NATIONAL YOUTH COMMISSION: 3rd
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL
9 –
1. INTRODUCTION BY THE NYC CEO:
LWAZI MBOYI
Background on the NYC
The
establishment of the NYC in 1996 through the enactment of the National Youth
Commission Act, 1996 (Act No. 19 of 1996) represent a major commitment by
government to treats the needs of sector in a serious and comprehensive manner.
The establishment of the NYC was in direct response to the recommendations of a
Youth Summit convened by the then Deputy President, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, in December
1994. Representatives of major youth organisations at the summit called
for the establishment of a commission that will serve to highlight and monitor
the situation of young women and men whilst coordinating and initiating the
development of appropriate policies and strategies for youth development.
Other
responsibilities of the NYC include the following:
- To monitor and facilitate youth development within government.
- To promote a synergized approach by government on matters of youth.
- To ensure focus on youth by all spheres of government.
Background
on the partnership between NYC and the Flemish Community
In 1995/1996 the Flemish delegation conducted an exploratory visit to
Initial
approach on the co-operation
The initial focus on the co-operation was on the capacity building for
youth organizations in partnership with the then South African Association of
Youth Clubs (SAAYC) now called SAYC. The co-operation was focused on the
following areas: Volunteer Management, HIV/AIDS and Play as a method.Within the broad ambit of
the bilateral co-operation the National Youth Commission and the Flemish
Ministry of Youth and Culture have since been developing a comprehensive
approach to youth development at a Local Government level. At the centre of
this approach has been the Capacity Building Programme conducted in various
local settings in the country to ensure effective implementation on youth
development programmes and projects.
Focus on Local Government Programme
In 2000, the discussion commenced between the NYC and the Flemish
community about the focus on local Government. The two parties in consultation
with key stakeholders started to engage in debates about an appropriate approach
on local government. Initial consultation commenced with an Action oriented
research process. An action survey was conducted in two local settings, namely,
Mangaung and Tshwane, complemented by a research process conducted in OR Tambo
District Municipality and Polokwane. The
main aim of the processes was:
- To determine the status quo in municipalities on youth development
- To solicit the expectations of young people about their municipalities
The results of the action survey revealed that there is absence of
policies, infrastructure, services and programs dedicated in addressing the
needs of young people. This research pointed the need to urgently find
mechanisms to address the challenges faced by young people with appropriate
interventions
Our work was complemented by several consultative forums, like the
following:
Exchanges between South African municipalities,
youth practitioners and youth organisations and their Flemish counterparts;
A national workshop in 2001;
A national conference in 2002 where the young
fieldworkers in the research process shared their experience with
participants. Practitioners and experts
also shared their views in terms of what works in practice;
A pilot training programme for civil society
young people in targeted municipalities;
The national consultative workshop preceded the
national conference in 2004 where the final ‘youth perspective report as well
as the guidelines’ would be presented; and
The National Conference of February 2004 took
key resolutions that have since informed a broader programme that has three
elements, that is, capacity building, advocacy as well as research and
communication.
2002
conference on youth development in local government
This conference had two processes and one critical outcome, namely:
Mainly looked at the results of the action survey
Explored the establishment of appropriate mechanisms to deal with the
needs of young people in local municipalities
The principal agreement was to establish Guidelines for youth development that would serve as radar for
local government.
2004
conference on youth development in local government
Main purpose of the conference was to present the Municipal Youth
Guideline to stakeholders for adoption. The guidelines were adopted with clear
processes that:
Ensuring extensive consultation with Provinces and municipalities
Consultations with Youth organisations
Consultations with SALGA
Consulting National and Provincial Governments (DPLG)
Ensure institutionalization of youth development in municipalities
Key outcomes
emanating from the 2004 conference
A need for appropriate Institutional arrangements to address the needs
of young people in municipalities
Allocation of resources to municipalities to implement sustainable youth
programs
Youth Participation in the planning and processes of municipalities
There is a need for integration of youth development into existing
programs of local government
Municipalities should develop minimum programs for youth development
Partnership.
The ability to establish partnership with key stakeholders in our work
on Local Government has been instrumental.
We have been able to learn from each other’s experiences and to
significantly lobby and advocate for Institutionalization of youth development
in municipalities, for instance:
Most municipalities now have youth programs/services
Have youth officers/managers
Local Youth Units have been established in some of the municipalities
Some municipalities have appropriate budgets for youth development
programs
There is greater awareness of what needs to be done to ensure the
institutionalization of youth development in municipalities.
Focus on the
current Local Government Programme
The current LGP is focused on three key themes, namely:
Advocacy and Lobbying - Advocacy project is aimed at the institutionalization of youth
development at local level. In this regard, guidelines which were adopted in
the 2004 conference, have been developed
to serve as an instrument that should provide guidance to Municipalities on
setting up appropriate interventions for youth development at local level
Research - The NYC in partnership with the Flemish is undertaking
a study on the state of youth and youth development as driven by the municipal
sphere of government in
All of the above themes aimed at supporting the institutionalization of
youth development local government level.
Objectives
of the 2006 conference
This conference was therefore convened to meet the objectives stated
below:
To assess progress on the implementation of the municipal guidelines
with regards to the institutionalization of youth development
To familiarize the newly appointed youth officers and youth councilors
with the current developments on youth development at local level.
To integrate youth development into local government agenda for the next
five years
To give municipalities and other stakeholders an opportunity to commit
to youth development.
To develop a clear plan of action with monitoring and evaluation
mechanisms attached thereto
2. Keynote Addresses At Conference
2.1 Opening by NYC Chairperson Mr
Jabu Mbalula
Theme: 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
The
NYC chairperson started by welcoming all the delegates to the event on Third
National Conference on Youth Development at Local Government level. He started
by mentioning them as the youth of the country,
we also salute our forebears, especially the June 16 generation, as we
commemorate and celebrate the 30th Anniversary of that major
milestone in our struggle for national liberation, June 16, 1976 Soweto and
connected uprisings.
On the 2006 Statement on Local
Government
At
the beginning of this year, "The Year of Mobilisation through Democratic
Local Government", the democratic order was concrete and specific as to
what needs to be done. It listed the following:
the
eradication of the shack settlements, particularly in the urban areas, and
their replacement with proper houses;
the
provision of clean running water to all homesteads, in both urban and rural
areas;
the
provision of electricity to all homesteads, again in both urban and rural
areas;
the
provision of proper sewerage and waste removal for the benefit of all
homesteads and communities; and,
the
provision of an adequate road infrastructure for the benefit of all
communities, including their economic activities.
As
we deliberate in this Conference, we need to speak concretely on how the youth
development agenda seeks to contribute towards the achievement of the above
national development objectives at local level.
It
is very critical to remind ourselves of what the national plan on Local
Government seeks to achieve. What timeframes and targets have been set and what
opportunities are there for youth development?
The
national development plan on local government set the following timelines,
namely, to accelerate service delivery so that:
No
community will still be using the bucket system for sanitation by 2007.
All
communities will have access to clean water and decent sanitation by 2010.
All
houses will have access to electricity by 2012.
There
is universal provision of free basic services.
Improve
the way government provides housing, to ensure better quality houses located
closer to economic opportunities and combat corruption in the administration of
waiting lists.
Improve
services at hospitals and clinics, schools, police stations and other
government centres in our communities.
Implement
large projects in every province that will help create more work opportunities.
Pool
resources to build more and better roads, infrastructure for water and
sanitation, and schools and clinics where they are needed, in rural and urban
areas alike. By using the approach of the expanded public works programme in
providing infrastructure, we will ensure that more people have work opportunities
and are skilled
Implement
other special programmes in rural and urban areas where the poorest people
live, including assistance in setting up food gardens.
Assist
those who want to set up small businesses with skills, credit and other forms
of support."
On the National
Youth Service Programme
The
National Youth Service Programme (NYSP) remains one of the key programmes the
NYC has been engaging Government on for immediate implementation. Youth
development advocacy work has seen Government pronouncing concretely earlier
this year through the State of the Nation Address that more than 10 000 young
people must be recruited into the NYSP by this current financial year.
The
10 000 recruits into the NYSP must contribute meaningfully in achieving the
above targets.
The
service programme we wish to implement must get unwavering buy-in and support
from the local sphere of our government. The recently re-elected and elected
councillors should ensure that our local sphere of government does not miss
this opportunity to integrate youth development into their five-year vision.
On Youth
and the National Local Government Programme
Through
the NYC Local Government Programme, youth development is gravitating to the
centre of the national development programme. That is evident in the programmes
and interventions of the democratic Government such as the Integrated
Development Plans (IDPs) and the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for
South Africa (ASGISA).
Through
such interventions, there is firm commitment to ensure that social conditions
of young people improve, youth meaningfully participate in the economic life of
our country and as youth we become a strong force in fostering social cohesion
in our communities.
As
delegates in this Conference our focus should not only on the growth of the
economy, but all our efforts should transcend to the developmental needs of our
communities.
On Monitoring and Evaluation
On
During
the same discussion it also emerged that critical to all our youth development
initiatives, is the need to develop effective monitoring and evaluation tools
to measure the impact our development efforts are making on the lives of young
people. Such mechanisms should be inextricably integrated into the Programme of
Action of Government.
A
lot of work has been done in this regard, which has resulted in the youth
development guidelines being developed and shared with municipalities. The NYC is
convinced if youth are given a fair opportunity to drive the development of
their communities, they possess all the necessary energy to turn the tide
against poverty and underdevelopment.
To the Delegation from
It
is with great sense of appreciation to also welcome the representatives of the
Flemish Ministry of Culture, Youth, Sports and
The
June 16 generation of 30 years ago brought democracy to all our country, now it
is our turn, in this age of hope, to fight poverty and create jobs.
Let
us get down to work!
2.2 Opening Remarks by a
Representative from Flemish Ministry of
Culture, Youth, Sports and
The
opening remarks of the Flemish leader focused itself on the phases of development
of the relationship between the people of
The
first South African exchange program to
This
phase led to exchange visits to
Since
1998, 500 young people and youth workers from state and non-state sector have
undergone various training sessions to enable the movement forward. This is
regarded as a step forward and has led to many results some of which are
epitomized by this conference and its predecessors.
The
action research period which culminated in the development of a guide on local
youth policy. The profundity of the lessons from here was certainly the leader in
the idea of a local government programme for youth development work. It was
specifically telling that the findings of the research were threefold: a) that
the programs should be based on the local understanding of the realities facing
that specific youth; b) that the youth had to learn about and appreciate the
system of local government; and c) that the local government should provide
platforms for information flow at that level.
Finally,
the next phase, which takes the
2.3 Welcoming Address, Hon Cameron Dugmore: MEC
Education,
In
short the MEC noted that the context of youth development in the country is
firmly grounded in the history of youth struggles as epitomised by the defining
moment of June 16th of 1976. It is in commemoration of this day that
this conference finds its most potent expression. And thus should result in
very concrete and actionable plans for deepening youth development practices.
The MEC noted the following important development:
The
Noting
the theme of the conference, “deepening youth development to fight poverty and
create work”, the MEC made special reference to the capacity of local
government to interpret ASGISA programs into local government points of action.
Youth can thus make it their business to provide the needed skills and capacity
to turn the tide in favour of the poor and marginal communities.
He
noted that the most forward-looking approach to YD was to look at ways of
making youth development a key component of the IDP plans in each municipality.
In this way, government can be called to account for their action on the
commitments made to youth and community.
There
is agreement, that the serious delivery backlogs require much more investment
in capacity building among young people and communities in general. However,
the challenge for this convention is to define how we can turn the tide by
making the LED programs of municipalities work better. If our aim is indeed to
create work and fight poverty we then should provide the solutions.
The
MEC continued to argue that since it is agreed that “resources are available,
our youth can play a critical role in ensuring that the resources are dispensed
accordingly.
Finally, the MEC showered praise on the
value-add that is brought by the bilateral relations with the Flemish authority
over the years. It is in small beginnings like these that the real future
benefits of development work on youth will be felt. He averred that this
relationship should grow stronger over the years and continue to plant the
necessary seed for capacity building, advocacy and research work so dearly missed
in our communities. The model used by the partnership, is thus as relevant
today as it was when the relationship was started.
2.4 Special
Address: Premier of the Western Cape Hon. Ebrahim Rasool
The
opening evening saw the Premier of the Province addressing the convention on
the importance of collective and concrete action to change the state of
affairs:
The
first analogy was that of power relations and the theory of osmosis: there is a
need that society strengthens those that have been subjected to powerlessness
as a result of centuries of deprivation. The youth sector should find within
itself the responsibility to act as a watchdog to ensure that subjugation of
the one by another does not rear its head again. The critical defining process
should be our calculated obsession with the diffusion of the power “from high
concentration to low concentration with the goal of creating a balance”. This
metaphorical presentation challenges us to look at where power relations are
tilted against the poor and young people and ensure that the benefits that
accrue to society in general do accrue to the young people who are in the
periphery
Secondly,
the premier emphasized the need for action as a precursor to positive results.
The time for debates has been allocated and continues to exist. That space
cannot be closed. He noted however that continuous debate without action
becomes hollow and serves the opposite goals to those that we will have set
ourselves in the first place. Thus it is critical that future debates are
directed at perfecting our action as we do. This will involve youth
organizations taking the challenge of finding those niche areas in which youth
interventions can be made with the highest impact. The challenge is therefore
defining action and ensuring that it is implemented with the desired outcomes
And
lastly, the need for unity in whatever is being done in the sector. The
polarization of society is not to be taken as a given. It has to be challenged
through youth action that seeks to bridge the gaps between the poor and rich,
the marginalized and the privileged, black and white, across the breadth of the
country. In this way, youth development will emerge not as a temporary set of
actions but a valuable contribution to seeing the transformation project to its
conclusion. This is mainly because it is the youth who inherit the future, but
also because it is their historical role today to shape that future.
3. Research into Youth Development
Initiatives at Local Government Level
The
Research Unit of the NYC made the following presentation to conference.
3.1 Key Issues
The
NYC initiated a research in co-operation with the
Sample:
The
research focused on all local governments in the country and sought to find the
circumstances in that total pool and a sample hereof. It therefore had only
reached out to all the 6
Participation:
During
the period of research, April 2005, responses from the sample were secured by
the research team. The information from these municipalities was the only
source used for the purposes of the current preliminary report.
Method:
The
questionnaire was administered through telephonic conversations with officials
appointed to deal with the matter. In many instances, such officials were not
fully au fait with the concepts and were assisted through clarification.
Questionnaire content:
The
questionnaire is organized into six themes and a general information section on
constraints for youth development. These other themes are:
Adoption
of policy for the municipality
Participation
in the policy process
Responsible
officer and their reporting relations
Political
office-bearer responsible for Youth development
Planning
and Budgeting in respect of youth development
Relations
with the
Limitations of the study
The
following is a summary of the limitations noted in the conduct of this
research:
in
using the telephonic method, the study recognised its inability to control for
exaggerations or misleading information
the
timing was hardly appropriate as it happened just as new councillors took
office which may have led to inappropriate people responding to the call
there
was no evidence gathered to support the claims of all the respondents as such
no
test had been conducted on at least a smaller sample of respondents to
determine the possible margin of error
many
of the youth officers interviewed may have had limited historical data to support
their claims, as most will have been only recently appointed
it
has limited general applicability or ability to make generalisations granted
the above context; and
some
questions did not make sense and were thus not interpreted by the researchers
as responses were usually inadequate or senseless.
Key findings
Notwithstanding
the limitations of the study, the following key preliminary findings aptly
summarise the research process:
Only 20% of municipalities have a youth development policy although
there is no regulatory framework which calls for this
In 100% of the Metros, 73% and 24% respectively for DMs and LMs, the
preparation of the youth development policy was consultative with non-statutory
bodies contributing to its formulation
34% of the municipalities with youth policies have a Youth Council
Most prominent examples of implementation of youth development policies
are:
- Skills development programs
- Employment creation and LED
- Sports, arts and culture development and health
The highest number of municipalities with research into youth
development was 37% of all DMs and a lowly 17% (1 out 6) of the Metros.
60%,
42% and 60% of MMs, DMs and LMs respectively have a councillor responsible for
youth affairs across the nine province
Highest
percentage of Youth Officers in LMs are in the Mayor’s office while the DMs and
MMs have these in other offices
82%,
66% and 100% respectively for LMs, DMs and MMs have their youth officers with
less than three years of tenure in the office
Lack of capacity, still in process of development and lack of political
will were stated as the primary reasons for lack of youth policy in most
municipalities.
Key
Comments By Delegates
There
is worry about the validity of data granted that there was a change in
government during the same period that the questionnaires were administered.
This raises concern about how well-informed the respondents may have been in
some instances.
The
use of telephonic methods of enquiry, while cheaper, may prove more problematic
for the outcomes for the reason that the respondents were not required to
provide proof nor may they be expected to comply with a request to do so by
correspondence. This could undo the research itself.
We
do need the research for the purposes of us measuring our progress in the
long-term. However, the methodological gaps must be closed before the final
reports may be sent out.
The
researchers must revisit the method and then provide more opportunity for those
that missed it to respond afresh to the interview request. The timing may have
been inopportune for some municipalities including those that are present in
this convention.
