Youth unemployment is a global problem, but more-so in Southern globally positioned countries such as South Africa. The government of South Africa has implemented different interventions that attempt to alleviate national youth unemployment. Some of these programmes, such as the National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC), specifically target youth in rural and peri-urban areas. NARYSEC aims to develop skills of the youth in rural and peri-urban areas as well as assist in rural development. Despite the introduction of NARYSEC, unemployment among the youth continues to be a problem. Against this background, this study sought to examine rural youth and development interventions implemented by NARYSEC in peri-urban Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. Furthermore, the study assessed the extent to which NARYSEC interventions are contributing to rural youth and development in peri-urban Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. Lastly, the study examined the limitations of NARYSEC interventions in peri-urban youth development. To achieve the above objectives, the study used a qualitative research approach. The sampling procedure was purposive as the research required specific participants who have gone through NARYSEC training. A total of 24 respondents were eventually selected. In-depth, semi-structured interviews and key informant interviews were the primary data collection tools. Some of the main findings are that NARYSEC provides various skills training programmes which prepare young people for the labour market. NARYSEC interventions are also helping communities to reduce crime through providing youth employment opportunities. Furthermore, some youth actively participate in rural development projects such as rehabilitation of local clinics and construction projects. However, the study also found that there are a number of limitations and challenges that are experienced in the implementation of the NARYSEC programme. These challenges include lack of strategic planning in the programme, irregular stipend payments, strained professional relationships between NARYSEC programme facilitators and youth participants, limited passion and commitment to the programme by both youth participants and facilitators.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and Management, University of the Witwatersrand in partial (50%) fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Management (in the field of Public Sector Monitoring and Evaluation) August 2016 / This qualitative research study investigated implementation of the skills development programmes in the education, training and development sector using the ETDPSETA as a case study. Our investigation focused on implementation of the youth development programme outlined in the ETDPSETA five-year strategic plan for fiscal years 2011/12 to 2015/16. We chose this programme as our focus because it consumes more than sixty per cent of discretionary grant funding of the SETA. Through in-depth one on one and group interviews, we sought to understand what the programme was intended to achieve, what was delivered in reality, were there gaps between programme planning and actual implementation, and what were the challenges experienced by implementers in their implementation of this programme. To triangulate our findings from the interviews, we conducted an in-depth document analysis looking at various planning documents, implementation and reporting evidence. We further used the Programme theory model, the Quality Implementation Framework (QIF) and the Ecological Framework for understanding implementation to interpret and discuss our research findings. We found that there were major gabs in the manner the ETDPSETA implements its youth development programme, which could negatively affect realisation of programme outcomes and impacts. This is in spite of the fact that the ETDPSETA consistently met its programme implementation targets. / GR2018

M. Tech. Public Management / Young people in South Africa constitute 41% of the population of the country. Therefore, youth development needs to be recognised as a priority by the Government of South Africa. South African youth are faced with many challenges such as a lack of development which may lead to unemployment. Despite the majority of young people in South Africa having completed their tertiary studies and graduated, they still find it hard to get employment. This is a result of a lack of development, as well as skills and training needed to equip young graduates with sufficient practical work experience to enable them to get employment. In this study, an attempt is made to determine whether the Department of Water Affairs Graduate Trainee Programme has the desired impact on the young graduates who have participated in it.

In plight of the country‟s high unemployment, poverty, and income inequalities, there is an urgent need to address these issues by converging toward entrepreneurship. World-wide, it is acknowledged by both government and academia that entrepreneurship soothes and remedies socio-economic ills. It creates employment, wealth, alleviates poverty, increases tax base, balances income disparities and accomplishes social stability. With the high youth (18-34 year age) unemployment looming at 73 percent and a low South African total entrepreneurship rate at 8.9 percent; this study attempts to investigate the barriers that hinder school leavers from engaging in entrepreneurship. The research investigates critical entrepreneurial factors including entrepreneurial character and behaviour, entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, managerial knowledge and skills, knowledge on legal aspects of a business, sourcing of finances, and entrepreneurial background and orientation. The primary objective was met through the investigation of the secondary objectives. This was accomplished through a questionnaire survey, composed with multiple choice questions and closed questions measured on a Likert scale. The questionnaire was constructed based on the literature reviewed from various sources including books, dissertations, journals, government reports, newspapers, magazines, internet, television and radio broadcasts (interviews and news). The study discovers that learners are inhibited by various factors from engaging into business venturing. The list of barriers identified was: A discouraging entrepreneurial background (heritage) – parents had low levels of education and were not entrepreneurial, Weak entrepreneurial character and behaviour, Lack of entrepreneurial exposure and work experience, Learners lack financial skills and computer skills, Families lack savings to financially support their business start-ups, Limited knowledge on the legal aspects regulating a business, Limited knowledge on sourcing finances (angel and venture capital investors).

