NYC - NYC Green Paper

Chapter Six
NEXT STEPS IN ESTABLISHING
THE NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE

1 Introduction
The overall mandate for the National Youth Service has been established through the Youth Policy 2000. This chapter outlines a programmatic implementation strategy that will be pursued parallel to the policy and legislative process that follows this Green Paper.
The National Youth Commission will seek to facilitate initial national youth service programmes through limited pilot activities in 1999, with the view to gaining experience of programme design and implementation according to the criteria and principles outlined in this document.
Various processes over the past year have led to the development of a range of initiatives that relate closely to the National Youth Service. These include proposals developed for the Jobs Summit and initiatives in the higher and further education sectors. The following outlines some of the initiatives that lend themselves to the design of envisaged pilot programmes.
2 Contextual readiness for the National Youth Service
Within each of the target groups identified for national youth service, various processes have contributed to preparing the ground for the introduction of such programmes. These provide important foundations for taking forward the recommendations in this Green Paper.
2.1 Higher education sector
Institutions in the higher education sector are presently embarking on extensive restructuring processes through which they are attempting to respond to the transformation imperatives outlined by the White Paper entitled A Programme for Transformation in Higher Education, published by the Department of Education in 1997. The final report on an in-depth research project into community service in higher education has recently been published by the Joint Education Trust. It makes a range of proposals about the possibilities for integrating the notion of service into the process of curriculum reform and the constraints which are likely to arise. At the same time, the Department of Education is reviewing its funding formula for higher education and may take into consideration ways of providing financial support for service objectives where these become an integral part of higher education teaching, learning and research objectives.
2.2 Further education and training sector
The further education and training sector has recently completed its policy process with the adoption of the White Paper on Further Education and Training by Cabinet. This lays the basis for discussion of the possibility of service activities within the further education and training band. The Jobs Summit process has also endorsed the need for the Ministry of Education, with the support of the Ministry of Labour, to engage in a process to explore these possibilities further.
2.3 Unemployed youth
The Jobs Summit process has taken forward the work of the National Youth Policy, and has agreed to a resolution that supports the need for programmes that involve the unemployed in service activities whilst enabling these young people to access accredited education and training through these programmes. The proposal emerging from the Jobs Summit suggests that a steering committee will be established which includes the National Youth Commission, government representatives as well as a representative from each of the other constituencies of Nedlac B labour, business and the community. It further recommends that more people may be coopted on to this committee to provide additional expertise. This committee will have the responsibility of finalising guidelines for three lead projects: Working for Water, Community-Based Public Works and the Clean and Green Cities campaign. The committee will also oversee the implementation of these three projects and may identify other project opportunities. Actual implementation of the three lead projects will be the responsibility of the respective departments: Water Affairs and Forestry, Public Works, and Environment and Tourism.
2.4 Youth in conflict with the law
The sector that is responsible for young people in conflict with the law has also begun to engage with the concept of service programmes. There is support, as expressed in the South African Law Commission, for the potential that service offers as an alternative sentencing option, and as a mechanism for realising the strategy of restorative justice. Relevant government departments (such as the Departments of Justice, Safety and Security, Correctional Services and others) have already begun collaborating on these issues and this provides a forum in which to take forward proposals emerging from this Green Paper.
3 Recommended next steps
3.1 The three year programme of action
The National Youth Commission will facilitate the implementation of proposals in the Green Paper over a period of three years. In order to lay the ground for the launch of the National Youth Service in the year 2000, a limited number of projects will be implemented in 1999 to put in place the medium-term institutional arrangements.
Parallel to this initiative, the Youth Commission will conclude the Green Paper process by developing a White Paper and related legislation by October 1999. Following the launch of the National Youth Service Agency and the National Youth Service Programme in the year 2000, a two-year development programme will be pursued and evaluated at the end 2001, leading to medium-term consolidation.
3.2 Pilot project activities
In order to implement pilot projects for the four target groups, the following steps are necessary:
3.2.1 Stakeholder involvement
For the National Youth Service to be successful and to reach large numbers of young people, close involvement of different stakeholders will be needed. Therefore, in implementing pilot projects, the National Youth Commission will ensure broad stakeholder participation.
3.2.2 Interim coordination
During 1999, the National Youth Commission, together with relevant agencies and implementing organisations, will establish an interim structure to coordinate pilot projects and undertake their evaluation in preparation for the establishment of the proposed National Youth Service Agency.
3.2.3 Monitoring and evaluation
Pilot projects will be linked to monitoring and evaluation activities that will seek to find answers to medium-term considerations such as the required institutional and funding arrangements to be devised by the National Youth Service.
3.2.4 Costing and financial planning
In the year 1999, the Interim Coordinating structure will ensure the development of a medium-term financial plan based on costing models derived from pilot and other related activities.
3.2.5 Building awareness
An advocacy campaign will be launched to create awareness of the need for a National Youth Service and its benefits to communities, young people and the economy. Such a campaign will include a National Service Day as proposed.
3.3 Steps to be undertaken with regard to specific programmes

3.3.1 Higher education and further education and training
A process coordinated by the Ministry of Education, involving provincial MECs, the National Youth Commission, members from the Council for Higher Education and the National Board on Further Education, will be established to consider three key issues:

firstly, the need to integrate the concept of service into the curriculum by higher education institutions and institutions of further education and training;
secondly, ways of addressing related issues of programme funding, staffing, institutional involvement and the identification of service opportunities; and
thirdly, linkages between student financial aid and programmatic opportunities for youth service.

