All young people on pathways to productivity

Create new connections to opportunity for young people

In South Africa, tapping into social networks (i.e. the people we know and these relationships) is the most common way of accessing opportunity, but most young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) lack the connections that would enable them to find work. Approximately 42% of young people in South Africa (aged 15 to 24) live in households with no employed adults and fewer financial resources, making it difficult to build social and economic connections on their own¹. The cost of finding work, commuting and the financial pressure of being the only wage earner in a household all impact a young person’s ability to learn, to earn and build productive lives.

We need to open new pathways to learning and earning.

There is often a skills mismatch between the work young people look for and the skills that they possess. Both youth development organisations and potential employers can play an important role in getting young people ready for the world of work. We must also be aware of the changing nature of formal work, so we will continue to include the possibilities emerging from the just energy transition. At the same time, the formal employment sector is shrinking, while the informal sector is growing. Support for knowledge capital transfer into informal socio-economic networks to enable young people to become semi-skilled is central to our work.

Our goal is to support demonstrated pathways to further learning and earning opportunities for 1 million young people that are not in employment, education or training.

What we are working on…

Creating opportunities that improve the prospects of different groups of young people to access the world of work.
Amplifying initiatives that focus on improving ease of access and engagement with targeted and relevant information for young people.
Strengthening the impact of public funds spent on youth employment initiatives.

Buffalo City College students in between lectures at the main campus in East London as part of DGMT’s Bumb’INGOMSO project.

Escaping the inequality trap requires a twist in our thinking.

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Flagship projects addressing this opportunity

JobStarter

Youth Capital

Civil society projects addressing this opportunity

These projects are by no means a comprehensive list of the work of civil society. This list represents a small selection of organisations that will be updated from time to time

Bridges for Music

Inspiring creative minds to thrive

An organisation focused on empowering young talent from under-served communities to become creative change-makers. The organisation provides young people with the tools, socio-emotional and entrepreneurial skills needed to thrive in creative industries. BFM works with both local and international partners to bring music education to communities.

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Bulungula Incubator

Holistically growing a community

Situated in rural Mbhashe, Bulungula Incubator strives to end poverty sustainably by enhancing community life and providing education from early childhood to matric. Through its Job Skills and Entrepreneurship Programme (JSEP), the organisation offers training, leadership and apprenticeships to young individuals who have dropped out of school. The aim is to connect them to work opportunities, fostering economic activity within their community.

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Aspire Youth Development

Aspire Youth addresses the economic and emotional needs of young people who haven't completed schooling and live in extreme poverty. Focusing on micro-business development as a primary economic outcome, the programme also provides support for employment and education opportunities to mitigate the impact of trauma, abuse, and despair.

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