Join our campaign thetha nge unemployment to take action against youth unemployment

Home 9 Blog 9 What can you do for #MandelaDay2021?

What can you do for #MandelaDay2021?

Clotilde Angelucci

17 July 2021

Mandela Day falls during a difficult week for our country. The National Income Dynamics Study – Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) released their Wave 5 findings confirmed that South Africa is experiencing the highest dropout rate in 20 years. Almost 1 out 2 young people are unemployed, and continuous lockdown measures impact the labour market.

Focus on what we can do

While we need to acknowledge our feelings, it’s important not to lose hope and feel overwhelmed. It’s critical that we engage with changes that are possible within our reach. Youth Capital’s Action Plan was co-created to anchor the changes we really need to see, to unify our efforts across three focus areas, Education, Transitions and Jobs.

So for this Mandela Day, it’s important that we focus on the actions that are within our circle of influence. If you’re looking for ideas, we have a few for you!

  1. Read and sign on the Action Plan. The Action Plan offers a shared strategy to tackle youth unemployment together, a a squad. Take 67 minutes to read the Plan, choose the focus area you want to contribute to and sign the Plan here.
  2. Help young people register and prepare for the matric re-write. Before the pandemic, it was estimated that almost 300 000 pupils would drop out before Grade 10 and Grade 12, before reaching matric. A matric certificate increases young people’s likelihood to access further education and employment opportunities. Registering and preparing for the Second Chance Matric Programme is not very easy , so you an assist them finding resources (check Fonndamate and Siyavula to get started) and prepare the right documents for registration.
  3. Assist Grade 9 pupils choose their subjects. Choosing high school subjects is a difficult decision; learners have to balance their interests, their marks, their career aspirations and school subject streams. Spend 67 minutes with them to help them through this daunting process.
  4. Coach young people on potential careers. Career coaching is an aspect that lacks in our school curriculum. The academic route is often the only option young people are exposed to, and the vocational and artisanal route is not considered. Ask young people questions to help them through this choice and where possible, advice job shadowing, volunteering gigs to check their choice.
  5. Review a young person’s CV. Writing CVS is a craft! It’s important to help young people write CVs that offer insight into all the experiences that they have, both formal and informal.

It’s time to make these activities count! Let us know what activity you have chosen!