Islamic School Orient Islamic School is an independent Muslim school situated in Greyville, Durban, South Africa. Orient School is part of the Orient Islamic Educational Institute that was established in 1938. The school was established in 1959 as a state-aided ...

*Our Lady of Fatima Dominican Convent School *

Pinetown Boys' High School Pinetown Boys' High School (also known as Pinetown Boys', or PBHS) is a public school for boys in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. History Pinetown High School was founded in 1955 as a co-educational, dual-medium school. It was sited at ...

* Pinetown Girls' High School *

Queensburgh Girls' High School Queensburgh Girls' High School is an all-girls high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' low ...

*Ridge Park College *Rossbury High School * St. Henry's Marist College * St. Mary's Diocesan School for Girls *Star College * Thomas More College *

Westville Boys' High School Westville Boys' High School, often referred to as WBHS or "boys high", is a semi-private high school for boys located in Westville, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Early history The year 2022 marks the 67th anniversary of WBHS as a high school. ...

* Westville Girls' High School The Durban Youth Council does not affiliate with any political or religious organizations.

References

{{Durban Durban Non-profit organisations based in South Africa Youth organisations based in South Africa