“[There are] 20 million young people in this country. We’re missing out on their energy, their passion, their skills and their talents by not creating a system in which they can thrive, create an income and generate opportunity for themselves,” said Team Lead at Youth Capital, Kristal Duncan-Williams. Her sentiments are a direct reaction to the country’s alarming and pervasive youth unemployment rate.
On Tuesday, Statistics South Africa published the first Quarterly Labour Force Survey of 2023, which paints a bleak picture of unemployment in the country.
The report indicated the nation’s unemployment rate had increased by 0.2% from 32.7% to 32.9%. However, when its expanded definition is factored in, the unemployment rate sits at 42.4%, despite the report’s nominal 0.2% decrease suggestion.
The Youth Unemployment Crisis
Amongst the most concerning statistics of the report was the indication that the youth aged between 15-34 years are the most vulnerable in the labour market. Youth unemployment has increased by 1.1% since the last quarter of 2022. Meaning 4.9 million young people are currently unemployed.
The statistics are concerning, not only for young people seeking employment but also for the youth who are still in school.
Many children in primary school face difficulties in reading with understanding, while numerous nationwide schools are gradually eliminating essential subjects necessary for nurturing skilled individuals.
Nonetheless, Williams believes that to resolve one problem, we must tackle all other issues. This is because schools directly impact the development of skills, which ultimately affects employment opportunities.
There is also the challenge of understanding and encouraging the needs of the youth. Some are often discouraged from obtaining and developing trade or “soft” skills in favour of a more prestigious skill set.
However, Williams proclaimed “soft” skills should not be underestimated, especially in a country where jobs are few and far between.
“The digital economy is one way to channel young people. We have to think about the fact that that’s not going to solve the crisis of the nine million young people that are not in employment, education or training. But soft skills in the areas of tourism, where you don’t need to be proficient in maths and science but you need to be able to communicate well, you need to be able to plan and engage with people … Soft skills can really go a long way … [Those skills] are going to differentiate that young person from somebody who doesn’t have those skills. And in an economy where jobs are few and far between, having soft skills can really set you apart.”
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Youth Capital’s Action Plan
Youth Capital, an organisation led by young individuals, actively involves and interacts with young people to gain insights into their experiences and paths to understand and develop solutions to particular obstacles.
As stated on its website, the organisation has created a strategic plan to tackle young individuals’ systemic difficulties. This plan integrates personal narratives, research, and data analysis to bring about a transformative change in addressing youth unemployment.
Youth Capital firmly believes in placing young people at the forefront and as the driving force behind the economy, democracy, and society. With this in mind, they are dedicated to supporting South Africans by facilitating opportunities, fostering skill development, and providing economic assistance.
Williams said, “Apartheid did such a great job of dividing us, and we are still, spatially, divided in this country. It means that young people who are in urban areas, townships and deep rural areas are just not connected to social networks that can open up opportunities for earning and learning for them. We need to start bridging those divides, and that’s for each of us to do. The government can try to institute things to make that happen, but that’s really something that each South African can take upon themselves.”