Many cities in the world have issues regarding street children and the mere fact that there are too many homeless children within them makes it difficult to eradicate the problem. These street children, or ‘detached youth’ are dwelling on the streets for numerous reasons, often specific to any individual child, ranging from domestic violence through to a low socio‐economic status. There are institutions that aim to assist these children by providing food, bedding, clothing and shelter; however many children feel that these provisions are not adequate in offering sufficient comfort in their lives. This document will delve into the history of Berea/Doornfontein to ascertain the cycle of poverty commencing from the formation of these suburbs, while a thorough understanding of psychological development throughout childhood will be covered to support the argument for a new type of solution to the rising problem: ‘An architectural solution that caters for the detached youth; providing social and psychological development across diverse age groups’ The implementation of varied programming into the building, with sufficient professional or adult supervision will cater for children that are on the streets for any given amount of time. The purpose of the architecture is to allow a mediation between the detached youth and members of the surrounding social context through recreational, emotional and vocational programs so that the detached youth can be sewn into the social fabric.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Considering the growing poverty and unemployment in South Africa, there is clearly an urgent need for development, particularly among the historically disadvantaged communities where the level of inequality is the highest. Sport has been viewed by a number of scholars as a possible vehicle for developing communities. In this regard, involvement in sport and exercise has been linked to psychological wellbeing, capacity building and skills development among adolescents, which leads to the empowerment of individuals. This study investigates the functioning of a Sport Development Academy, which uses canoeing as a mechanism to improve the quality of lives of people living in a rural community in The Valley of a Thousand Hills in Kwa-Zulu Natal. This qualitative investigation targeted a group of seven young men, between the ages of nineteen and twenty-nine years old, who were interviewed in order to examine their lived experiences as a result of participating in the Academy and the extent to which the Academy impacted positively on their lives. The Positive Youth Development Paradigm, Bronfenbrenner’s Eco-Systems Theory and the Athlete-Coach relationship view, was used as a lens through which the research findings were examined. The Athletes in the Academy learnt a number of values and skills such as hard work, determination and respect. They became involved in pro-social behaviors as opposed to anti-social behaviors due to their participation in the sport development programme. This participation resulted in the gaining of social capital which can lead to upward social mobility. The capacity of these athletes has also been improved. These above factors improve the psychological wellbeing of the individuals and equip them with essential values and skills that make them more employable. The research findings suggest that the involvement of the seven young men in the Academy produced a number of positive impacts. Therefore, the results of the research indicate that sport can be used, to a certain extent, as a vehicle through which development can occur. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Groeiende armoede en werkloosheid in Suid-Afrika dui dat daar duidelik 'n dringende behoefte vir ontwikkeling, veral onder die voorheen-benadeelde gemeenskappe is waar die vlak van ongelykheid die hoogste is. Sommige navorsers sien sport as 'n moontlike voertuig vir die ontwikkeling van hierdie gemeenskappe. In hierdie verband word betrokkenheid in sport en oefening gekoppel aan sielkundige welstand, kapasiteitsbou en die ontwikkeling van vaardighede onder tieners wat lei tot die bemagtiging van individue. Hierdie studie ondersoek die funksionering van 'n sportakademie wat gebruik maak van die sport kanovaart as 'n meganisme om die gehalte van die lewens van mense te verbeter wat woon in die landelike gemeenskap van die Vallei van 'n Duisend Heuwels in Kwa -Zulu Natal. Hierdie kwalitatiewe ondersoek van 'n groep van sewe jong mans, tussen die ouderdomme van negentien en nege-en-twintig jaar oud, het bestaan uit onderhoude wat gevoer is om hul ondervindinge te ondersoek as 'n gevolg van hul deelname aan die Akademie en die mate waarin dit ‘n positiewe impak op hul lewens gehad het. Die Positiewe Jeugontwikkeling Paradigma, Bronfenbrenner se Ekosisteemtoerie en die atleet - afrigter verhouding is gebruik as 'n lens waardeur die bevindinge ondersoek is. Die atlete in die Akademie het 'n aantal waardes en vaardighede aangeleer soos harde werk, deursettingsvermoë en respek. Hulle het betrokke geraak in pro-sosiale gedrag in teenstelling met anti-sosiale gedrag as gevolg van hul deelname in die ontwikkelingsprogram. Dit het gelei tot die toename van hul sosiale kapitaal wat gelei het tot groter sosiale mobiliteit. Die kapasiteit van hierdie atlete is ook verbeter. Die bogenoemde faktore het gelei tot die verbetering van hul sielkundige welstand en om hulle toe te rus met noodsaaklike waardes en vaardighede om hulle meer geskik te maak vir toekomstige loopbane. Die navorsing dui verder daarop dat die betrokkenheid van die sewe jong mans in die Akademie 'n aantal positiewe invloede tot gevolg het. Die resultate van die navorsing dui dus daarop dat sport tot ‘n sekere mate gebruik kan word as 'n middel waardeur ontwikkeling kan plaasvind.

