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Saturday is World Youth Skills Day – declared by the UN to celebrate the importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship.
South Africa’s 46.5% youth unemployment rate signifies an urgent need for economic intervention, and some corporates agree – saying the key to economic growth lies in equipping the youth with development opportunities.
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KFC SA’s Brand and Purpose manager, Andra Nel says “the 2030 for Sustainable Development places a strong emphasis on skills and jobs for young people, but solving a problem of this scale requires co-ordinated efforts from all sectors.”
Nel believes that collectively, “we can encourage youth participation and development”.
She says as a “people first business”, KFC has various sporting, education, feeding network and access initiatives, aimed at empowering the youth.
“We are proud to be able to provide a powerful vehicle that no only equips the youth to pursue their educational and professional aspirations, but also provide equal opportunities and necessary resources to level the playing field,” says Nel.
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Investec’s Promaths initiative, in partnership with Kutlwanong Centre for Maths, Science and Technology, provides lessons to disadvantaged youth – for better matric results, to improve their chances of gaining access to tertiary institutions.
“One of the best ways to help the youth and level the playing field is to give them access to educational support programmes aimed at filling the gaps [resulting] from a challenged public education system,” says Setloane Manchidi, Head of CSI at Investec.
“Our belief is that the support of carefully considered educational initiatives positions the youth to gain access to opportunities,” Manchidi says.
According to the latest 2030 Reading Panel Background Report, 82% of grade 4 pupils can’t read with understanding.
Imperial & Motus Trust board member Esha Mansingh says South Africa’s literacy crisis is concerning, especially with the country’s inability to equip the youth with fundamental skills.
Mansingh says the worst part is the direct impact of poor education on the development of employable youth, and those with entrepreneurial potential.
“It’s critical that as corporate SA we use our social purpose to develop such skills through comprehensive literacy intervention programmes,” says Mansingh.
She says it’s important to address grassroot level skills and provide necessary tools to promote educational development.
“Currently, there’s no national reading plan, budget, or accurate reporting in place at government level”, she says.
“Investing in libraries and resource centres that encourage reading development and improve literacy are crucial to changing this agenda locally,” Mansingh adds.
Mansigh says development requires going beyond the student perspective, but rather addressing the entire value chain – which includes parents, communities and other stakeholders.
Echoing the same sentiments, Manchidi says there must be a continuum of initiatives starting from high school to tertiary level and adulthood – “a progressive pipeline, spanning three stages of learning and growth to create opportunities for young people to become active participants in society”.
Chief People and Culture Officer at Liberty Two Degrees, Yongie Ntene, says strengthening youth participation enables the country to grow a skilled labour force and entrepreneurial pool.
Ntene says this can be achieved through a number of youth initiatives.
She says providing platforms for the youth to freely express their voices “is how we make a difference and drive strong active participation in the sector.”
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1Life senior manager Brina Biggs shares the same sentiments, but says “it’s not only about active participation, but also about encouraging a [vision] of the future”.
“Skills development in financial independence and creating a mindset for the next generation is a critical skill we need to impart on our youth today,” says Biggs.
Biggs says although access and opportunities open doors – “it’s the commitment to financial freedom and the creation of generational wealth that [will] protect their futures”.
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