What is the initiative and where is it implemented (city or country, for example)?
Young Africa is a collaboration between independent and local affiliated NGOs in five Southern African countries – Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
The goal of the confederation is to tackle unemployment in Africa by providing skills training for unemployed youth. The organization aims to train half a million youths by 2025, thus supporting youth empowerment, equal distribution of resources and sustainable economic growth.
How was the initiative established? How was it implemented?
Young Africa was founded in 1998 by Dorien Beurskens and Raj A. Joseph, based on their work in Kenya and Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, they carried out a survey to research the needs of youth and identify the obstacles to achieving them (Young Africa, 2020b).
In response to this initial research, Young Africa was built with the aim to empower youth and provide vocational education, which in turn would establish the basis for financial independence and sustainable development.
Dorien Beurskens and Raj A. Joseph then recruited a team in Amsterdam to expand the organization further.
The organization is led by a management board consisting of co-founder and CEO Dorien Beurskens, Mahara Goteka (Head of Programmes) and Phillip Wannell (Head of Operations). Co-founder Raj A. Joseph now serves as an advisor to the management. The Young Africa International Headquarters is located in Harare, Zimbabwe, and the support office in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The horizontal organizational structure between these locations serves as an effort to share the power between Global South and Global North.
Which stakeholders are involved in the design and/or implementation of the initiative? Which sectors do they represent?
The organization offers a set of courses to develop the skills necessary to support growth and reach financial stability. The training centres are embedded in the community through activities, events and services.
Young Africa offers training in Life Skills, Entrepreneurship and ICT on three different levels – through formal TVET, informal professional training and short-term trade-based courses. The informal professional development trainings are validated with Young Africa certification.
The Life Skills curriculum focuses on soft skills and self-confidence. Entrepreneurship teaches students how to initiate and maintain a small-scale business. In ICT classes, students learn basic computer skills.
The courses are practice-based, with 70 per cent dedicated to practical implementation and 30 per cent to theory. They are integrated into lifelong learning objectives and are highly student-centred – developed to tailor to individual student needs.
The duration of the courses is between 3 and 12 months.
What are the impacts of the initiative in terms of facilitating lifelong learning? Who does it benefit and how?
Young Africa contributes to the development and growth of youth (aged 15–25) who are not qualified to attend formal training and are unable to pay tuition fees, as well as of marginalized communities, such as youth from rural areas, orphans and people who are homeless.
For the duration of the courses, the centres offer hostel accommodation to disadvantaged youth and youth from rural areas. The centres are also equipped with libraries, internet cafes and youth clubs. Learners are encouraged to integrate into local communities and interact with local families and staff members to enhance safety and support.
Young Africa implements a franchise model, connecting local entrepreneurs as role models for trainees. The centres are active in local communities and support local economies. Learners are constantly exposed to opportunities to integrate into jobs with a high demand for skilled workers.
In addition, the organization provides full transparency and encourages replication of the Young Africa model. UNESCO UNEVOC recognized the Young Africa model as a promising best practice in TVET in 2017.
In terms of monitoring and assessment, Yong Africa publishes detailed annual reports with statistical data, financial audits and strategic plans for the following three years (Young Africa, 2020a).
Young Africa aims to have trained half a million youths by 2024. The Strategic Plan of 2021–2023, Where quality grows, quantity flows, states an intermediate goal of 200,000 youths by the end of 2023 (Young Africa, 2020c). The plan is to reach the goal by scaling the programmes at existing affiliated centres and replicating the training model in other youth-focused organizations.
The plan to reach the sustainable impact includes seven strategic objectives, supported by the planned annual activities and categorized by specific and targeted actions in affiliated centres in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe. They are as follows:
- investing in the capacity of the training centres;
- creating sustainable education models;
- disseminating resources and practices with like-minded organizations;
- strengthening the governance and management systems by internal and external audits;
- committing to existing partnerships and creating new ones;
- spreading the message of hope and optimism through various online and offline campaigns and media.
References
Young Africa. 2020a. 2020 Annual Report. s.l., Young Africa International Foundation [online] Available at: https://youngafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Young-Africa-International_Annual-Report-2020_signed.pdf [Accessed 13 July 2021].
Young Africa. 2020b. Empowering Youth. [Online] s.l., Young Africa International Foundation. Available at: https://youngafrica.org/ [Accessed 13 July 2021].
Young Africa. 2020c. Young Africa International Strategic Plan 2021 -2023. [Online] s.l., Young Africa International Foundation. Available at: https://youngafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/YA-StrategicPlan-FIN.pdf [Accessed 13 July 2021].