Thesis (MComm)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A major societal challenge in post-1994 South Africa is that of questionable public leadership and the scarcity of ethical and effective leadership. Coupled with this are high expectations from the public directed at government institutions, which need to respond to the basic needs of citizens, and private business institutions, which need to create and sustain economic activity in an often uncertain environment. These transitional challenges call for outstanding leadership in public and private institutions. However, one can make a justified and evidence-based argument that the state of leadership in South Africa, particularly in the public sector, is not living up to these expectations. Added to this challenge of poor leadership is a youthful population that faces numerous challenges. However, from the youth of today the leaders of tomorrow are to emerge. South Africa and Africa as a whole are experiencing a youth population boom; a phenomenon that has been classified as having the potential to either be a demographic dividend or a ticking time bomb. In order to promote the development of youths, the South African government has attempted to respond to the multiplicity of challenges facing the youth by instituting the National Youth Act; a National Youth policy; the National Youth Service and a National Youth Development Agency (NYDA). This research submits evidence that the effectiveness of these interventions has not been satisfactory and that they do not include the intentional development of emerging South African leaders. The question, therefore, arises as to whether intentional development of future emerging leaders should not be taking place on a greater scale and in such a manner so as to ensure an improved leadership landscape in the future. This question necessitates exploratory inquiry into the phenomenon of youth leadership development in South Africa and represents the central theme of this research. Non-governmental organizations and university-based institutions have created leadership development programmes that target an emerging leaders' cadre in South Africa. These programmes are structured in different ways, but all have a leadership curriculum with theoretical and practical elements in common. The goal of this research will be to conduct an exploratory analysis of this emerging South African youth leadership development practice and to provide a theoretical and programmatic perspective on it based on an analysis of two case studies. The research is divided into four sequential phases. The first phase consists of a theoretical review of the concepts of leadership and youth leadership development. The second phase analyzes the context and challenges of South Africa’s youth and youth leadership development. The third and fourth phases transpose the theoretical and contextual analysis with youth leadership development practice in South Africa. This is done by means of the analysis of two case studies and the responses gathered from a semi-structured questionnaire answered by a sample population of emerging South African leaders. The cases analyzed are the South Africa Washington International Programme, a non-governmental organization specialising in developing emerging South African leaders, and the Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development of Stellenbosch University. The research showed that the concept of youth leadership development is theoretically underdeveloped, and limited information could be derived from the American literature on college student development. The research also indicated that the scale of youth leadership development in South Africa is relatively small. However, programmes developed and implemented by non-government organizations and tertiary-based institutions suggest an emerging practice of youth leadership development in the country. This emerging practice is not well researched in the South African context. In response, this study succeeds in highlighting a number of knowledge gaps that could address this lack. The research concludes with evidence that suggests that an investment in the professionalization of youth leadership development programmes will result in a future generation of ethical and effective South African leaders that will bring about positive transformational change in the Republic. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Twyfelagtige openbare leierskap en die skaarsheid van etiese en effektiewe leierskap is ’n wesenlike maatskaplike uitdaging in post-1994 Suid-Afrika. Tesame met hierdie het die publiek hoë verwagtinge vanaf die regering, wat nodig het om te reageer op basiese behoeftes van landsburgers, en vanaf ’n sakesektor, wat ekonomiese aktiwiteite moet bewerkstellig in soms volatiele omstandighede. Hierdie oorgangsuitdagings vra vir uitstaande leierskap in openbare en private instellings. ’n Regverdige en bewys-gebaseerde argument kan gemaak word dat die toestand van leierskap in Suid-Afrika, veral in die openbare sektor, nie aan verwagtinge vir goeie leierskap voldoen nie. Bykomend tot hierdie uitdaging van swak leierskap is ’n jong bevolking wat talle uitdagings in die gesig staar. Die jeug van vandag is egter die groepering waaruit toekomstige leiers te voorskyn kom. Suid-Afrika en Afrika in geheel beleef ’n oplewing van jeug populasie en hierdie verskynsel word deur sommige geklassifiseer as ’n moontlike demografiese dividend of ’n tydbom met negatiewe implikasies vir sosio-ekonomiese stabiliteit. Ten einde die jeug te bevorder wend die Suid-Afrikaanse regering pogings aan om te reageer op die verskeidenheid van jeug uitdagings deur die instelling van die Nasionale Jeug Wet, Nasionale Jeug beleid, die Nasionale Jeugdiens en ’n Nasionale Jeugontwikkelingsagentskap. Hierdie navorsing lê bewyse dat die doeltreffendheid van hierdie intervensies nie bevredigend is nie en fokus nie op doelgerigte ontwikkeling van opkomende Suid-Afrikaanse leiers nie. Die vraag ontstaan dus of doelgerigte ontwikkeling van toekomstige opkomende leiers nie op ’n groter skaal en op so ’n wyse moet plaasvind om ’n beter leierskapslandskap in die toekoms te verseker nie? Hierdie vraag skep ’n geleentheid vir ’n verkennende ondersoek na die verskynsel van jeugleierskapsontwikkeling in Suid-Afrika en verteenwoordig die sentrale tema van hierdie navorsing. ’n Beperkte aantal nie-regeringsorganisasies en universiteit-gebaseerde organisasies is geskep om jeugleierskapsontwikkeling programme te bestuur wat gemik is op die ontwikkeling van ’n opkomende leierskader in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie programme is gestruktureer in verskillende maniere, maar het elk ’n leierskapskurrikulum met teoretiese en praktiese elemente in gemeen. Die doel van hierdie navorsing is om ’n verkennende analise te doen oor hierdie opkomende Suid-Afrikaanse jeugleierskapsontwikkeling praktyk en om ’n teoretiese en programmatiese perspektief hiervoor te verskaf, gebaseer op ’n ontleding van twee gevallestudies. Die navorsing is verdeel in vier opeenvolgende fases. Die eerste fase bestaan uit ’n teoretiese oorsig van die konsep van leierskap en jeugleierskapsontwikkeling. Die tweede fase ontleed die konteks en uitdagings van Suid-Afrika se jeug en jeugleierskapsontwikkeling. Die derde en vierde fases integreer die teoretiese en kontekstuele analise met jeugleierskapsontwikkeling praktyk in Suid-Afrika. Dit word gedoen deur middel van ontleding van twee gevallestudies en ontleding van terugvoer verkry deur ’n semi-gestruktureerde vraelys wat beantwoord is deur ’n steekproef bevolking van opkomende Suid-Afrikaanse leiers. Die gevalle ontleed is die Suid-Afrikaanse Washington Internasionale Program (SAWIP), ’n nie-regeringsorganisasie wat spesialiseer in die ontwikkeling van opkomende Suid-Afrikaanse leiers, en die Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Instituut vir Studente Leierskapsontwikkeling van die Universiteit Stellenbosch. Die navorsing het getoon dat die konsep van jeugleierskapsontwikkeling teoreties onderontwikkeld is met beperkte studies wat in die Amerikaanse literatuur oor studente-ontwikkeling gevind is. Die navorsing het ook aangedui dat die skaal van jeugleierskapsontwikkeling in Suid-Afrika relatief klein is, hoewel programme wat ontwikkel en geïmplementeer word deur nie-regeringsorganisasies en tersiêr-gebaseerde instellings dui op ’n opkomende praktyk van die jeugleierskapsontwikkeling in die land. Hierdie opkomende praktyk is nie goed bestudeer in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks nie. In reaksie slaag die studie daarin om ’n aantal kennisgapings in hierdie verband te beklemtoon. Die navorsing sluit af met bewyse wat daarop dui dat ’n belegging in die professionalisering en formalisering van jeugleierskapsontwikkeling as ’n praktyk sal lei tot ’n toekomstige generasie van etiese en effektiewe Suid-Afrikaanse leiers wat positiewe transformasie in die Republiek teweeg sal bring.