published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Research Report submitted to the University of the Witwatersrand, School of Governance in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in Management in Public and Development Management (50% Research) / Since the development of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the year 2000 and Beyond (United Nations, 2010), youth and the associated development issues that affect and are effected by them have risen to prominence. In South Africa, 66% of the population are under the age of 34 (the cut-off age for youth), and 36% are between the ages of 15-34 years old, and there is a general perception and concern that current youth policy is failing (Maupa, 2013; NUMSA Bulletin basic, 2014; Setiloane, 2014; South African Broadcasting Corporation, 2011). From anecdotal evidence, personal experience as a youth development practitioner and brief analysis of the literature, there appears to be limited strategic and deliberate engagement of youth and youth-oriented CSOs in the youth policy formulation and implementation process. The purpose of this research is to explore the perceived and real barriers to the involvement of CSOs in youth policy implementation in South Africa. A policy implementation research lens is applied in a broad analysis of the National Youth Policy 2015-2020 and its implementation, exploration of the involvement of CSOs in the policy process and assessment of perceived and real barriers of involvement for CSOs. The research study was an attempt to address the identified knowledge gap regarding youth policy implementation in the South African context (O’Toole, 2000; Saetren, 2005) and the potential role of civil society in that policy process. To some extent, the data, findings and analysis discussed addressed the knowledge gap in that they described how the youth policy is being implemented; identified the key role players in the implementation, and the ways in which civil society may be involved. The research findings and analysis answered the research questions, revealing the barriers to civil society, the nature of youth and CSO engagement by government. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the policy implementation, youth engagement, and civil society involvement, providing clarity and recommendations that may enhance youth participation and civil society and state partnership in policy implementation. / MT2017

Research Report submitted in accordance with the requirements For the degree of Master of Management (MM) in the subject Public and Development Management at University of Witwatersrand MARCH 2015 / This study evaluated the management and implementation of the National Youth Service (NYS) Programme launched in July 1997 by the Department of Public Works (DoPW) in Mpumalanga Province. It explored the implementation challenges affecting the NYS over three year period. In order to respond to the above the research applied different qualitative data collection and analytical methods. The research found implementation challenges including, a lack of NYS Implementing structure in the responsible Department, poor planning and allocation of requisite financial resources leading to delayed payment of stipend for learners plus procurement challenges. Further, the study went on evaluate outcomes of the NYS in relation to both its objectives and to the specific objectives of the implementing agent i.e., DoPW in order to thereby draw lessons learnt and best practices for management and implementation of youth development programmes. The researcher concludes by observing that the NYS programme has great potential for employment creation and skill development for the intended beneficiaries. However, the NYS implementation requires intensive planning, resource allocation, training of implementing staff and timeous payments of beneficiaries as key success factors to the programme

This study uses grounded theory method to explore how effective China's social policy in promoting social integration through an investigation of the social consequences of youth unemployment in Shanghai. Research questions include: What is the impact of unemployment on the social integration of young people in Shanghai? What are the roles of state welfare institution and family system in the influencing process? The results show that the unemployed young persons in Shanghai face the risks of social exclusion in their lives, such as, access to state welfare, economic condition, consumption, leisure activities, time structure, social relations, and life transition. The reason for the emergence of these risks is that the state gives the highest priority to system integration and shifts its unemployment protection obligation to the family without well-developed family-supportive polices to assure and promote the realization of the protecting function of family. Thus, under the current framework of social policy, family becomes the primary social institution to promote social integration among the unemployed youth. However, the realization of family protecting function is not automatic inevitable, but a negotiated consequence of the harmonic interaction among family economic resource, family structure, family obligation and family relationship. The failure of family support would make the young unemployed socially excluded. This study suggests that China's social policy should emphasize both system integration as well as social integration: establishing the social right value based upon fair reciprocity of rights and responsibilities, formulating family-supportive polices, and applying the perspective of "new social policy" to broaden the scope of social policy interventions. / 曾群. / 論文(哲學博士)--香港中文大學, 2005. / 參考文獻(p. 251-267). / Adviser: Ngan-pun Ngai. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-07, Section: A, page: 2756. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in English. / School code: 1307. / Lun wen (Zhe xue bo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2005. / Can kao wen xian (p. 251-267). / Zeng Qun.

published_or_final_version / Sociology / Master / Master of Philosophy

The youth transition is not just a critical time for an individual but also to one’s family, the greater society and economy. The category “youth” in simple terms can be regarded as the transition in the life cycle from childhood and schooling into adulthood and work. Employment is one of the key factors that guide the youth transition into adulthood – from dependency upon family and community to greater independence and ability to secure one’s own livelihood. If a young person is unable to gain access into the labour market within the first 10 to 12 years, statistically, she will be less likely to have long-term employment throughout her lifetime. These are crucial years to providing mechanisms that actively engage youth in job preparation and employment opportunities. This research explores relevant youth-employment policy and its implementation in a South African local municipality of eThekwini. Research questions were developed to analyse the vertical and horizontal impact of policies at the local level and ask: What measures within national youth policies and strategies have been instituted to address barriers to youth employability in South Africa? Are national youth policies reaching the local level? What approaches have been taken to encourage youth employment at the local level, and what challenges exist in these approaches? The literature review, analysis of policy documents, and semi-structured in-depth interviews with government officials provide a guided yet flexible exploration of information within the context of local implementation of national and local policies for youth employment. Findings reveal an obvious gap between national youth programmes and their connection to municipality departments and programmes. The research process found that in spite of the lack of national services at a local level, the eThekwini Municipality has created its own youth policy and developed its own ways of providing youth services. While the research does unveil a lack of coordination concurrent to the local youth policy outcomes, it can be seen to be taking innovative steps of empowering individuals towards employment opportunities. The study concludes by acknowledging the recent changes in national strategies for youth. It questions whether these national changes will impact youth at the local level or just continue to provide policy that lacks implementation. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Youth development in South Africa remains one of the greatest challenges. Due to the legacy of apartheid policies and the existing gaps in current policies, most young people still face socio-economic challenges, such as a high rate of unemployment, poverty, lack of business opportunities, lack of skills and a high rate of HIV infection, among other health-related challenges. The advent of democracy transformed the government’s response to the needs of young people. New policies and legislative documents have been formulated since 1994. As part of constant efforts to promote youth welfare, in November 2008, the government launched the National Youth Policy (NYP). The policy stands as an essential guiding tool for youth development in the country. It stresses that mainstreaming youth development requires not only transformation of municipal structures, but also a deliberate willingness of leaders, and that their existing economic policies, strategies, programmes and institutions consider youth priorities. The government established the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) to spearhead co-ordination of youth development. In the Msunduzi Municipality, NYDA is guided by the Youth Advisory Programme that translates the policy at a local level. The purpose of this research was to ascertain whether or not the NYP is being implemented in the municipality through the Youth Advisory Programme. Through a case study done at the NYDA office, the findings indicate that the programme focuses on economic empowerment. First, activities concentrate on career development, which is mainly directed at technical skills, writing and communication skills of the youth, both in and out of school. Second, activities concentrate on entrepreneurial development, which means increasing entrepreneurial culture, business managerial capacities and book-keeping, thereby contributing to sustainable human development. However, for the programme to be effective, it needs a holistic approach to development. It must thus focus on all four pillars of the NYP, namely health and wellbeing, education, economic empowerment and social cohesion. For this to happen, the NYDA needs both financial and human resources, which currently, are under-resourced. Shortage of human and financial resources will continue to hamper youth development in the branch. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 270-281). / Microfiche. / x, 281 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm