Magister Artium - MA / 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 "Cape Coloured" and Xhosa members of the group overcome cultural barriers and express their cultural uniqueness equally through taking part in multicultural theatre performance. / South Africa

Football as the most popular sport, serves as a medium through which development issues can be addressed in a variety of ways. The potential and limitations of sport as a vehicle for change are widely recognized for informing YDF and partner organisations for change and capacity building at all levels of engagement. The YDF on HIV prevention project brought about a close working relationship between GIZ/YDF, Volkswagen groups South Africa, NGO’s, federations and government institutions. Volkswagen formed a PPP (Public Private Partnership) to promote HIV prevention among the youth in the Eastern Cape Province. The aim of the cooperation was to raise awareness and improve the knowledge of the youth on HIV prevention. The project combined peer education through football with life-skills education on HIV Prevention in schools. The present study aimed at evaluating the impact and effectiveness of the YDF project in addressing HIV prevention awareness in the selected schools of Nelson Mandela Bay. The sample consisted of fifty grades six and seven learners of the ages of twelve and over. In this mixed methods research, both qualitative and quantitative methods were used and data was collected by means of questionnaires and interviews where pre and post-test studies were conducted. The results suggest that there has been an improvement in the learners’ awareness and therefore the YDF on HIV prevention programme has been effective in improving the participants’ level of HIV prevention awareness in Nelson Mandela Bay. These findings should make a meaningful contribution to the debate on sports based participation programmes on HIV/AIDS education, with regard to the stakeholders and implementing parties, as well as to the public.

Thesis (MPhil (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / In the present chaos surrounding society, youth are in dire need of tools that will enable them to navigate life’s tests and help them understand their role in building a new world civilisation. It is not enough though merely to hear and profess grand ideals, action needs to accompany words. Action happens when ethics and spiritual principles are integrated at a deep level and become part of an individual’s character. The following mini thesis is a project proposal for the formation of a Drama Workshop called People’s Theatre. People’s Theatre aims to help youth become of service to humanity through the internalization of morals and through the realization of their spiritual identity and their oneness with the entire human race. The project proposal begins with an explanation of why the project is being implemented on a local level and where it fits in on a global level. The project utilises three component parts that are seen as necessary if the project is to be sustainable. There are dramatic, moral education and service component parts to the project. The dramatic component will focus particularly on the ZIPoPo method which has been chosen due to it being a powerful medium of expression as well as its focus on positive decision making and moral development. Following this, the project proposal goes into detail concerning the necessary steps needed to be taken in order to practically implement the project and make it a success. The format follows a typical project proposal format. Another factor that was decided upon in order to help make the project more sustainable was that the project would be divided into three main phases. These phases are talked about throughout the proposal. There is also an analysis about why certain activities were chosen and how to take advantage of any opportunities that may arise and lead to the further success of the project. Particular attention was paid to how to make the project truly sustainable and participatory and in this way enable it to succeed. Empowerment begins by teaching people how to walk their own path to development. The following project proposal provides a detailed plan on how to help youth to do just that.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Thus far, no youth intervention strategy has responded to the root causes of the HIV/AIDS crisis amongst young people through an approach that encompasses both a prevention and a future leadership strategy in one development model. This article tells the story of the development and pilot process of an adolescent peer education model, for which the author of this paper was the leader. The model is being proposed as a youth development strategy to positively impact community social norms by using young opinion leaders as the catalyst for change. The model was developed through an NGO, OIL Reach Out Adolescent Training (OIL), that specifically set out to pioneer, implement and evaluate best practice adolescent peer education in one cross-cultural community as a model for other communities in Africa. OIL set out basing its belief in the efficacy of peer education on behavioural theories, which support it as a strategy for behaviour change. At the heart of their peer education pilot was the belief that the message giver is the strongest message; people don’t change with information, they change when others around them change. Together with peer education theories, OIL applied a “futures-oriented” education approach in their curriculum development. OIL set out with a definition of peer education as being “the process whereby skilled facilitators assist a group of suitable young people to: educate their peers in a structured manner; informally role-model healthy behaviour; recognise youth in need of additional help and refer them for assistance; and advocate for resources and services for themselves and their peers”. (Deutsch, C. & Swartz. S 2003), OIL strategically selected a community at the tip of the Western Cape to pilot, made up of 4 diverse school communities and representing a microcosm of periurban South Africa as a whole. OIL was selected by the Western Cape Education Department as part of the provincial pilot programme. The core programme framework was designed together with community stakeholders and adolescent community representatives. Selection of Adolescent Peer Educators was through a combination of self-nomination and referrals from peers. The aim of this process was to yield a diverse group of teens from all the different sub-cultures who were leaders, chosen on their shared experience with learners and making up 10-15% of the class. Training content included a diverse values based curriculum that was designed to provide skills and information needed to tackle root issues facing young people and providing a sense of vision and purpose. Personal transformation of the peer educator was realized to be the critical factor in effective peer education.Over three years, a structured and long-term programme was put in place with programme standards and clear manageable outputs for peer educators. Once the pilot was drawing to completion in 2004, the author of this paper as representative of OIL at the time, together with representatives of the seven other implementing organisations involved in the pilot, were brought together to compile their learnings and document a proposed common model for implementation from 2005 into other communities. OIL’s model and uncompromising standards of peer education were recognized for future programmes to learn from and model. Challenges for future implementers include accessing financial sustainability, community buy and combatting HIV related attitudes / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Weinig beskikbare voorkomingsprogramme is tans op die jeug en toekomstige leiers gerig. In ander lande in Suider-Arika word voorkomingsprogramme sterk op die jeug gevestig ten einde die visie van 'n Vigsvrye generasie in die toekoms te probeer verwesentlik. Hierdie studie is as 'n gevallestudie opgeskryf met sterk klem op 'n volwasse opvoedkundige model en jeugontwikkeling en 'n positiewe fokus op jong opinieleiers, as teikengroep. Die uitkomste van die program is sterk op voorkoming gerig. Die model is ontwikkel deur 'n nie-winsgewende organisasie (NGO), OIL (Reach Out Adolescent Training). Die studie beskryf die ontstaan, metodiek en implementering van OIL en beskryf sekere van die suksesse wat reeds daarmee bereik is. Die teoretiese basis van die OIL program word beskryf. Ook word die belangrikheid van deeglike voorafopleiding en die transformasie wat deur OIL bereik kan word, deeglik op skrif gestel. Die verdere verloop van die opleidingsprogram word uitgespel en voorstelle vir verdere navorsings- en ontwikkelingswerk word aan die hand gedoen.

The goal of this research was to explore the experiences of the youth in Kentane with respect to the role that a entrepreneurship plays in alleviation poverty, with the intention to enhance recommendations to the local municipality, the private sector and governmental departments. The study focused on entrepreneurship as one of the strategies that is deemed capable of reducing poverty and increasing economic growth. A qualitative research approach was used to explore the experiences of the entrepreneurial youth, where permission was attained from the youth prior to the commencement of the study. Purposive sampling was utilised to recruit participants and data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data analysis was carried out using steps outlined in Creswell (2003). Five main themes were identified during data analysis where the main finding was that there was a lack of knowledge and resources to broaden the scope of youth based businesses in the area. Another major finding from this study was the introduction and imposition of haphazard short-term projects aimed at alleviating poverty that often failed as they did not address the needs specific to the community. Youth of Kentane are dedicated as entrepreneurs; however, they need the collaboration of interested parties and stakeholders to realise their respective potentials. Developmental and training programmes are crucial to assist the entrepreneurial youth of Kentane.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since the advent of democracy in South Africa, the government has prioritized youth development in the country. The strides made by government include setting up institutional arrangements, developing policies and implementing programmes targeting young people in the country. However, despite the efforts made to develop young people, the youth transition to adulthood is still extremely difficult, more especially for unemployed black females who reside in rural areas. Youth unemployment is the biggest problem affecting the youth in South Africa and globally, and the majority of the unemployed youth have been categorised as ‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’ (NEET). Being unemployed and also not being in education or training to prepare for future employment, limits future employability of the NEETs. The Department of Social Development and Special Programmes in the Eastern Cape Province implemented the Masupa-Tsela Youth Pioneers Programme (MYPP) to intervene in the high rate of youth unemployment in the Province. The programme in the Province was never evaluated and as a result there is no evidence of the success or failure of this youth programme. This study evaluates the implementation of the MYPP with a particular focus in Mhlontlo Local Municipality within O.R. Tambo District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province. Mhlontlo Local Municipality is a rural municipality characterized by high youth unemployment, high youth poverty, low levels of education among youth and low literacy levels among adults. The purpose of the study was to explore and discover whether the intended outcomes of the MYPP were achieved and what the specific challenges of the youth were. Evaluation research is used in this study to explore the MYPP. Evaluation research assesses the conceptualization, implementation, and impact of development programmes and projects. The data collected during this study through focus groups, interviews, questionnaires, and document review, revealed that the programme mostly achieved its intended outcomes, although there are areas that need to be improved in the future implementation of the programme. However, the goals and outcomes of the MYPP were not adequate to address the size of the challenge. On the basis of the findings of this study the researcher recommends that youth development programmes should be implemented in the context of sustainable development and young people must be placed at the centre of that development as agents of change in their communities. The researcher also recommends outcomes based planning in the Department, up-scaling of the programme, regular evaluation of the design, implementation and results of a youth programme as well as improved participation of the youth in the programmes designed to improve their lives. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die regering het sedert die koms van demokrasie in Suid-Afrika jeugontwikkeling in die land geprioritiseer. Die vooruitgang wat gemaak is, sluit in die opstel van institusionele reëlings , die ontwikkeling van beleid en die implementering van programme wat gerig is tot jong mense in die land. Maar ten spyte van die pogings om jong mense te ontwikkel, vind die jeug die oorgang na volwassenheid nog steeds baie moeilik, veral vir werklose swart vroue wat in landelike gebiede woon . Werkloosheid onder jeug is die grootste probleem wat die jeug in Suid -Afrika en in die wêreld ondervind, en die meerderheid van die werklose jeug word gekategoriseer as "Nie in onderwys, beroep of opleiding nie' (NOBOe). Om werkloos te wees en ook nie in onderwys of opleiding om voor te berei vir toekomstige indiensneming nie, beperk toekomstige indiensneembaarheid van die NOBOe . Die Departement van Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling en Spesiale Programme in die Oos-Kaap het die Masupa Tsela - Jeug Pioneers Programme (MJPP) geïmplementeer om in te gryp in die hoë werkloosheidskoers onder die jeug in die Provinsie. Die programme in die provinsie is nooit geëvalueer en as gevolg is daar geen bewyse van die sukses of mislukking van hierdie jeug programme nie. Hierdie studie evalueer die implementering van die MJPP met 'n spesifieke fokus op Mhlontlo Plaaslike Munisipaliteit in die Tambo -distriksmunisipaliteit in die Oos-Kaap. Mhlontlo Plaaslike Munisipaliteit is 'n landelike munisipaliteit wat gekenmerk word deur hoë werkloosheid onder die jeug, hoë jeug armoede, lae vlakke van onderwys onder die jeug en lae vlakke van geletterdheid onder volwassenes . Die doel van die studie was om te ondersoek en vas te stel of die beoogde uitkomste van die MYPP bereik is en wat die spesifieke uitdagings van die jeug was. Evaluering navorsing is in hierdie studie gebruik om die MJPP te verken. Evalueringsnavorsing evalueer die konseptualisering, implementering en die impak van die ontwikkeling van programme en projekte . Die data wat ingesamel is tydens hierdie studie deur middel van fokusgroepe, onderhoude, vraelyste , en dokument hersiening, het aan die lig gebring dat die programme meestal sy doel bereik het, maar daar is gebiede van die implementering van die programme wat in die toekoms verbeter sal moet word. Maar die doelwitte en uitkomste van die MYPP was nie voldoende om die grootte van die uitdaging aan te spreek nie. Op grond van die bevindinge van hierdie studie beveel die navorser uitkomsgebaseerse beplanning in die Departement voor, vergroting van die programme , gereëlde evaluering van die ontwerp, implementering en resultate van 'n jeug programme sowel as die verbeterde deelname van die jeug in die programme wat ontwerp word om hul lewens te verbeter.