This research study has been conducted to explore and describe the perceptions and experiences of out-of-school youth regarding their access to the youth services available to them. A qualitative approach is followed and an exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design is utilized. The sample of the study was procured by means of purposive sampling. Data were collected by means of focus group discussions which were conducted using a questioning guide. Data were analysed according to the steps for qualitative data analysis provided by Tesch in Creswell (1994). To ensure the trustworthiness of the research findings, Guba’s model in Krefting (1991) was employed. The research findings were verified against the existing body of knowledge in order to compare and contrast the themes and sub-themes that emerged from the process of data analysis. The main themes that emerged from the study are lack of knowledge regarding available services, Needs or desires of out-of-school youth, hindrances or obstacles to access available youth services, suggestions for services relevant to needs of out-of-school youth and suggestions to make out-of-school youth aware of available services.

MPM / Oliver Tambo Institute of Governance and Policy Studies / See the attached abstract below

Thesis (MTech (Public Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019. / A socio-economic problem presently facing South Africa is the rate of youth unemployment, which is among the highest in the world. The South African Government has been involved in a number of initiatives, together with the advancement of a labour-intensive Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) in order to reduce unemployment and poverty. The EPWP was initiated in 2004 with the aim to place the jobless into productive work in the public sector social services where these EPWP beneficiaries are provided with relevant training and transfer of appropriate skills. However, the EPWP only creates temporary work opportunities that have limited influence on the lives of the beneficiaries. The main objective of the study was to examine the performance of the Youth Work Project (YWP) as an EPWP in a selected department of the Western Cape Provincial Government in order to determine its sustainability of job creation. The secondary aims of the study were to explain the process of the YWP as implemented through the EPWP by a selected department of the Western Cape Provincial Government. A third objective was to examine whether the Public Works employment opportunities enhance subsequent employability of participants once they exit this programme. Fourthly, recommendations was forwarded as to how best the EPWP can be used as a tool for helping unemployed youth with a permanent work opportunity. The sample frame computed of thirteen (13) individuals, therefore purposive sampling was considered the most suitable technique to use in this study. The semistructured interviews were conducted with five (5) management officials responsible for the EPWP and unstructured questionnaires were administered to eight (8) available EPWP beneficiaries placed at a selected department of the Western Cape Provincial Government.

Text in English / Background: The South African youth is confronted by unemployment. Ironically, even the youth of Soweto Township experience the harsh realities of unemployment, despite them playing a significant role to fight the apartheid regime. Therefore, the study explores the experiences of the youth of Soweto with regards to unemployment. Method: This study adopted a qualitative research approach and case study design. The purposive sampling method was used to select the sample. The sample consisted of ten unemployed youth of Soweto Township. The unstructured interview was utilised to collect data. Results: One of the main findings in this study was the fact that unemployment has impacted negatively on young people in Soweto Township. Unemployment has led to psychological effects and isolation amongst the jobless youth of Soweto. Conclusion: There is a need for great job opportunities for the youth in South Africa to grow the economy. This could also reduce crime among young people since it is well known that some of the young people have engaged in criminal activities due to unemployment. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Unemployment is a major issue in South Africa and if not properly addressed, will have devastating effects in the near future. The challenges facing the South African government is poverty, inequality and unemployment. When carefully examined, all these problems are interrelated. Studies have shown the causes of structural unemployment in South Africa, because despite the high statistical figures, unemployment is highly concentrated on specific racial groups and age cohorts. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of youth unemployment in two selected townships. The motivation for the selection of the research participants for this research was because persons in the same age cohorts are likely to share many characteristics that might influence their labour market experiences and outcomes. A qualitative study was undertaken in two locations in 2016, using two research instruments namely; the In-Depth Interviews (IDI’s) and the Focus Group Discussion (FGD’s). In both locations selected for the study, four FGD’s were conducted with both males and females, each with 8 participants and the IDI’s had 10 per site, 5 for males and 5 for females respectively. The data was analysed using the Nvivo computer software. The findings revealed that where the participants have solid family support, the experience of living with unemployment is severe because their potential to contribute in society goes untapped. However, the experience of living with unemployment is cushioned by the support they receive in their families. However, in households where the participants lack family support life becomes difficult for the unemployed. On the other note, the family support also makes the research respondents not to be serious when looking for employment opportunities. It renders them redundant. Another finding concerns the social grant provided by government. Participants in households that receive social grants are shielded from abject poverty. Many participants reported that it is not easy to get into the EPWP while others are not interested in it at all. Finally, none of the research participants have participated in the EPWP programs before, with some being aware of their existence while others are not. The research has shown that young people will not take up any job opportunity that is available for them. / Sociology / M.A. (Sociology)

Thesis (MDev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The introduction of privatisation after 1994 has left many people in Polokwane without employment. The majority of the jobs were given to few people who always provide services through tenders. Most of the departments were no longer hiring people because of the tendering process. The process has made many departments and municipalities to absorb labour force in the public sector. Due to lack of employment in different regions in Limpopo, the provincial Department of Public Works has started an Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to alleviate poverty in the province. However, the management of these projects became a problem to most of the government officials in the municipalities, provincial departments and municipalities are fraught with challenges such as lack of managerial traits, technical and skills related to project management. Polokwane local municipality is not excluded from the above problems, hence the study on the investigation of the management of EPWP towards job creation in Polokwane local municipality. In order to understand the total context of the managerial flaws faced by Polokwane local municipality in Limpopo an in-depth empirical research and interviews were conducted to collect data from government official and employees in the study area. The finding of the study suggests that lack of managerial traits, technical skills, lack of participation, non-compliance with work ethics, monitoring and evaluation were regarded as the greatest challenges in the management of EPWP in Polokwane local municipality. Due to the above challenges, most of the projects are not completed on time because of the lack of qualified project managers. Lack of qualified personnel also contributed to poor quality of service delivery in the area of the study. The study revealed that the projects can alleviate poverty if can be managed and implemented by qualified managers and employees with relevant skills. Therefore, the study calls for the Department of Public Works to appoint qualified and experienced civil engineers to monitor and evaluate the implementation of EPWP projects in Polokwane local municipality.