3.3.2 Unemployed youth
The Jobs Summit has identified three projects for implementation in 1999. These include the Community-Based Public Works Projects, the Clean and Green Cities Campaign and the Working for Water Programme. These will be added to other appropriate projects for unemployed youth.
The National Youth Commission, through its participation in the Steering Committee following the Jobs Summit will promote relevant youth service activities that are related to the above government projects. The following are recommended for implementation:

Firstly, that projects should be located in a range of institutions, including local government and non-governmental organisations. This should ensure that by the end of 1999, up to 15 000 young people are involved in the National Youth Service.
Secondly, that participating service organisations should be supported with some capacity building to ensure the implementation of the proposed programmatic criteria and guidelines.
Thirdly, programmes selected for implementation in 1999 would already have secured basic funding and institutional capacity for the delivery of projects.
Fourthly, that discussion be held with key government departments, including departments of Education, Finance and Trade and Industry, to develop agreements around financing of participants= benefits including support for small, medium and micro enterprises.

3.3.3 Youth in conflict with the law
The National Youth Commission will initiate a process with the Ministries of Justice, Correctional Services, Safety and Security and Welfare, as well as with the South African Law Commission and other relevant stakeholders to consider the following:

Firstly, to agree on a policy framework that guides the placement of young people in conflict with the law into national youth service programmes.
Secondly, to determine the practicalities of such programmes, including institutional and supervisory arrangements.

4 Conclusion
These recommendations point to the immediate steps that need to be undertaken in order to lay the foundations for the National Youth Service. These steps should include the introduction of short-term initiatives, while laying the groundwork for ensuring that the youth service can go to scale. The recommendations ensure that the unemployed youth will immediately benefit from this programme, while other target groups will benefit once the recommended processes have been concluded. 1999 will be a year in which young people start becoming effectively involved in service whilst simultaneously accessing learning opportunities. This is a systemic intervention that will enable thousands, and ultimately millions of young people to benefit, while contributing to the reconstruction and development needs of South Africa.
5 Summary
5.1 The National Youth Service will initially confine its focus to the four target groups identified, and will seek to launch a limited number of pilot programmes with a view to gaining experience of programme design and implementation according to the criteria, values and principles outlined in this document.
5.2 The National Youth Commission will devise and implement the strategies necessary for drawing the key stakeholders into the process of conceptualising and planning the National Youth Service.
5.3 The National Youth Commission, together with relevant government agencies, will establish an Interim Coordinating structure for the pilot phase.
5.4 An advocacy campaign will be launched to promote the National Youth Service and its benefit to communities, young people and the economy.
5.5 Pilot projects will be linked to monitoring and evaluation in order to find answers to medium-term considerations such as the required institutional and funding arrangements to be devised by the National Youth Service.
5.6 During 1999, the Interim Coordinating structure will ensure the development of a medium-term financial plan based on costing models derived from pilot and other related activities.
5.7 In order to take the planning process forward in the higher education and the further education and training sectors, there will need to be a process coordinated by the Department of Education which involves provincial MECs, members of the National Youth Commission, members from the Council for Higher Education and members of the Further Education and Training Board.
5.8 The National Youth Commission, through its participation in the Steering Committee following the Jobs Summit, will promote relevant youth service activities that are related to the above government projects. The following are recommended for implementation:

Firstly, that projects should be located in a range of institutions, including local government and non-governmental organisations. This should ensure that by the end of 1999, up to 15 000 young people are involved in the National Youth Service.
Secondly, that participating service organisations should be supported with some capacity building to ensure the implementation of the proposed programmatic criteria and guidelines.
Thirdly, programmes selected for implementation in 1999 would already have secured basic funding and institutional capacity for the delivery of projects.
Fourthly, that discussion be held with key government departments, including Departments of Education, Finance and Trade and Industry, to develop agreements around financing of participants= benefits including support for small, medium and micro enterprises.

5.9 In regard to youth in conflict with the law, a process will be initiated with the Ministry of Justice and relevant government departments, as well as other stakeholders to agree on a policy framework which guides the placement of these young people into national youth service, and examines the practicalities of such programmes.