Z Dangor on behalf of Z Skweyiya: National Youth Policy Consultative
Conference

6 March 2009

Programme director
Officials from national and provincial government
Youth work representatives from government and civil society

I wish to firstly apologise for the absence of the Minister, he would have
wished to be here but for matters beyond his control. I am, on this auspicious
occasion, reminded of the words of Steve Biko who said (and here I must
paraphrase to be relevant), "the [youth] are tired of standing at the
touchlines to witness a game that they should be playing. They want to things
for themselves and all by themselves."

If anything the events of these past few weeks, the voter registration
results, and this gathering prove that the youth are ready to take their
rightful place in society today. These also bear testimony to the fact that our
democracy will be soundly nurtured well into the future.

We gather here today to deepen the developmental role played by young people
in our society. It was Nelson Mandela who said "there can be no keener
revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children."
We gather here therefore to reflect on the soul of our nation by, amongst
others transforming youth development practice through the professionalisation
of youth work as one of our contributions towards the National Youth
Development Strategy 2008 to 2013.

Of course, the genesis for the development of a cadre of youth workers can
be traced to the establishment of the African National Congress Youth League
and Inkatha Yesizwe in 1944 and 1975, respectively. These forbearing
organisations had the objectives of uniting African youth towards political,
economic and social emancipation for South Africans in particular and Africans
in general.
While the challenges facing youth in this country may have changed over time,
there nevertheless remains a need to tackle the myriad of obstacles hampering
the development of youth to their full potential. The greatest challenge
in South Africa is the emancipation of millions of impoverished and
disenfranchised young people.

Young people in all regions of the world, experience some degree of
difficulty or uncertainty as they make the transition into adulthood. However,
the situation that youth in South Africa face is one of the most difficult in
many respects. Average life expectancy in the region is among the lowest in the
world. Weak infrastructure and poor economic development have traditionally
impeded youth development in the region; staying enrolled in school, finding
decent and productive work, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle all present
very real challenges to a large proportion of youth in the region.

Youth Policy and youth work in South Africa

The goal of the National Youth Policy is to produce "empowered young people
who are able to realise their full potential and understand their roles and
responsibilities in making meaningful contribution to the development of a
non-racial and prosperous South Africa." The cultivation of the youth sector
must be an integral part of economic development. Sustained growth needs to be
achieved through community and youth empowerment, creating an enabling
environment that allows all sectors of society access to nationwide
prosperity.

Youth form a significant percentage of the South African population.
According to the results of the Census 2001, 18,1 million people are youth
between the ages of 14 to 35 years. This equates to 40,5% of the total
population. Youth are thus a powerful resource for development and are critical
actors in the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Youth
work has been in existence for many years in South Africa and internationally.
Youth workers are found in youth clubs, recreational centres, community
centres, churches, youth organisations, the education department and political
youth groups. These workers play a critical role at a preventative level but
has never been organised with regards to professional infrastructure.

In South Africa there is a great need to define the difference between a
youth worker (youth practitioner) and a child and youth care worker for the
effectiveness of practitioners' interventions and engagement with young
people.
The Department of Social Development is the leading government department
responsible for promoting and pursuing the agenda of vulnerable groups such as
children, youth, women and disabled. The DSD understands the challenges of
youth in South Africa and that development of the practice is deeply couched in
a history of past inequity.

The department understands that a clear demonstration of the recognition of
the role youth plays in development begins with an in-depth understanding of
the state of youth work and practice and its standardisation. Our Youth
Directorate has played a co-ordinating role in the professionalisation of youth
work. It further facilitates the transfer of knowledge and consolidates inputs,
real life experiences and challenges towards the development of a youth work
policy framework.

The first Youth Development Practice Policy Conference hosted by DSD
highlighted that the outcome of the research will be crucial to the development
of the Youth Development Practice Policy. In addition, the following
resolutions were taken:

* There is a need to advance the Professionalisation of Youth Work.
* The challenges facing young people in South Africa can be addressed by
professionalising Youth Work.
* There is a need for a regulatory body for the profession of youth work.
* There is a need for the enhancement of integration and co-ordination of
activities of youth workers and youth work organisations in South Africa.
* Non-governmental organisation (NGO) capacity must be strengthened.
* The role of Academic Institutions must be strengthened.
* A Draft Chapter on Youth Work would be drafted by a technical team that would
then form part of the Draft National Youth Policy 2008 to 2012.