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.

Unemployment among young, less-educated coloured individuals is a major problem in the community of Worcester in the Western Cape. The purpose of the research study is to gain in-depth insight into the impact of unemployment on psychological well-being among young coloured people in Worcester. The study is based on a qualitative approach by conducting semi-structured interviews with twelve unemployed, coloured persons in Worcester. The ages of the participants ranged from 18 to 30 years, with the median age of 20.33 years. Purposive sampling and snowball techniques were used to select these unemployed young persons. Two instruments, a demographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide, were used to gather data on the research participants. The transcribed data were analysed by means of content thematic analysis and aided by thematic network analyses. The findings of the study suggest that unemployed participants experience negative feelings daily as a result of their unemployment. Some participants blamed themselves for previous mistakes that they had made, they feel a sense of failure to provide for their children's needs as parents, they expressed feelings of guilt or shame, and compared themselves with employed peers, which is indicative of low self-esteem. Furthermore, unemployment has a financial impact on participants which includes financial dependency on others, unemployment serving as a barrier to being able to fulfil future plans and aspirations as well as unemployment having an effect on the social life of participants in that participants appear to withdraw from social interaction and isolate themselves. For some participants there was a loss of a sense of purpose experiencing difficulties in structuring their time and generally spent their time with passive and purposeless activities. Despite being unemployed, certain other participants seek a sense of purpose and try to spend their time engaging in menial tasks or social activities. Participants expressed an overall positive attitude towards employment which includes regarding work as being very important as well as remaining optimistic about their chances of finding a job. Coping with unemployment daily emerged as one of the struggles experienced by the participants in the study. The process of coping with unemployment daily includes utilising a variety of coping strategies to manage their unemployment as well as to manage negative feelings that emerge from being unemployed. The coping strategies indicated by the participants include listening to music, sleeping, reading the Bible, and talking to their friends or family members. Participants also revealed that they needed and received two types of social support from family and friends to help them cope with their unemployment predicament; including a need for emotional support and a need for instrumental support. Participants in the study experienced judgment by community and family members daily because of their unemployed status which includes stigmatising comments. These comments are internalised by participants which may exert a negative impact on their psychological well-being. Limitations of the study includes, participants could have answered the questions of the semi-structured guide in a socially desirable manner as well as the audio-recorded interviews were transcribed into Afrikaans and translated into English and as such, some of the meaning of what the participants had said could have been lost in the translation process. Recommendations for further research includes exploring whether perceived support have a greater beneficial effect on the psychological well-being of unemployed individuals than received support, as well as the role such types of support play in coping with unemployment. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Unemployment among young, less-educated coloured individuals is a major problem in the community of Worcester in the Western Cape. The purpose of the research study is to gain in-depth insight into the impact of unemployment on psychological well-being among young coloured people in Worcester. The study is based on a qualitative approach by conducting semi-structured interviews with twelve unemployed, coloured persons in Worcester. The ages of the participants ranged from 18 to 30 years, with the median age of 20.33 years. Purposive sampling and snowball techniques were used to select these unemployed young persons. Two instruments, a demographic questionnaire and a semi-structured interview guide, were used to gather data on the research participants. The transcribed data were analysed by means of content thematic analysis and aided by thematic network analyses. The findings of the study suggest that unemployed participants experience negative feelings daily as a result of their unemployment. Some participants blamed themselves for previous mistakes that they had made, they feel a sense of failure to provide for their children's needs as parents, they expressed feelings of guilt or shame, and compared themselves with employed peers, which is indicative of low self-esteem. Furthermore, unemployment has a financial impact on participants which includes financial dependency on others, unemployment serving as a barrier to being able to fulfil future plans and aspirations as well as unemployment having an effect on the social life of participants in that participants appear to withdraw from social interaction and isolate themselves. For some participants there was a loss of a sense of purpose experiencing difficulties in structuring their time and generally spent their time with passive and purposeless activities. Despite being unemployed, certain other participants seek a sense of purpose and try to spend their time engaging in menial tasks or social activities. Participants expressed an overall positive attitude towards employment which includes regarding work as being very important as well as remaining optimistic about their chances of finding a job. Coping with unemployment daily emerged as one of the struggles experienced by the participants in the study. The process of coping with unemployment daily includes utilising a variety of coping strategies to manage their unemployment as well as to manage negative feelings that emerge from being unemployed. The coping strategies indicated by the participants include listening to music, sleeping, reading the Bible, and talking to their friends or family members. Participants also revealed that they needed and received two types of social support from family and friends to help them cope with their unemployment predicament; including a need for emotional support and a need for instrumental support. Participants in the study experienced judgment by community and family members daily because of their unemployed status which includes stigmatising comments. These comments are internalised by participants which may exert a negative impact on their psychological well-being. Limitations of the study includes, participants could have answered the questions of the semi-structured guide in a socially desirable manner as well as the audio-recorded interviews were transcribed into Afrikaans and translated into English and as such, some of the meaning of what the participants had said could have been lost in the translation process. Recommendations for further research includes exploring whether perceived support have a greater beneficial effect on the psychological well-being of unemployed individuals than received support, as well as the role such types of support play in coping with unemployment. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)