For some, wine also carries a painful history. Their families and communities have lived with the effects of alcohol and the stigma that comes with it, which can make the industry a complicated place to imagine a future.
At Pebbles Project Youth Development, we believe these young people should be able to write a different story.
That is the thinking behind Serve-It, a six-month programme for young people from farming communities who want a career in wine and hospitality. Three months of structured training cover hospitality, wine service and sales, South African wine knowledge, personal development and work readiness. Three months of workplace experience follow.
But the programme is about more than skills. When young people are given a genuine opening, they can take an industry that may carry difficult memories and build a new relationship with it, based on knowledge, professionalism and career growth.
Through wine tasting experiences, job shadowing and industry visits, our participants are learning about the people and businesses behind the glass, not just the wine in it.
A recent visit to Simonsig showed what that looks like. Our participants experienced wine service in a real tasting environment, and were served by Khanyo, a graduate of the PYDA Wine Programme who is now working in the industry. Seeing someone who walked a similar path made the possibility of a career feel real.
Workplace placements run from 2 November 2026 to 29 January 2027. Participants will apply their training, learn from experienced teams and build the confidence and skills that employment demands.
A young person from a farming community can become a tasting room host, a wine professional, a chef, a salesperson, an entrepreneur or a leader in the industry. Their background does not have to decide their future.
If you run a wine estate, restaurant or hospitality business and would like to host a Serve-It participant, we'd love to hear from you.
Give young people a chance, and they can change the story: for themselves, their families and their communities.
info@pebblesproject.co.za or zukani@pebblesproject.co.za.
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