Town
5 June 2007
President Thabo Mbeki, accompanied by Deputy President Phumzile
Mlambo-Ngcuka, Minister in the Presidency, Dr. Essop Pahad and several other
government ministers met with the Youth Working Group at Tuynhuys today.
The National Youth Commission presented the draft five-year National Youth
Policy covering the years 2007 - 2012. The policy seeks to consolidate all
government and society's efforts in youth development during the five-year
period.
The Youth Commission is in the process of discussing the policy with a range
of stakeholders after which the policy will be submitted to Cabinet for
consideration and approval by August this year.
The meeting also received a study commissioned by the Umsobomvu Youth Fund
which sought to understand private sector support for young people. The study
concluded, amongst others, the following:
* There is general recognition of the need to support youth development.
However, most of the initiatives do not intentionally target youth as a result
of which the youth benefit incidentally.
* Most private sector funding on young people is focused on primary
education and skills training. A large portion of this funding is towards
employed youth.
* By March 2004, 109, 647 unemployed people under the age of 35 had received
training on learnerships co-ordinated by the different Sector Education and
Training Authorities.
* Unemployed youth benefit mostly through Corporate Social Investment
spending though this is not targeted. Enterprise development, job creation and
procurement is not aimed at targeted at youth thus limiting the impact.
* The need for targeting, partnerships, scale and programme design in order
for youth funding to have maximum impact.
The study recommended, among others:
* The engagement of stakeholders on outcomes of research and future
work
* The need for an organised forum to formally engage the private sector with
regard to youth development
* Identify and secure partnerships for future work as well as
* The need to follow up the study to enhance data and key ratios for
decision-making and progress reporting.
The study also noted the significant need for raising levels of awareness on
youth development within the private sector and society in general.
The study will be presented to a variety of stakeholders, the better to
ensure co-ordinated approach to youth development.
Finally, the meeting received an update on the National Youth Service. The
update broadly illustrated an increased intake of young people within the Youth
Service and the increase in sectors which are absorbing young people into the
Service. Sectors that commenced with the Service last year were health and
social development. This year, environment, housing and enterprise development
sectors are now absorbing young people as part of the National Youth
Service.
For more information, please contact:
Mukoni Ratshitanga
Cell: 082 300 3447
Issued by: The Presidency
5 June 2007
Source: SAPA