Following this conference we are glad to move forward the process towards
the development of a youth work policy framework. This will guide the process
of youth work professionalisation guide the effectiveness in the services
provided to youth; establish existence of youth workers and their practical
experience. The notion firstly refers to the holistic development of young
people and secondly, to the need for the various aspects of public policy
effectiveness in the service provided to youth.

These include establishing the service provided to youth; establishment of
youth-workers and their experience; and assisting in aligning and harmonisation
of training programmes. It should also inform the development of youth practice
minimum standards, codes of ethics, practice principles, curriculum,
professionalisation and youth development practice framework, parameters of
youth practice and theories and models.

The State of Youth Work in South Africa

The World Youth Report of 2007 acknowledges that limited access to
opportunities for self development of youth still persists. A key factor also
acknowledged in the 15 Year Review of the State of Youth in South Africa. In
South Africa, where the youth (14-35 years) constitute over 40% of the
population, key challenges identified include:
* poverty
* the HIV and AIDS pandemic which affected 9,3% of youth aged between 15 to 24
years in 2002
* high unemployment whereby youth represented 70% of the unemployed population
in 1999
* crime
* lack of skills among others.

Today we are here to consider a number of issues in addressing these
challenges through the professionalisation of youth work. The aims of this
conference are:
* to discuss youth-development/practice from a number of different
perspectives, including international and new trends, youth-work training, best
practice and policy trends
* to consider the implications for the transformation of youth-work in general
and in particular to the social services sector
* to generate and allow exchange of new ideas within youth-development practice
sector and to network and open itself to new perspectives
* to build and strengthen the existing capabilities and expertise of
youth-workers and generate additional momentum

Professionalisation of youth work

One of the arguments that have been raised in support of professionalising
youth work is that such professionalisation will enhance the credibility of
youth-work practice. The credibility will derive from the fact that
professionalisation will set certain standards for its practice and also the
code of conduct to which members are expected to adhere.

The public will thus have confidence in the service offered, and if they
feel that they were unfairly treated by a youth-worker, they can have recourse.
A code-of-conduct will also help to eliminate certain questionable practices
performed in the name of youth-work.

The professionalisation of youth-workers will help to improve the conditions
of service for youth-workers. Professionalisation would also introduce
compulsory training, which is likely to improve the practice in the long run.
An upswing in the last decade, favouring "professionalisation" of youth work
and practice, with most countries who have gone this route arguing that it
unlocks youth potential.

Among the merits of professionalising youth work is that it:
* strengthens the capacity of young people and their networks; governments and
civil society partners to develop and deliver value-added youth development
services and empowerment
* strengthen the capacity of young people and their networks and governments
and civil society partners to utilise the evidence-based approach to youth
policy development and implementation
* assists create a framework for youth workers to operate professionally in
various sectors of society. There will also be a better overall standard among
youth workers as a result of access to education and training
* another positive impact is the partnerships are created between the key
agencies and training organisations that work together to promote youth
development and bring professional standards to youth work.

We anticipate that among the outcomes of the conference are to:

* have a stronger understanding of the service and experiences of
Youth-Development workers
* make provision to share best-practice models
* outline a process towards the alignment of the Youth-Work curriculum and
training programmes
* ensure the transfer and consolidation of knowledge in the Youth-Development
sector
* strengthen one's knowledge of the background, current and international
perspectives of youth-work
* clarify the definition of the status of Youth-Development Practice and
Youth-Development Workers in South Africa
* address the issue of professionalisation of youth-work practice.

A youth worker is someone who empowers, teaches and who makes a difference
in young people's lives. This person has to possess interpersonal skills,
commitment, patience, passionate, open mindedness and integrity. The
development of a core of Youth-Work professionals would give impetus to
overcoming the social and economic challenges facing South Africa. It would
also restore the sense of dissonance prevalent among the youth of today and
honour the memory and sacrifice of the youth of 1976.

Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great
generation. I wish you well in your deliberations over the next two days.

Thank you.

Issued by: Department of Social Development
6 March 2009
Source: Department of Social Development (http://www.dsd.gov.za/)