4. PROGRAMMES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT:
RELEVANCE TO YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Two
key presentations were made on the sector’s key programmes that bear relevance
to the convention. In specific terms, the infrastructure program ran by the
DPLG and the NYS programme featured very prominently:
|
DPLG Infrastructure Programmes by
Molatelo Montwedi, Executive Manager at DPLG |
NYS in Local Government by Ankie |
|
DPLG
is working closely with Presidency on issues of ASGISA. DPLG has developed
the National Infrastructure Strategy which looks to consolidating different
infrastructure programmes into Municipal Infrastructure Grant, which were
separated in the past. DPLG
disburses the MIG fund to municipalities to address infrastructure challenges
in municipalities. The usual problem is project management capacity. DPLG
in a process of reviewing the MIG policy in terms density costs in
municipalities and also to accommodate disadvantaged area. MIG has a
monitoring system to enhance this. They
believe that EPWP programme cannot end with construction, but should extend
to the issues of operations and maintenance. It should develop the skills of
young people in this regard. Planning of the implementation of programmes in
municipalities in done by municipalities which should consider YD needs Close
to R3 billion has been budgeted for all 284 municipalities for the
implementation of municipal infrastructure projects this year. 34%
of job opportunities have been created for youth development in
municipalities from April 2004 – December 2005. 29
municipalities have trained unemployed graduates’ youth in infrastructure
management. The students have been partnered with retired engineers to mentor
them. DPLG
have partnered with the department of Education to encourage studies in the
infrastructure and social science fields. The
NYC should ensure that youth issues are incorporated in the MIG policy, which
is still under development |
NYS
was launched in 2004 with these (shortened)objectives: to
enable young people to make the transition to a healthy independent adulthood to
increase young people’s likelihood of accessing the economy to
provide a vehicle for the deployment of young people to
inculcate a sense of nation building, reintegration and good social behaviour The
target groups are youth in conflict with the law, unemployed youth, FET
students and tertiary education graduates in these sectors: water &
sanitation, housing, environment & tourism, public works and social
development. The
NYS model uses the 3-stage method: community service, structured learning and
personal development then exit opportunities for formal employment or
continued learning. There are 30 projects that meet the NYS criteria and
are registered with the NYSU, these projects have a total number of 13087 young people that
are waiting to be trained Some achievements have been made, Letsema project saw some 2700 youth involved in
building 200 houses per province 522 youth involved in housing development in Challenges and way forward: Funding not always forthcoming from departments To bridge the gap via the NSF Donor
mobilisation to fund future projects Poor
process for registration requires education/information Departments
to ring-fence budget for stipends and exit opportunity LG:
do the same as departments Municipalities
that prioritise registration of programmes on NYS to get assistance from the
Unit |
4.2 Delegate
Comments On Programmes In LG
DPLG
need to develop guidelines on the recruitment of young graduates into
municipalities to hasten the process. The guidelines need to give clear indication
as to how best to drive youth development in municipalities. Is it through
local youth policy or strategies, what will be the correct tool to use in
driving youth development in municipalities in order to have a common approach?
Does
the NYSU fund the NYS programmes? This is not clear to all. In response is: “No
dedicated budget for the NYSU, therefore partners who are involved in the
project must budget for their NYS programmes”
How
is NYS been implemented in the rural areas – Response - An example given to the
implementation of such projects was that of the DWAF NYS programme, and the Moses
Kotane housing project implemented by NYC in partnership with the
NYC
should ensure that resolutions of the conference do reach people in rural areas
through provincial youth commissions
What
is the registration criteria for the NYS – registration process is tedious and must be simplified. Often time
we are not even aware of the requirements. This is a must-do granted the number
of municipalities.
Also,
NYS registration is very expensive and that must be re-considered.
Municipalities
need to start budgeting and converting programmes to NYS
NYSU
need to have an evaluation & monitoring system in the NYS. The NYC is still
working on establishing an M&E unit in the office
5. PRESENTATIONS: CHALLENGES FOR
DEVELOPMENTAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT
These
presentations and discussions sought to place the discussions within the
context of current day municipalities. In the first instance, some practices
within the sector as well as reflections over the past two years have had to
form the basis for the presentations. In the final analysis, what then should
be done in the context of the challenges that face municipalities generally?
5.1 Yondela
Silimela, Expert Viewpoint
On
a presentation made by the expert speaker, she broadly dealt with the
definitional and niche determination difficulties for youth development and
challenged delegates to pay attention to the following points:
Youth
is badly defined and bears no relevance to the circumstance of the people
defined. For example, the interest and developmental challenges of a 32
year-old professional and those of a 14 year-old scholar can hardly be the
same. The question is, how do we prioritise the niche section of youth that we
are most concerned about. Doing so will also make marketing youth as a package
more manageable for the sector.
It
is not uncommon that youth is spoken about as a problem or menace. Crime,
disease, rebellious conduct and mischief in general are all attributed to
youth. It is time therefore to dislodge these negative connotations. This leads
to peripheral programs that have little impact on youth development in
particular.
She
sadly notes that youth in a city like
Looking
into the municipal priorities, the proportion of population and that of the
budgets do not match. This raises deep questions about who the budgets serve as
youth development should be central to the resolution of the challenges of
developmental local government.
Lastly,
to take forward youth development more adequately, we have to take lessons from
the struggles of black people and women in our country: mainstream youth
development into the planning of municipalities; set youth targets for each
municipality to allocate and meet in its procurement decisions; set target of
young people to be reached by programmes; and hold municipalities to account on
these. All these are linked to the IDPs.
5.2 Phenyane
Qaddafi Sedibe, Expert Viewpoint
In
an input on this subject, the speaker placed great emphasis on the validity of
the issues raised by the latter speaker. In addition, his views centred on
these following considerations and proposals:
Decried
that perennial issues on the table seem to be dodgy and return again and again
as if new. Developmental local government concerns and those of young people
are almost similar: crime, economy, poverty, disease, etc. These issues are
universal to local government.
