My name is Israfeel Booley, I’m from Beacon Valley in Mitchell’s Plain, I have previously been involved with RLabs in 2018 when I completed the Grow Leadership Academy Programme. Before joining the Skills Accelerator program, I was having difficulty finding opportunities and employment due to the COVID pandemic. The Skills Accelerator program has helped me acquire skills that may guide me towards more opportunities in the future. I am much more optimistic about my future, I’ve developed self-belief which will allow me to push to reach my goals.
I’ve been part of RLabs before and I love the atmosphere within the organization. I too have a passion for helping people and technology so I feel that this opportunity is perfect for me. The leadership component of the Skills Accelerator program is just amazing, doing it a second time was surprisingly just as effective as the first. I’ve also learned numerous digital skills from app development, coding and web design. I never imagined myself being able to explore with code in such a short space of time, I can honestly say that the past 6 months may have been the most educational and fun experience I have ever had.
There have been many highlights over the past 6 months and If I had to choose one, I would say the Leadership Programme over all. Aside from all the other skills I’ve gained, Leadership has been a turning point for me. It’s given me a strong sense of purpose and self-belief which is something that I value most.
There haven’t been many challenges through my journey, but we learnt so much in a short space of time. It’s sometimes easy to fall behind or not understand something as quickly as required. Thankfully, the team I work with is very close and we always motivate each other. The YES app is a platform that aims to help youth become more employable by doing surveys and assignments. This is very important as it creates employment opportunities for people.
My message to unemployed youth is that it is hard to find work and opportunities. It’s important to work hard and give your best in every opportunity you get. This is the only way to be successful. Our country has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world, But that shouldn’t scare you, it should motivate you to be the best version of yourself.
The Skills Accelerator is a proudly RLabs initiative that is made possible thanks to the support of JPMorgan Chase.
