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YOUTH INNOVATION CHALLENGE WORKSHOP TRAINS STUDENTS TO BE CRITICAL, IDEA SOLVERS

YOUTH INNOVATION CHALLENGE WORKSHOP TRAINS STUDENTS TO BE CRITICAL, IDEA SOLVERS

The Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Centre for Social Entrepreneurship partnered with Innovation Durban in hosting the Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC), to train students in a four-day workshop, focusing on innovation and design thinking, capacity building, business plan development, and pitching training.

Innovate Durban is a registered non-profit company set up as a special purpose vehicle to support innovators, innovation and the innovation ecosystem through programmes, research and capacity building and skills development (as well as customised programmes. The programmes and activities of the organisation is supported through the virtual and physical platforms (Innovation Co-Lab) and events.

The Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC) is Innovate Durban’s Flagship Programme that includes all KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) students from various institutions such as the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban University of Technology, Mangosuthu University of Technology, and eThekwini TVET Colleges, giving them an opportunity to come up with innovative solutions and turning them into businesses.

Youth Innovation Challenge workshop is an annual event, normally hosted by Innovate Durban at their premises but because of the pandemic each university was tasked to host their own students for the first time.

Sneliswe Hlongwane, the Marketing and Communications Officer under the office of the DVC: RIE Department of Centre for Social Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator (CSERI), said: “The goal of the workshop is to train and prepare DUT students for the Youth Innovation Competition finals taking place on the 10th of November 2021. This year competition theme is ‘Responding to Crisis’ with a view to address some of the globally felt challenges that have become more relevant during the recent unrest and ongoing pandemic.”

She relayed that the workshop consisted of 15 teams of students coming across all DUT faculties and that students were recruited through a call out for interested students between the age of 18 and 35 who had applied and were selected.

“The students had to come up with ideas solving theme challenges such as to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture; industry, innovation, and infrastructure; build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation; sustainable cities and communities; make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable responsible consumption and production; and ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns,” she said.

Hlongwane indicated that through this workshop the outcome is to leverage new knowledge and solutions for societal impact which talks to the DUT ENVISION2030. “The Youth Innovation Challenge tackles social issues that are currently faced by the society in their communities. Having these workshops will instil entrepreneurship mindset and enlighten students about possible ways of surviving without depending on being employed. Also, such programmes enrich, expand and expose students to the real world and give them opportunities to collaborate with industry experts and excel in their fields. It also increases the chances of our student becoming job creators which is what we are gunning for as the university ENVISION2030,” she added.

Going forward, Hlongwane conveyed that the students that had completed the YIC workshop are now ready to compete with other university students and DUT is confident that the winner will come from DUT.

Pictured: DUT students at the Youth Innovation Challenge Workshop.

Waheeda Peters

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