NYC - NYC Green Paper

Chapter Seven
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH SERVICE
IN GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES

This chapter provides a broad overview of government initiatives and programmes. These provide opportunities for service by young people. The information in this chapter illustrates the types of programmes that are currently being run, available opportunities for youth service and points to possible institutional linkages that could be made.
Much of the information on programmes and budgets in this chapter was gleaned during interviews held with selected government departments. The information is not complete and is provided primarily as an indication of the level of funding and the programmes which might be accessed by the National Youth Service.
1 Introduction
In its employment strategy framework, government recommitted itself to the central pillars of the RDP which aim to achieve macroeconomic stability, job creation, human resource development, the meeting of basic needs and the provision of a social security safety net. The strategy framework argues that in order to achieve any one of these goals in the long term, it is essential that plans and programmes are implemented in a coordinated, mutually reinforcing manner. The strategy further points to the need to develop a more targeted approach with greater emphasis on the sequencing and coordination of policy.
The strategy cites a number of the components that are central to the creation of jobs. Of particular relevance to the national youth service is the commitment to expand Special Employment Programmes so as to raise the level of job creation as quickly as possible. This is given effect through the Medium Term Expenditure Framework which allocates approximately R1 billion to special employment programmes in 1998/9. This figure will rise to almost R1.8 billion by 2000/2.
The employment strategy framework states that, Aalthough these are short-term employment generators, improved coordination with local planning, private sector promotion activities and human resource development programmes should enable the building of important community assets and of entry points to longer-term opportunities@. The document also provides details of the elements that will need to be put into place to improve the employability of labour. This includes the need to improve Aeducation and training levels, with an emphasis on better coordination in the responses of secondary and tertiary education to labour market needs, dramatic improvements in the provision of basic education, and the institutional transformation of the system of industrial skilling@. A key focus of the strategy will be on greater coordination in the provision of basic infrastructure, of social services, of information services and of job creation support programmes. This vision is to be monitored through a Cabinet Employment Cluster Committee.
2 Infrastructural programmes
Infrastructural development has been cited as an area in which young people in service can make an important contribution. The Draft White Paper on Establishing an Enabling Environment in the Construction Industry states that in order to overcome the current backlog of physical infrastructure requirements, output will have to be increased by up to 100% within the next five to ten years. This signals a period of profound growth for the construction industry and, in a context of limited resources, suggests that there may be the possibility of delivering elements of such a strategy through the national youth service.
While this chapter concentrates on those campaigns where special employment programmes are currently taking place, it is worth noting that there are a wide range of large-scale activities taking place in other departments which are not cited below. These may also provide possibilities for youth service that could be explored with the departments concerned.
2.1 Electrification and telephones
Huge strides have been made with regard to the electrification of communities around the country. More than 400 000 electricity connections were made in 1997/98 and this has enabled the country to reach an electrification level of 58%. Extensive programmes have also been undertaken to make telephone connections available to communities countrywide.
2.2 Department of Transport
The Department of Transport has undertaken a range of activities which include the maintenance, rehabilitation and upgrading of new facilities as well as RDP and spatial development initiative projects. In 1996/1997 expenditure in this regard amounted to R1 019 644 and it is anticipated that in 1999/00 expenditure will rise to R1 731 216. This created a total of 8 462 work days in 1996/97 (including skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled employment) and 15 446 work days are projected for 1999/00.
Of particular importance are the rural access roads projects which have been taking place in KwaZulu-Natal. These are using labour-intensive methods which provide an opportunity to involve young people in service programmes. It has been agreed that these programmes will grow rapidly in the coming year as they provide access for people living in these areas and thus are likely to have a significant impact on the economic potential of these areas.
2.3 Department of Housing
This department has committed itself to maximising job creation in the construction and allied sectors. It is estimated that in 1997, 109 445 direct and 164 168 indirect employment opportunities were generated through the expenditure of under R2 billion on the subsidy programme. The different housing programmes (and the subsidy programme in particular) have housed over 1.2 million South Africans through the construction of some 400 000 houses.
Preparatory discussions for the Jobs Summit suggest that the summit is likely to agree on a large project to deliver houses in the immediate future. There is considerable potential for the involvement of young people in the programmes designed to deliver the agreed housing targets.
2.4 Infrastructural needs of social departments
Social service departments such as Welfare, Health and Education have articulated a range of infrastructural needs which are outlined in more detail in section 6 below. The programmes designed to meet these needs may also provide opportunities to involve young people in employment and service.
3 Special employment programmes

3.1 Community-Based Public Works Programme
The Community-Based Public Works Programme was established in 1994 as part of the National Department of Public Works. The Community-Based Public Works Programme is the key component of the government=s strategy to create employment through the development and delivery of community-based infrastructure. Its objectives were to:

reduce unemployment;
educate and train beneficiaries;
create, rehabilitate and maintain physical assets; and
build the capacity of communities.

