Question NW4135 to the Minister of Public Service and Administration

Reply:

The Future of Work Ambassadors Programme is an initiative championed by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) in partnership with the Public Service Sector Education Authority (PSETA) and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA). This programme is envisioned to contribute positively towards building a leadership pipeline for realising a capable, ethical and developmental public service in line with Chapter 13 of the National Development Plan and Priority 1 of the Medium-Term Strategic Framework.

The programme is fully funded by the PSETA, with the NYDA responsible for the recruitment process; HR-related matters including administration of the stipend over the 24-month period. The DPSA is responsible for the coordination, content creation and capacity building/training activities and placement of the candidates.

(a)(i) In terms of the latest update on the Future of Work Ambassadors programme, 33 candidates were appointed for the programme, four (4) resignations were received, where 3 of them left for greener pastures and one for personal reasons. One (1) candidate is currently on maternity leave. The ambassadors are exposed to job seeking skills, effective writing of resumes and practical exposure to the workplace, which makes them effective at looking for jobs and being attractive job seekers. Additionally, the Ambassadors are currently being exposed to:

• Capacity building and training opportunities by the National School of Government (NSG);
• A 6-month digital and soft skills online course provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP);
• Compulsory Induction Programmes for the Public Sector by the National School of Government (NSG); and
• A structured leadership coaching and mentorship programme for 12 months run and coordinated by the DPSA.

(a)(ii) The selection process of the 33 graduates in the specified programme included the following process:

• • PSETA and DPSA defined the specific skills to be funded which were linked to the mandate of the Public Sector and PSETA;
  • Provincial and National Departments were requested through FOSAD to indicate interest and readiness to host Ambassadors;
  • All host departments were given an opportunity to select their qualification areas based on the prescribed list provided by PSETA, such as:
    • Financial and Supply Chain Management
    • Law
    • Risk Management
    • Human Resource Management
    • Communications
    • Marketing Management
    • Public Management
    • Public Administration
    • Internal Audit
  • The NYDA used the information to generate an advertisement which was posted on the SAYouth.mobi platform.
  • The candidates were then shortlisted virtually and interviewed through the NYDA with the involvement of representatives from host departments on the panel.
  • Candidates were appointed and placed based on the recommendations of the panel.

b) The 33 Future of Work Ambassadors were allocated as follows:

National and Provincial Departments	No. of Candidates
Department of Youth, Women and Persons with Disabilities	3
Department of Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation	2
Department of Cooperative Governance	2
KwaZulu-Natal Office of the Premier	2
National School of Government	4
Public Service Commission	1
Department of Public Service and Administration	5
Justice and Constitutional Development	3
Department of Public Enterprise	2
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment	2
Mpumalanga Office of the Premier	2
Limpopo Office of the Premier	3
Western Cape Office of the Premier	2
TOTAL	33

(c) A number of monitoring and evaluation tools have been put in place, including the following:

• • Regular meetings of the core partners (DPSA, NYDA and PSETA) to discuss progress of the project; key trends and emerging lessons;
  • The establishment of an interactive WhatsApp group where Ambassadors can engage the DPSA, PSETA and NYDA on issues they would like to raise and they provide peer support to each other;
  • The Ambassadors participate in bi-weekly virtual Live Learning Sessions on Fridays between 09h00 – 13h00. This allows them to receive immediate assistance should they be experiencing any challenges on the Digital Skills Platform.
  • Mentors and/or supervisors are also able to log onto the platform to track the progress of their candidates.
  • Monitored work plans guided by their Mentors and/or Supervisors that require a formal report and review every six months; and
  • Conducting regular check-in sessions with the Ambassadors; their Supervisors and/or Mentors.

The Future of Work Ambassadors Programme also features in the department’s 2022/23 Annual Operational Plan. This further enhances monitoring; ensures that the project is aligned and contributes towards the greater strategic goals of the department.

End