Emphasis
is placed in his input on the definition of niche sections of youth that we
should all focus our energies on. The varied nature of interests as well as our
disparate and desperate attempts to solve all problems for all youth, leads to
un-measurable progress. Strategy is about choices!
The
real turn comes when we are able to define for municipality what we regard as
youth development investment. This has to take place within the context that
all of government is single-mindedly concerned about infrastructure-led
development in local government sector. We need to find the space herein.
Challenges
that are common include: management incapacity, poor revenue collection
capacity, no measurable actions in respect of the indigent, inability to
attract skills, and just poor technical skills within the local government
sector. The youth sector must find some gap to fill in this regard, especially
because it is young people who have to fill this gap.
The
solution again, lies in the definition of our strategy locally. Getting into
the IDP programs, the budgetary allocation and the concomitant action plans
should be in place for youth to make any progress. Local government should also
set national standards for municipalities to measure their performance against.
5.3 Comments
by Delegates
There
is a concern that poor research ability leads to poor measurement of the
outputs required or produced. It is very common that many municipalities have
merely mentioned the concept of youth without real concern on measuring this.
The
location of the youth officers usually places them in a position of
powerlessness. They neither have the budgets nor the power to decide on what to
do. The process leading to management and council making decision often is just
too long and is usually overshadowed by other priorities.
The
location is usually not the problem. Most of the officers are in the office of
some senior officer, including the Municipal Managers, but this rarely places
them in good position to influence much in the desired direction. Youth need to
contribute to the IDP process from the outset, when planning starts, so that
all IDP platforms hear about and contribute to this.
Another
challenge is to learn skills in lobbying. It is crucial to ensuring that
sufficient numbers of councillors who vote, have a sense of our priorities and
are willing to support if not to actively oppose our position. This has to be
done as part of ensuring mainstreaming our programs into IDPs of all
municipalities.
6. PRESENTATIONS ON BEST PRACTICE
MODELS AT MUNICIPAL LEVEL
In
the context of having gone through some learning curves over the past ten
years, some municipalities have made progress in their planning and execution
of youth development initiatives. In this session, conference looked at the
experiences of the
6.1 Ernest
Shozi,
As
a new municipal model in the country, the KwaDukuza Local and Ilembe District,
have decided on the setting up of an ICT Centre dedicated to youth in the
district. Driven from KwaDukuza, this centre has a specific focus:
It
seeks to develop youth skills in the field of ICT as an enabler for future
careers and to open up opportunities both within and outside the municipality.
It also provides career counselling and support, education on entrepreneurship
and general information on social issues affecting youth. This centre will then
equip itself to do this.
The
budget set for the project is ring-fenced so that it is not confused with other
programs of the municipality. An initial amount of R5,7m is allocated to its
construction and set-up costs for the first three years.
Already
linked to this project are partners in the private sector who have already made
offers in kind and cash forms. For the initial period, a timber producing
company’s training centre will be used to house the facility so that there is
no need for construction of new facilities. This alone places the project one
step ahead
The
potential solutions the centre will offer include these
potential
creation of employability in existing industries and the ICT
the
creation of jobs through small businesses by youth of the area
inculcate
a culture of life-long learning and
adaptability
In
conclusion, the presenter emphasised the need for action. Most of the time,
young people make speeches but never concrete proposals for action. This
requires rigorous project planning and marketing of such proposals
The
key is to institutionalise and then mainstream youth development through
planning and budgetary processes in all municipalities!
6.2 Lubabalo
Molefe, on the Flanders Lessons, ex-participant
In
his special input, this speaker reflected on the relations with the Flanders
youth as having had an impact on the conceptualisation of youth work.
More
aptly, the formulation of youth policy in Flanders is seen as a collective
responsibility of all affected parties: youth, politicians, national and their
regional government and the 300 councils of Flanders. This helps ensure
adequate attention is paid to measuring social impact by all.
The
key pillar of youth work success is mainstreaming of the work by recognition of
the facts that: it is the way to go, it is at the centre of where decisions are
made and it ensures that those decisions are implemented.
Emphasis
is placed on young people having productive action during their leisure time.
For example, the Flemish have unashamedly placed their resources at five key
programs that seem embraced by all supporting youth work: playing and recreation for young people; sports for social integration;
centre management, youth information sharing and unemployment programs. This makes it possible to
focus at the various age-groups methodically through-out their region.
A
further lesson was how seriously youth work is regarded. Dozens of well-trained
youth workers provide support at the centres and via civil society organisations
to the same goals. This ensures that people trained for and prepared for youth
work do it with passion
Finally,
for South Africans, it is suggested that three critical lessons can be taken for
immediate action by all including the levels of government:
SA
Youth Policy should translate into legislation and not end as Cabinet
agreements. Some of the local government legislation could equally be revised
to accommodate the need for youth development to feature prominently therein
Advocate
for local youth units which are legislated to ensure adequate mainstreaming
actions in the municipalities
Placing
adequate measures for youth development for local government. This includes
performance measures as set out in municipal systems act and holding the Ministers
accountable for this.
6.3 Local
Youth Policy Tools by Gerda van Roelen and Ben Verstreyden, Association of
Flemish Youth Units and Youth Councils
A
special presentation on the policy tools was made by the co-presenters in line
with cementing a culture of good practice and informed decision-making in youth
development. The object of the policy tools it is to provide the suitable
guidelines for youth practitioners, councillors and civil society bodies to
adequately consult with and then action the plans with young people. In short:
Firstly
it is should be noted that there are specific conditions to be met in making
youth policy tools work best for the municipality:
Support
young people: open listening and encourage
Social
cohesion in community for them to organise their activities and feel accepted
members thereof
Space
for interaction through infrastructure provisions such as transport, sporting
facility, etc.
Capacity
building through training, coaching and encouragement
Integrate
LYP into programs of municipality so youth play integral role where other
community members are involved
Participation
of youth in decision-making process is central to their contribution to
community development as they will feel treasured
Information
to ensure equitable access for all young people.
Youth
officers should ideally play their role as networking specialist, process
engineer and have confidence of young people
Youth Units should set the goal of empowering young people through
supporting the political leadership in
preparing, co-coordinating and
executing a local youth policy
Creating, stimulating and supporting networks that
empower youth in all spheres of life
Lastly,
the LYP should meet some key criteria: allowing young people to participate in
formulation thereof; a transparent and comprehensive financial framework and
information sharing to empower youth in the process.
7. COMMISSION OUTCOMES
This
section reports on the outcomes of each of the three thematic platforms or
commissions which conducted parallel break-away sessions to look more closely
at the options debated during the plenary sessions. For obvious reasons, the
reports will reflect more the consensus of the commissions without undue
emphasis on the deliberations themselves.
7.1
Commission 1: Platforms for engagement
Below
are the outcomes of discussions held in separate commissions. The questions
asked are used to summarise the points and direct the outcomes pointedly.
|
Question:
what forums should youth at local level use to influence the strategies and
actions of their municipalities? We
must encourage all forms of youth formations to take route in all sectors
including faith, sport, social. Youth
Forum of the municipality to create platform for those outside formal
government bodies A
strong civil society body should represent the interest of those outside
statutory structures School-based
forum to encourage very young to contribute and see their role in
decision-making |
Question:
how do we ensure adequate co-ordination of the youth voice locally? We
need to learn from the tools used by Flemish councils in youth work Practitioner
registration will make work more formalised and thus easy to co-ordinate for
all bodies Get
help from local business in the form of youth-directed corporate social
investment to ensure support for our platforms Need
training in lobbying and advocacy skills for local level youth to reach out
to portfolio committees, IDP forums, etc. Public education for youth on local
government systems so they understand their value to it |
|
Question:
What linkages do we need to ensure effectiveness? The
NYC, UYF, SAYC linkages should be visible at national level. Concern about
three different and disparate structures working ineffectively. Need
national level institutionalisation of youth development, i.e. legislation
that makes enforcement by Minister possible. Municipalities are already
enacting in many instances, need some visible action nationally. Role
of provincial commissions in making this relations lively is a must for
action Continue
the linkages with Flanders for skills transfers and learning to spread to
various people |
Question:
What should be done to ensure budgets support youth development? Commence
action prior to the IDP reviews All
budgets are based on IDP content, thus we need to influence that process
first then budgets IDP
forum is suitable platforms for all youth formations to make their voices
heard, then the budgets Need
to be conscious of planning cycles of municipalities which are regulated for
each year. |
7.2 Commission
2: Institutionalisation of youth development and policy
|
Question:
What is going right? Many
municipalities have had their policies approved Some
municipalities have set their youth units or appointed an officer or youth
matters In
some instances, very few but commendable, the offices are located in the
mayors’ or the municipal managers’ offices. |
Question:
How do we resolve the challenges raised? Define
the YD mandate within that of the municipality’s mainstream Require
accountability mechanisms such as specific reporting on YD in annual reports Use
local policy tools for effectiveness and some common approach to YD
challenges Public-Private
Partnerships to drive the YD programs as well |
|
Question:
what is not going right? Limited
powers and resources for the youth units No
integration of youth development into the IDP Limited
appreciation by the senior managers of the YD role No
political accountability mechanisms set up for all Suitable
tools for use by the units Limited
capability of youth officers in respect o technical knowledge Civil
society structures for YD are weak as a general rule in all places |
Question:
Who should be the actors? NYC
and PYCs to set technical teams to advise on mainstreaming YD in the local
sector To
use the Presidential Working Group to enforce the youth units as a
requirement in municipalities To
persuade SALGA to incorporate Youth Development in its Strategy documents for
acceptability Civil
society youth formations should strengthen SAYC through interactions locally Municipalities
to initiate research as a way to monitor progress in YD PYCs
to be more visible in their co-ordination work |
7.3 Commission
3: Programmes and the National Youth Service
This
commission sought to look into the common programming strategies of the youth
sector and how these impact on implementation of the national guidelines.
|
Question:
How do current programs match up to expectations? There
is no uniformity in implementation across the country Have
limited ability to monitor |
Question:
How can the NYS implementation be accelerated? Structurally,
the NYS is led by both NYC and Umsobomvu which makes matters difficult Registration
process with UYF is ominous a process No
real communication with municipal levels |
|
Solutions: Have
all youth officers reporting to the MM or Mayor’s office uniformly in all
municipalities Provide
budgets incrementally with capability of municipality Have
clear minimum programs for all municipalities against which they will be
measured, i.e. economic, sports, recreation, skills development, etc. Municipalities
to creatively define their programs within these parameters |
Solutions:
Make
registration a simple process so that municipality can register for any
program matching NYS Provide
information booklet on how municipalities can specifically contribute to NYS
and register their programs Decentralise
the registration process for NYS to accelerate access to it Train
municipal officers to be able to advise newcomers to the program NYC
to advocate for each district to have an NYS program Share
with municipalities what programs there are now |
7.4 General
Comments by Delegates
Please
distribute the conference package immediately after conference to assist with
our lobbying and planning activities.
The
work on lobbying the DPLG has to start in earnest immediately. This will by far
simplify our work in the local areas.
The
relations with Umsobomvu Youth Fund have to be straightened up. IT looks rather
unseemly that we continue to operate in silos and yet our mandates are the
same. In fat there is a need for consideration of the merger of the two
institutions so that programmes such as NYS are well managed and resources.
The
civil society bodies are on the decline due to the poor organisation in the
SAYC. While it is not its primary job, the NYC should look at ways to assist
the growth of this organisation soi that the local contributions of the
non-state sector are housed by credible institutions. The reawakening of SAYC
is primarily the duty of civil society and those present should take the
message home for action. Time is not on our side!
8. RESOLUTIONS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION
|
TASK |
RESPONSIBLE ORGANISATION |
TIMEFRAME |
|
|
Create a common monitoring and evaluation tool for
youth programme |
NYC,
PYC |
September
2006 |
Tool
developed |
|
Workshop youth Officers on M&E |
NYC,
PYC |
October
2006 |
Reports
for monitoring and evaluation from all municipalities |
|
Access to information portals by young people |
District
Municipalities and Metro’s |
July
2007 |
Have
functioning information portals in all district and Metro’s |
|
The National Youth Policy should have the following
flagship programmes: Employment / Economic Development Skills Development / Capacity Building Youth Mobilisation Sports Development Entertainment / Life Skills |
NYC,
PYC, District Municipalities and Metro’s |
July
2006 |
Having
a National Youth Policy outlining youth programmes |
|
National Youth Service |
||||||
|
Audit of all NYS Programmes and report to be
disseminated to all Municipality |
Umsobomvu
Youth Fund |
November
2006 |
Having
the audit report |
|||
|
Decentralize the management of the NYS to district
municipalities |
Umsobomvu
Youth Fund, NYS |
April
2007 |
Having
active and functioning district NYS programmes |
|||
|
Train municipal officials to be technical advisors
on NYS processes |
Umsobomvu
Youth Fund, NYC |
October
2006 |
Having
youth officers able to advise on technical issues of NYS |
|||
|
Simplify the registration form |
UYF,
NYC |
August
2006 |
Having
simplified forms distributed to Districts and local municipalities |
|||
|
Provide clear guidelines on how NYS is partnering
with local municipalities |
NYC,
PYC’s |
September
2006 |
Having
guidelines distributed to all municipalities |
|||
|
Provide greater understanding for municipalities on
what their role will be, once programmes have been registered with Umsobomvu |
NYC,
PYC’s |
February
2007 |
Effectively
rolling out of NYS programme |
|||
|
Each district and metro to launch one project on NYS |
All
district municipalities and metro’s |
June
2007 |
Having
projects launched in each district and metro |
|||
|
INSTITUTIONALISATION OF YOUTH
DEVELOPMENT |
||||||
|
Lobby for the
institutionalization youth development in Municipalities |
Youth
Officers, NYC and PYC’s |
June
2008 |
Having
functioning youth units in all municipalities |
|||
|
Constitute technical teams to advise on matters
relating to the National Guidelines on Local Youth Units, capacity-building,
policy and to review the national guidelines where necessary |
NYC |
June
2007 |
Established
task team, Having Reviewed national guidelines |
|||
|
Use the Presidential Working Group on Youth to lobby
for the amendment of local government legislation and implementation of youth
programmes |
NYC
|
Ongoing |
Youth
friendly legislation and government policies |
|||
|
Include youth development & the creation of LYUs
into the IDPs |
Youth
Officials, NYC |
June
2007 |
Having
functioning youth units |
|||
|
Write a submission to the DPLG about the inclusion
of Youth Units in the IDP |
||||||
|
Establish and Strengthen local youth civil society
structures |
Non-statutory
organisations with Local Youth Officials |
May
2007 |
Having
operating and functioning structures |
|||
|
Take a leading role in co-ordination of the
establishment of the youth units in local municipalities. |
PYC |
September
2007 |
Having
operational and functional youth units |
|||
|
Establish, create and strengthen partnerships and co
operations to ensure partnerships with, etc |
NYC & PYCs NGOs, SALGA, DPLG |
May
2008 |
Tangible
program of action with these partners |
|||
|
RESEARCH |
||||||
|
Develop monitoring and evaluation tools for
implementation of the research findings |
NYC & PYC |
May
2007 |
M&
E Tools shared with Municipalities |
|||
|
Use government mechanisms, i.e. Annual reports, POA
to also report on extent of progress pertaining to localizing youth
development |
Local
Youth units, Municipal Management, PYC |
June
2007 |
Reports
reflect on state of youth in municipality |
|||
|
Convene youth indabas to enforce resolutions from
conferences |
PYCs |
Dec
2006 |
9
provincial indabas convened |
|||
|
Municipalities to initiate their own research &
monitoring progress |
All
Municipalities |
Dec
2007 |
Research
projects on youth in each district/metro |
|||
|
Establish
Research Units which will have a close relations with the national Youth
Commission’s research unit |
PYC |
Dec
2007 |
Research
units |
|||
|
PLATFORMS FOR ENGAGEMENT |
||||||
|
Launch Youth Forums which are municipality driven
structures for participation of young people in the IDP’s |
District/Local
Youth Officer |
Dec
2006 |
Reports
and structure set in place |
|||
|
Create information packages for those outside
current structure |
NYC and PYC to distribute common information |
Aug
2006 |
Information
packs for provinces |
|||
|
Create linkages between local youth units and PYC, NYC, UYF, provincial government
department |
ditto |
ditto |
Formal
platforms determined for interactions |
|||
|
Corporate Social Investment – use of local business
support |
Local SAYC structures |
Jan
2007 |
Funding
of program o civil society bodies |
|||
|
Organize provincial local government conferences to
focus on the evaluation of progress, learning and sharing of experiences on
youth development (Flemish Study Visits) and development a minimum
programme |
NYC,
PYC and District Municipality |
May
2007 |
9
conferences |
|||
|
Establish platforms for in school youth to
contribute to planning and lobbying processes |
PYC,
Local Municipalities |
Jan
2007 |
Inside
information packs |
|||
|
Practitioner registration to encourage
accountability |
NYC
to drive competency profiling process; PYC to ensure registration of
identified core |
May
2007 |
Formal
practitioner registration commences |
|||
9. CONFERENCE DECLARATION
We,
the youth of South Africa gathered at Somerset West, in the Western Cape
Province for the 3rd National Conference on Youth and Local
Government from the 9th – 11th of May 2006,
Having
been drawn from different municipalities from all nine provinces of South
Africa, provincial youth commissions, national youth commission and
organisations representing youth from a broad spectrum of youth development in
South Africa, including youth in political organisations, social organisations,
economic participation and empowerment organisations as well as youth social
mobilisation organisations
Under
the theme “deepening youth participation
at local level to fight poverty and create jobs”
On
this year 2006, on which the youth sector in South Africa and the world broadly
is celebrating the 30th anniversary of June 16 1976 in South Africa,
the year on which young people in South Africa declared to the country and the
world once and for all that never again shall youth matters be taken as by the
way issues in South Africa,
Believing
that the youth sector in general have from time to time defined minimum
interventions on their development, by their own account or through the
platforms created for their development,
Further