The following were among those targeted by the programme:

rural women;
young people; and
the poorest of the poor.

The Community-Based Public Works Programme is one of the government development programmes which has been evaluated and it thus provides important experiential lessons for the design of the National Youth Service.
Although the objectives of the Community-Based Public Works Programme included the reduction of unemployment and building the capacity of communities, about 92% of jobs created through the programme were short-term without any firm prospect of further employment elsewhere after the completion of the projects. Only 8% of the projects evaluated lasted for eight months. Most of the jobs were unskilled and low-paid. For example, over 67% of the Community-Based Public Works Programme workforce lived below the poverty line and 56% were unemployed. About 41% were women and 12% of the workforce were young people. Women and young people accounted for 30% and 18% of the workdays respectively.
Training and capacity building is regarded by the Community-Based Public Works Programme as an important aspect of the infrastructure delivery programme. About 34% of the workforce received training ranging from technical training to literacy skills. The distribution of training was heavily biased towards traditional male occupations such as bricklaying. As a result, more men (62%) received training than women.
3.2 Department of Water Affairs and Forestry
The White Paper on Water Policy states that between 12 and 14 million South Africans do not have access to safe water, and that over 20 million have inadequate sanitation. This has a major impact on communities, particularly on women and children in rural and peri-urban areas. The costs of addressing this backlog are estimated at some R12 billion.
By February 1998 community water supply had reached 1.7 million people. By August 1998 the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry had provided water to 1.9 million people through RDP projects. This has taken place though more than 1000 projects in all provinces. In addition, a large number of projects have focused on providing rural households with sanitation.
Working for Water, a major project of the Ministry of Water Affairs and Forestry, involves members of the community in clearing water-absorbing alien vegetation so as to promote water security. The project operates as a special employment programme and aims to improve the quality of life and the environment. It currently and provides limited education and training to its participants, mainly in work-related skills (that is, those skills required to do the job), life skills, business management skills and environmental management skills (eg. in respect of water conservation). A number of government departments, including Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Welfare and Population, Public Works, Agriculture and Land Affairs, and Health cooperate in its implementation. More recently close links have also been forged with the Department of Trade and Industry to ensure that the necessary relationships are developed between the Working for Water programme and employment creation projects.
The programme has developed a 20 year strategy which will require 750 000 hectares to be cleared annually at a cost of R600 million per year, after which the department will incur more limited, follow-up, costs. Proponents of the programme argue that this strategy could have the following benefits:

Over 50 000 direct and indirect jobs will be created (for example in charcoal manufacturing and flower picking as well as transport and food), supporting a further 250 000 people, most of whom are the poorest of the poor;
preventing the loss of over 4 000 million cubic metres of water from the hydrological cycle every year;
intensive and extensive use of over one million hectares of land after 20 years;
use of over one million tonnes of wood per year (eg. for crafts, furniture, charcoal, chips); and
reduction in the risk of fires and the flooding which follows fires.

3.3 Department of Land Affairs
A campaign which is related to the Working for Water programme and supplementary to it, is the Land Care Campaign which focuses on the rehabilitation and conservation of natural resources (soil, water sources and vegetation). It achieves this through a programme that facilitates sustainable utilisation of natural resources and the creation of a conservation ethic through education and awareness. It supports the Working for Water programme, concentrates on wider catchment areas away from the waterways and eradicates invader plants and declared weeds which are degrading the agricultural potential of these areas. Like the water programme, the Land Care Campaign could provide young people with opportunities in which they could render service.
3.4 Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism
The "Clean and Green Cities" campaign which will have a key role in implementing municipal waste collection in poorly serviced areas. The campaign will link up with small recycling operations to facilitate the sustainability of the programme. It also intends to facilitate the creation and maintenance of recreational facilities and to support some inner-city building rehabilitation. The campaign has the potential to involve young people in these activities through the national youth service and can also help to inculcate a sense of pride in our cities.
Another initiative in which this ministry is involved concerns the provision of environmental education and training in all programmes, including the new school curricula. The education and training programmes are being developed in a manner that is consistent with the National Qualifications Framework and are likely to provide important opportunities for the education and training components of the national youth service.
4 Municipal infrastructure programme
The Municipal Infrastructure Programme, together with the Community Water and Sanitation Programme, directs investment towards basic service infrastructure for low income households and towards the rehabilitation of collapsed infrastructure in historically disadvantaged areas. The programme was established to provide affordable bulk and connector services to all South Africans through the provision of capital grants.
The following table shows what services have been provided through this programme up to April 1998:

