Less-formal initiatives can offer ideas to government’s Youth Employment Service
An interesting informal initiative is the Facebook group called ‘I need someone who …’, which is an attempt to match job-seekers with opportunities
In the face of growing youth unemployment in the country, few commentators could have been surprised when President Cyril Ramaphosa prioritised it in the state of the nation address. The launch of the Youth Employment Service (YES) in March, was an indication that the Presidency was willing to look for news ideas for tackling youth unemployment. YES has the ambitious goal of providing one-million South Africans with paid work experience over the next three years, and 100 companies have already signed up to the initiative. One of the assumptions underlying the YES model is that first time jobseekers struggle to access work opportunities, and that once this gap is bridged, subsequent opportunities are more accessible. There are a number of initiatives in SA that operate on the same assumption, and I’m sure that YES will draw on lessons from these initiatives. It is important that YES and such initiatives draw on lessons from less-formal initiatives as well. An interesting informal ini...
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