Question NW653 to the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

Reply:

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities (DWYPD) through its Agency, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), has in the first three quarters of the current financial year processed 251 grants to youth owned enterprises in the Eastern Cape Province. In addition, in the first three quarters of the current financial year created and sustained 827 jobs through supporting entrepreneurs and enterprises in the Eastern Cape Province.

Of the total beneficiaries that received grant funding 45% were young women and 17% were young people living with disabilities.

The Department through the NYDA also participates in the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention which is government’s plan to address youth unemployment through transitioning young people into the labour market to significantly reduce the high rate of youth unemployment. It is intended to coordinate, enhance, and scale up existing programmes across government and through close partnerships with the private sector. Bringing together a wide range of partners within and beyond government, it is the largest and most comprehensive plan to address youth employment in South Africa’s democratic history.

To pursue this objective and to unlock the energy and potential of young people, five priority actions will be implemented to catalyse long-term change:

1. Building a national Pathway Management Network for young work-seekers to view and access available learning and work opportunities and receive a range of support services and work readiness training to help them navigate into employment and other economic opportunities. Young people will receive a basic package of support in person, online and over the phone, complete online assessments and training and be matched to a wide range of opportunities.

2. Implementing agile, demand-led workforce development programmes that allow young people to develop the capabilities required to take up new opportunities in growth sectors such as global business services, digital and technology, tourism, agriculture, and social services over five years, and support those sectors to expand. This will be achieved through short learning interventions matched to real demand in the economy, in partnership with Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), Skills, Education and Training Authourities (SETAs), the National Skills Fund (NSF), sector bodies and the Public-Private Growth Initiative.

3. Supporting the township and rural economy by creating inclusive markets in opportunity areas such as the food economy, the green economy, health, and education. To enable self-employment and enterprise, focus will be placed on systemic enablers such as connectivity, public infrastructure and market access – in addition to the direct enterprise support and financing provided by DSBD and its agencies.

4. Providing opportunities for workplace experience through the Youth Employment Service and ensuring that every student enrolled in TVET colleges can access work-integrated learning to complete their qualifications and enter the workplace.

5. Revitalising the National Youth Service to create opportunities for young people to meaningfully contribute to their communities, develop critical skills required to participate effectively in the economy, build confidence and expand their networks and social capital.

The Presidential Youth Employment Intervention is also being implemented in the Eastern Cape Province.