Category of provision No of beneficiaries (000's) Percentage

Water

7 574.1

46.41

Sanitation

5 108.7

31.30

Roads

2 176.0

13.33

Refuse

504.8

3.09

Electricity

303.1

1.86

Community & health facilities

654.2

4.01

TOTAL

16 320.9

100.0

Unlike many of the other special employment programmes, the municipal infrastructure programme has an urban focus although about one-quarter of the funds are spent in rural areas. The Department of Constitutional Development estimates that by the end of 1997, 242 520 people were employed on these projects. More than a third of these people will have received some form of training through their participation in these projects.
By March 1998, the municipal infrastructure programme had disbursed R1 302.2 million to the provinces for work on the rehabilitation of collapsed infrastructure in historically disadvantaged areas and for the programmes run by the community water and sanitation programme. R1 268.5 million of this amount had been disbursed onward to the implementation agencies. A total of 1 060 projects are being, or have been implemented.
5 Department of Trade and Industry
The Department of Trade and Industry has an extensive programme to support the development of small, medium and micro enterprises. This initiative may provide post-service opportunities for youth in the small, medium and micro enterprise sector and may provide a means of assisting young people who complete a national youth service programme to find the means for self-employment.
Programmes include:

The mentorship programme which involves business people working in conjunction with support institutions to build the capacity of small, medium and micro enterprises as well as supporting fledgling small businesses with financial management skills, loan applications, feasibility studies, business plans and general managerial skills development.
A venture capital programme and loans under the guarantee scheme.
The establishment of a regulatory body to oversee the provision of micro-credit, in the range below R50 000.
The development of local business service centres around the country. These assist with business counseling and advice, training, information and networking.

5.1 Spatial development initiatives
Spatial development initiatives aim to cluster or package a number of reinforcing industrial projects which can be introduced to potential investors. Physical infrastructure is installed or upgraded as part of this package. Each spacial development initiative is designed around at least one anchor project. There are presently about 400 projects relating to spacial development initiatives and it is estimated that more than 100 000 jobs will be created directly through these initiatives.
6 Social services

6.1 Department of Welfare
The Department of Welfare has developed a number of programmes which address the needs of families, children (child labour, child protection, child emergency line, alternative care), youth (youth at risk, HIV/AIDS), women and the aged. The department has also established a unit for community development which is divided into policy and programmes (including community integration, substance abuse).
With regards to the youth, the department has identified specific categories of youth that require services. These include youth with disabilities, youth involved in substance abuse, juvenile offenders, homosexual and lesbian youth, young victims and survivors of violence and crime, young people with HIV/AIDS, youth in dysfunctional families, young women, homeless adults and those surviving on the streets, out-of-school unemployed young people, pregnant or teenage mothers, and youth in gangs.
Of particular importance to the national youth service is the emphasis in the White Paper for Social Welfare on the development of a volunteer culture though encouraging young people to participate in social and community programmes. Other potential opportunities for the involvement of young people lie in the promotion of mediation programmes as support mechanisms for community development.
Government's employment strategy commits the Department of Welfare to implement a pilot skills development programme for youth to improve their capacity to access the job market. This programme is targeted at young people below the age of 18, and aims to reach a minimum of 250 000 young people.
6.2 Department of Health
In his opening speech to Parliament in 1998, the President stated that government had surpassed its plans to build or upgrade 500 clinics in 1997 and stated that the primary school feeding scheme had reached 4.9 million children. In terms of ongoing needs, the Department of Health has determined that addressing the backlog in building and maintaining hospitals and clinics will require expenditure of R13 billion.
There are a number of areas in the health sector in which opportunities could be identified for young people to engage in youth service programmes. These include:

The placement of health sciences students as interns in rural hospitals as well as in clinics in disadvantaged areas. Pilot programmes of this nature are currently taking place under the auspices of the Rural Support Network Group.
Young people could assist with administrative functions in clinics and hospitals.
An area that is likely to become a priority is that of health promotion, health education and immunisation. For example, in KwaZulu-Natal there is a proposal to link an immunisation campaign to the proposed spacial development initiative so as to improve the general health of the population whilst simultaneously making the area more attractive to tourists.
HIV/AIDS and sexual awareness counseling: the Department of Education, together with the Department of Health, has already been involved in programmes to train teachers to fulfill these functions.
The White Paper for the Transformation of the Health System in South Africa calls for obligatory service requirements for all health professionals, generalists and specialists. It proposes that the training of registrars should include one year=s public sector experience in an underserved area. In 1998 the Department launched its community service programme for junior doctors which places medical graduates in areas of need.
Within the higher education sector there are a number of institution-based service programmes which provide health promotion programmes and health services (such as dental services) through the involvement of diploma and degree students in medical and dental faculties.
In terms of providing infrastructure within the health care sector, R100 million has been committed by the department to the upgrading of hospitals.

