Their determination to find a solution to South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis has seen Yeshikah Appavoo and Thashania Perumal recognised at SAICA’s Student Leadership Summit Awards.
Youth unemployment in South Africa stands at an alarming 45,5%, sparking a crisis that threatens the country’s stability both economically and politically. While the problem has many roots, Yeshikah and Thashania have honed in on the gap between school-leavers and potential employers as one of the most significant obstacles. Their project, SAYDE – South African Youth Development and Empowerment – aims to address this gap.
‘Despite their drive and ambition, many young South Africans face challenges as they transition to the workforce,’ Yeshikah points out. ‘Often, this is caused by a lack in basic life skills, such as how to answer questions during interviews. Although this might seem like a small issue, it stands in the way of their ability
to make a meaningful economic progress.’
SAYDE has been developed to assist by equipping learners (especially those from underprivileged and disadvantaged backgrounds) with skills to enter the working world with confidence – ‘and by making our youth stronger in this way, we can help to strengthen the economy and, ultimately, contribute to a stronger South Africa’, Yeshikah says. In this way, SAYDE speaks directly to Sustainable Development Goal 8: the promotion of sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all – important, because one of the key criteria of the Youth Leadership Summit Awards is the business model’s ability to address SDGs.
A FLEXIBLE APPROACH
SAYDE drives change by hosting workshops where young people can develop skills in key areas, Thashania explains. ‘“Youth’ is a large demographic encompassing anyone aged between 18 and 35. However, the needs of a learner fresh out of school are very different to those of a 35-year-old.’ With this in mind, SAYDE focuses on developing career and financial skills as well as life skills, and participants may attend the workshop that is best suited to their requirements.
‘We spent a long time discussing this approach with our advisors and with members of our target audience,’ Thashania says. ‘The outcomes of these conversations made it clear that we need to be flexible in our approach. We became highly aware that we needed to keep the problem we are trying to solve at the forefront, no matter what. With that as our North Star, we are able to tweak the solution we use to address it. It’s crucial that we maintain this flexibility, as the solution becomes ineffective if it is not sustainable.’
The conversations brought home another message: ‘South Africa faces many challenges, but we will not be able to solve them all – we cannot try to boil the ocean. We have to be realistic. If we are able to make a difference in this one area, it will have a ripple effect, creating positive change,’ Yeshikah says.
She explains that SAYDE’s envisaged model sees the workshops hosted at schools. This has several benefits: firstly, the project will already have a direct channel to its audience, who will be spared the costs of transport to a new venue.
The duo have already started approaching schools, and their idea has been received enthusiastically. What remains now is to launch SAYDE officially. Yeshikah is hoping that this will take place this year. The initiative will start by targeting learners, as Yeshikah and Thashania – both third-year students – are still highly aware of the anxieties and issues this cohort experiences. ‘We know what it feels like to worry about whether you’ll find a job,’ Yeshikah says, ‘so we’ll start by talking participants through basics they need to understand, like how to open a bank account. As the project matures, we’ll tackle subjects that will have greater appeal for older groups.’
The idea is, ultimately, to create ‘a space where people feel safe to ask us about anything related to careers and life skills’, she continues. ‘We’d ideally like to be able to provide practical assistance, too; for instance by establishing a fund that sponsors young people who aren’t able to afford transport or collecting clothing donations so that they have appropriate clothes to wear to work.’
DRIVING CHANGE
Given that Yeshikah and Thashania have known each other since their first days of Grade 8 at Bryanston High School, it’s not surprising their passion for this project is shared. In fact, Yeshikah reveals, they had already begun
to brainstorm solutions before the Youth Leadership Summit Awards presented an official channel for launching their idea.
‘During our research for this project, we visited several under-resourced schools, and it was deeply moving to witness the challenges some learners face due to a lack of resources. I am passionate about seeing SAYDE contribute to creating positive change in these communities,’ Thashania says.
Author
Lisa Witepski
