eradication and job-creation
18 January 2006
The National Youth Commission convened a consultative conference on the
Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative of South Africa (ASGI-SA) and agreed
on a number of steps to eradicate poverty and creation of employment for
sustainable livelihoods among the youth.
The following are some of the proposed steps:
Integrated Youth Development
The Conference reiterated the call for the development of an Integrated
Youth Development Strategy for South Africa. The ASGI-SA programme is welcomed
by the delegates as it will constitute a central pillar of the envisaged
strategy.
It was noted that there are many national development initiatives
implemented by government within which youth development must find expression.
The meeting, therefore, welcomed the recent government pronouncement for a
youth development policy review process which will assess and evaluate the
various youth institutions as they exist in the country.
As far the ASGI-SA programme is concerned, the following proposals were
made:
Improving social conditions of the youth
The conference highlighted the need to reduce risk behaviour among youth and
increased intake in the number of youth participating in programmes and
campaigns that promote health and well-being.
Another programme that the conference took note of is the initiative on food
security, Project Gweb'indlala, where there must be an increase on the number
of youth participating in projects that produce food for vulnerable
households.
The meeting also noted the entrepreneurial spin-offs that food security
programmes might bring to youth such as the creation of space to transform food
security interventions into income generating projects.
The spirit of voluntarism must continue to prevail among youth to promote
Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET). Delegates agreed that there must be
an increase in the number of youth with higher education volunteering time and
service as ABET Educators.
Improving the Economic Conditions of the youth
The meeting noted that the youth constitute the majority of the poorest and
the unemployed. Hence there must be targeted interventions that respond to
various challenges and cohorts experienced by young people.
It was agreed that there must a career development and information services
to develop functional relationships between schools, multi-purpose community
centres, youth advisory centres and further education and training colleges.
Such services would assist schools to set up career resource centres for
learners to make informed career decisions.
The meeting acknowledged that there are young people who have accumulated
some skills who must, through their involvement as part of their service
activities, impart skills and enhance occupational competence of other young
people.
As part of the "one-company-one-leaner" campaign, the meeting agreed that
there must be an annual intake of 100 000 youth in learnerships across various
industries.
As part of intensifying lobbying for improved youth economic participation
and empowerment, the meeting agreed that there must be youth representation in
the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) and the Sector
Education and Training Authorities (SETA) Boards.
The meeting reaffirmed the 2002 and 2005 Cabinet resolution that there must
be an increased number of interns.
The recently launched JOBS for youth government programme was also welcome
and it was agreed that the initiative should be linked to the Department of
Labour's database for jobseekers. It was agreed that there must be 50 000 youth
accessing opportunities through JOBS.
Another proposed intervention is a National Micro-Credit Programme which,
among other things, calls for 5 000 volunteer loan officers to be trained to
build the capacity of state development finance institutions for the purpose of
increasing access to the services rendered by these entities.
Enhancing Social Cohesion/Social Compact
The meeting agreed that there must be an extension from the above
job-creation to volunteer based model of youth service where students, for
example would be able to build some experience as agents of change while giving
to the nation. A concept document should be adopted in April 2006 in this
regard.
The National Youth Service (NYS) would also ensure that students render
critical services to communities such as legal aid, financial literacy,
democracy education, etc. Such initiatives would ensure that there are reduced
crime levels and improved inter-generational gaps.
The other envisaged programme is Big Brother-Big Sister where 50 000
children and vulnerable people would be linked to mentors to help them cope
with various life challenges. Women, for example, would be trained in accessing
social grants to earn livelihoods and reduce dependency on the state.
Other programmes include the Youth Leadership initiative to further
capacitate young people to enhance the leadership role they play in community
development.
Governance on Youth Development
The meeting noted the shortcomings of the Inter-Departmental Committee on
Youth Affairs where there has, among others, inconsistency in the
representation from various government departments in attendance and
representation to this forum. Hence it was agreed that besides the ongoing
placement of youth development items in the agenda of government clusters,
Youth Development Units should be established in the Directors-General's
offices of government departments.
Information Management System
As part of monitoring youth development the conference agreed that youth
development indicators should be included into the government-wide monitoring
and evaluation system. It was further proposed that an effective and efficient
collation system of information and reporting system on youth development must
be developed.
Contact: Monde Mkalipi
Cell: 082 575 3976
Issued by: National Youth Commission
18 January 2006