6.3 Department of Education
Through the School Register of Needs, the Department of Education was able to formulate a clear indication of the development needs in the education sector as well as their location, nature and extent. The range of problems includes the finding that 24% of the country=s schools have no water within walking distance, more than half the schools in the country (57%) have no access to power, 38% of schools have telephones, and 12% of schools (over 3 000 schools) have no toilet facilities. The most disadvantaged provinces have been identified as being the Eastern Cape, Northern Province and KwaZulu-Natal.
The department has also identified as a major priority the need to create a culture of learning, teaching and service. The Culture of Learning, Teaching and ServiceCampaign is the primary vehicle for this campaign and there are likely to be a number of opportunities through which the national youth service could play a role in advancing the aims of the Culture of Learning, Teaching and Service campaign.
Other education programmes which could provide opportunities for young people include the following:

The possibility of assisting with tutoring of young people in schools.
Assisting with the provision of after-school activities such as cultural and drama groups, sporting activities and other extra-curricula options.
Assisting with the delivery of adult basic education and training.
The building and maintenance of schools. In phase one of the school building project, a total of 744 schools were built or had additions built on to existing schools.

7 Department of Justice
The Department of Justice is involved in programmes which could impact on youth service in two ways. Firstly, an initiative is being designed to involve law graduates in providing a year=s service in areas of need. Secondly, a process has been put in place to review the policy framework relating to juvenile justice and corrective supervision. These are critical issues faced by youth in conflict with the law.
Young people could render assistance would be counselling victims of crime, as well as working with the perpetrators of crime in structured programmes. The Department of Justice has also launched a number of initiatives to develop the capacity of practitioners to work with young people. Some of these practitioners have the responsibility of identifying service opportunities for young people as a form of alternative sentencing and as a means of preventing the institutionalisation of young people. Initiatives such as these should be considered when deliberating on the resources which may be available to assist the national youth service.
8 South African National Defence Force: Service Corps
The Service Corps was established in order to deal with those individuals who were demobilised during the integration process in the mid-1990s. One of the key aims of this programme was to ensure that the programme participants were given the skills necessary for their reintegration into society. The programme thus provided demobilised young people with education and training as well as life skills. The education and training programmes were offered by providers who had been contracted by the Service Corps to undertake this work, and the initiative was coordinated by the Department of Labour.
The service components of the programme were not completed, however, as participants refused to undertake service. This related to a number of difficulties that were being experienced in the programme and to high levels of frustration among programme participants.
The Service Corps will now be taking responsibility for 20 000 people who are to be retrenched from the SANDF over the next three years. The process will take the form of resettlement programmes, the emphasis of which will be on career counselling and education and training.
9 Jobs Summit
In the course of preparing for the Jobs Summit, parties to the summit have developed a number of proposals targeting young people. These are important not only for the longer term goal of growing the economy and increasing job opportunities within the economy, but could also be critical to the success of the National Youth Service.
The Jobs Summit preparatory process established a committee which has responsibility for the exploration of youth programmes and specifically for the concept of youth service. This committee has looked at two types of programmes:

one for youth brigades
one for student service.

9.1 Youth brigades
At the point that this Green Paper was being finalised, agreement had been reached on the need for the establishment of youth brigades that would target unemployed young people and young people out of school so as to involve them in service and public works. It is proposed that the young people involved in this initiative should receive an allowance for the duration of the programme, and that they should also gain access to accredited education and training. Three lead projects have been identified for this purpose: Working for Water, Community Based Public Works, and the Clean and Green Cities campaign.
The Jobs Summit is to establish a steering committee comprising the youth sector, government representatives and three representatives from Nedlac to develop national guidelines for the delivery of these programmes. These would relate to the level of the allowance to be paid to participants, as well as the nature of the education and training to be provided.
9.2 Student service
Final agreement has not yet been reached with regard to the student service. However, the proposals argue for service to be integrated appropriately into the learning programmes of further education and training institutions as well as higher education institutions. A process is being proposed to take these ideas forward.
9.3 Relationship with Green Paper proposals
The Jobs Summit process is complementary to the proposals being developed in this Green Paper. A number of proposals made, including the youth brigades, are central to the National Youth Service.
10 Conclusion and recommendations
There is a wide range of activity taking place which has been initiated by government departments. Within these there are enormous opportunities for cooperation between the line ministries concerned and the National Youth Service. Iin exploring how and under what circumstances the National Youth Service could forge working relationships with the programmes cited in this chapter, the following issues will be considered:

Youth are already a specific target group in these programmes and the National Youth Service is one of the methods through which the programme objectives could be met.
Where possible the existing management structures of these programmes could provide support to the delivery of national youth service components within the programmes.
The scale of existing government programmes provides crucial experience for the National Youth Service in regard to planning and costing the delivery of large-scale programmes that involve hundreds and thousands of young people.