believing that the local sphere of government remains the primary vehicle for
delivering on the youth development mandate at grass root level,
Having
acknowledged the fact that youth form at least 40% of South African population,
and therefore are a critical mass of our development mandate as a country,
Having
considered the situation of integration of youth development at municipal level
in South Africa which is not necessarily up to the expected level,
Further
considering the challenges and constraints facing the institutionalisation of
youth development at local government level,
Having
considered the fact that many of the resolutions taken in previous conferences
have not necessarily been implemented as per our expectations
Acknowledging
that there is an existing policy framework for youth development in general and
youth development in local government level,
Believing
that the existing policy framework for implementation of youth development in
local government is not adequate to address the youth development challenges in
South Africa,
Acknowledging
the existence of institutional mechanisms for the implementation of youth
development at local government level,
Believing
that the existing institutional arrangements for youth development in
municipalities are inconsistent and inadequate,
Having
drawn lessons and experiences from different representatives from different
organisations, youth commissions and municipalities,
Believing
that, youth matters should take a centre stage in all developmental endeavours
at municipal level in South Africa,
Believing
that the only approach that is effective in development is integrated development
approach, integrated youth development approach,
We
therefore declare that:
Institutionalisation
of youth development at municipal level, should not only be essential, but
should be a critical compulsory duty of all municipalities in South Africa which
should not be negotiated.
The
current platforms for engagement between youth and local government should be
strengthened and fully utilized.
Youth
initiatives and programmes, including National Youth Service as a flagship
programme should be implemented and supported by all municipalities in South
Africa.
Findings
and recommendations emanating from the youth sector research should be
continuously monitored and evaluated for implementation.
We
declare the above fully conscious of the fact that the declarations above are
realistic and achievable and therefore should be implemented.
10. CLOSING REMARKS
a) Guy Redig, Flemish Delegate
After
the deliberations and conference resolutions taken, the Flemish delegation
expressed its appreciation of the success of the convention and its potential
for unlocking action for the better. They also observed that the participation
of young people here was much more engaging and should take this process
forward much more vigorously through visible action on the ground.
Some
key observations and points of action noted by the delegation
Good
impressions have been created by the quality of work done in the field of
legislation, tools, systems created in local government and youth development
over time and in this convention.
But
the plans and systems are only good if tested through action. The carrying out
of the programs can be informed by practice, which is sorely missed. This is
much so because we have had a fair share of debate over the time
Government
needs to recognise the voice of youth. They have proposals, business plans,
ideas and sometimes new innovations. Our role is to provide the support
necessary for directing that energy where it will find its expression.
In
the 21st century, young people have choices: to believe or not to
believe in the democracy we have. It is appropriate to understand that they
need to see deeds that accompany the words of support.
There
is a strong sense of impatience and it has to be managed with youth, because
nothing should be done about them without them!
And,
most importantly, we must give young people the space to play, have fun, enjoy
themselves without the inhibiting factors that adults face. The solutions we
create for young people must centre around the fact that they must find the
time, space and ability to exercise this rights to pursuit of a happy youth.
In
that vein, the Flemish Ministry would like to look into direct support for
youth centres in the country modelled according to SA conditions but not
dissimilar to the youth centre concept in Belgium. This will serve as a more
visible action on the part of the co-operation agreement and provide immensely
missed opportunities in conjunction with government at different levels. The
NYC and the Flanders authority will continue to co-operate on this and other
future programmes based on these engagements.
b) Lwazi
Mboyi, National Youth Commission
On
behalf of the NYC and all outgoing Commissioners, the CEO thanked all
participants for their effective contributions. He also noted the increased
number of delegates as an indication of progress on the part of youth
development in the country. These action steps will be taken in the immediate
future:
The
continuation of the interaction with the national stakeholders to resolve the
issues of legislative frameworks that place emphasis on youth development and
monitoring thereof. This includes specifically SALGA and DPLG as key
institutions
The
compilation of the convention report in the next month to serve as a reminder
to all and form the basis for local and provincial interactions on the
nitty-gritty of implementation of the resolutions taken here.
In
terms of the action plan, to immediately task the responsible officers to
incorporate the plan into their everyday actions so that there is visible
products in the near future.
Research
work already commenced has to be prioritised to take into consideration the
shortcomings already indicated and then work on the time-table to deliver a
finished product within the original timeframes.
Taking
up the discussion with our Flemish counterparts to put in place the solid
foundations suggested here in the form of policy frameworks, tools, and
programmes needed for accelerating visible delivery. This emphasises the need
for a continued co-operation with Flanders for the purposes of continued
learning and exchange in future.
The
CEO thanked the current Commissioners, the Flanders delegation, SALGA,
Umsobomvu NYS Unit, the Mayors, councillors and youth officers present, DPLG,
all and the Western Cape Provincial Government for their support and
participation during the convention. In addition, he indicated his gratitude to
staff of the NYC who made the organisation and logistical arrangements for the
conference a smooth exercise. He wished
all the best on behalf of the Commission.
11 ATTACHMENTS
a.
List of Participants
Local
Municipalities
District
Municipalities and Metros
National
Government Departments
Provincial
Government Departments
Belgian
Delegates from Flanders
Non-Profit
Youth Organisations
Other
non-government bodies
Provincial
Youth Commissions
b.
Others: general category (Specialists, advisory)