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The South African population involves huge numbers of young people. The majority of these young people are unemployed and unable to make a living as a result of the inability of the economy to absorb them into the labour market. Other young people attempt to make a living through entrepreneurship. However, the participation of young people in entrepreneurship is very low. Young people face many challenges associated with lack of funding and business development support services, technical skills and development. The problems facing the country substantially caused socio-economic challenges resulting in a shrinking economy. This translated into an inability of both the private sector and government to create and sustain jobs. The government of South Africa established the National Youth Development Agency (here called the Agency) with the mandate to reduce poverty by making sound investments. This facilitates opportunities for young people to acquire skills, promote creation of jobs or pursue meaningful self-employment opportunities through various enterprise development initiatives. The agency developed the Enterprise Development Finance Programme as an economic development approach. The agency provides access to financial and non-financial services to the previously disadvantaged youth in a sustainable manner that improves and promotes sustainable livelihoods for the low-income groups. The study evaluates the effectiveness of the EDFP. The public and private sector offers different programmes aiming at equipping aspiring and established entrepreneurs with skills, knowledge, and motivation to enable business development and growth in the country. However, the challenge is that many do not have entrepreneurial minds. Those who have entrepreneurship knowledge do not know about the programmes, or the programmes are not easily accessible particularly to people in the rural areas. In addition, these programmes are not co-ordinated and as result we are not in a position to tell immediately as to who is doing what and where. This also makes it difficult to identify gaps and to maximise the impact of the programmes. There is a need to audit all programmes aimed at improving the economic development of the country. The government of South Africa must instil a culture of entrepreneurship at all levels to promote and nurture entrepreneurship skills. Vigorous entrepreneurial activity and innovation is needed to alleviate high unemployment levels through a combination of improved quality education and skills development. Promotion and support of entrepreneurship should form an important component of policy options considered to increase economic growth for the long term. The Economic Development Finance programme provides SME and microfinance funding which is seen as an important strategy for economic growth. Education and skills development is an important tool that supports the culture of entrepreneurship, as it contributes to the success of businesses. The private and public institutions should intensify their involvements and consider both financial and non-financial support for youth enterprises and entrepreneurs equally. The support for entrepreneurship should be holistic and cover funding, technical training, training in business and financial management, and business linkages.

The research took place while the author worked as a volunteer theatre practitioner with the Arts and Culture Group in Wesbank township near Kuils River, Cape Town, South Africa. This organisation was founded in 2002 and was the result of one woman's efforts to keep the children of Wesbank off the streets, by keeping them busy through dance, song and drama. This study investigated the impact of basic theatre training, working towards performance and the performative act itself on the psyche of the drama group participants. More specifically, the study investigated in what ways being involved in a performance can help children and young people in an underprivileged community of Wesbank to develop confidence, a sense of competence, self-reliance, creative thinking, responsibility and the ability to work as an ensemble. The research was to a great extent focused on cross-cultural communication. How could the &quot / Cape Coloured&quot / and Xhosa members of the group overcome cultural barriers and express their cultural uniqueness equally through taking part in multicultural theatre performance.

The research took place while the author worked as a volunteer theatre practitioner with the Arts and Culture Group in Wesbank township near Kuils River, Cape Town, South Africa. This organisation was founded in 2002 and was the result of one woman's efforts to keep the children of Wesbank off the streets, by keeping them busy through dance, song and drama. This study investigated the impact of basic theatre training, working towards performance and the performative act itself on the psyche of the drama group participants. More specifically, the study investigated in what ways being involved in a performance can help children and young people in an underprivileged community of Wesbank to develop confidence, a sense of competence, self-reliance, creative thinking, responsibility and the ability to work as an ensemble. The research was to a great extent focused on cross-cultural communication. How could the &quot / Cape Coloured&quot / and Xhosa members of the group overcome cultural barriers and express their cultural uniqueness equally through taking part in multicultural theatre performance.