National Youth Service in the Built Environment as part of the

EPWPReport to Select Committee

13 June 2007

National Youth Service Model

Community Service

Structured Learning & Individual Development

Exit Opportunities:Self or formal employment

Further learning+ +

Integrated model that harness the potential of youth to become active citizens that contribute to social development as they gain skills

For young people to operate effectively in identified occupations, service activities are complemented by structured learning which covers:

• Life skills• Technical skills • Entrepreneurship / Cooperative education

Aftercare support is provided for tracking & sustainability purposes

Overall Programme Objectives• Ensure participation of initial 10 000 youth in the

National Youth Service and EPWP through service activities in the Built Environment– 5000 through National DPW– 5000 through Provincial DPW’s

• Ensure that youth develop skills, understanding and aspirations for working in the built environment

• Exit strategies:– Recruit 10% (1000) youth into DPW structures– Ensure remaining youth enter into employment with private

sector or other departments/ spheres of government, entrepreneurship or cooperatives or further learning

Provincial CommitmentsProvince Target Budget* (R Millions) Absorption %

National 5000 40 5%

EC 1500 12 5%

FS 500 4 100%

GP 500 4 5%

LP 500 4 5%

NC 500 4 5%

WC 500 4 5%

MP 500 4 10%

NW 500 4 5%

KZN 600 5 5%

Based on R8000 per youth for allowances while training and programme management, excludes cost of training, allowances while on projects, PR, launches etc

Target Groups

1. Unemployed youth, aged between 18-35, interest in built environment artisan career, resides close to project location, meets entry requirements for training (Grade 10/Std 8)

Recruitment Strategy• Decentralised• Local (based on project location)• Advertised (newspapers, radio, posters) with clear criteria for target

groups• Use existing databases: labour centres, UYF database• Provinces to mobilise resources to manage the recruitment/

Selection process:– Plan, book briefings, inform UYF– Administration of applications– Shortlisting– Coordination with DOL for Speex Assessment– Split into trades required (plumbers, bricklayers)– Create final list and send to UYF– Call youth to inform them about induction– Identify venues for induction

Programme Management• Provinces to mobilise programme management

resources1. Overall Programme Management (including

responsibility of management of youtha. Recruitment and Selectionb. Payment of stipends to youthc. Project identification and adaptationd. Training needs analysise. Planning, scheduling and securing of providers training and

life skills provision (with DOL & UYF)f. Plan and schedule youth participation on site, including

technical training and life-skillsg. Plan and trigger exit opportunities

• Detailed Responsibility Matrix developed

Agreed upon Allowances• As agreed on at the 2 March MINMEC:• Allowances while in training:

– R 600 per month for food, transport and stipend (in line with NYS, Learnerships pay R500 per month)

• Allowances while working – R1000 a month

• Estimated Cost implications:– Training: 5000 x 5 months x R 600= R 15 million– Work 5000 x 7 x R 1000= R35 million (To be paid

from project budget, 1.2% of submitted project values)

Training• Orientation (2 weeks) NYS+ EPWP+ PDPW+

Built Environment– Provinces to be involved in the orientation and explain

the service and training activities: arrange site visit, support contracting, disciplinary procedures

– Afterwards youth commit or can drop out• Technical training (3-4 months): Artisan skills,

foundational training (Maths & English)• Life skills (1 month spread over period)• Entrepreneurship/ Coops/ Additional Technical

Skills/ Exit strategy

Understanding the Built Environment

• DPW and its agencies: CIDB, CBE, IDT and Agrement have considerable in-house knowledge about the Built Environment

• Internal programme has been developed to educate youth about the Built Environment, associated professions, career options, government programmes etc.

• Modules could include– Government and Infrastructure: Eradicating backlogs, 2010 projects,

Gautrain, EPWP, SOE investments– Site visits to key projects in the area– Related careers: professional, contractors, supervisors, artisans,

building materials, maintenance, property, facility management• Objective: Enhance understanding of the industry and motivate

youth the pursue careers in the sector• Status: First training being done with youth in Kimberley and

Bloemfontein. Course to be improved from there on.• Can be scheduled as a breather

Technical training – Skills Programmes

Provinces to determine which skills youth are to be trained in and how young people should be allocated to the various trades

Youth to be trained on Accredited skills programmes

The intention is to use the FET Colleges as much as possible

Provinces to finalise their own options with regards to Provincial DOL (in line with EPWP training processes and framework) or Critical Skills Funding Window (Premier’s Office)

Life Skills

• NYS to provide training through its training providers

• Training to be scheduled during project implementation

• Programme managers to schedule into overall programme

• Provinces to engage NYS whether they can fund the training

Work

• Youth will do their service in areas related to their training as well as in other areas as required by the project ie:

1. In trades in areas they have been trained: bricklaying, painting etc

2. As assistants to artisans in the trade (ie mixing adhesive for tilers)

3. As manual labourers (Moving bricks, cleaning site)

Outcomes• Youth who:

– Understand value of work, productivity– Understand citizenship and democratic values– Are independent and self confident– Have good communication skills– Have basic competency in respective trades– Exit and have income through: PDPW

employment, other private sector employment, self employment, cooperatives

Key Risks• Delays in project implementation due to

misalignment of work and training plans due to:– Poor understanding of NYS and therefore poor

planning– Delays in training (DOL, availability of providers, need

for additional training, to many different providers)– Delays in projects (Docs not ready, delays in

tendering/ procurement, delays in works)• Possible “blame game”: contractors/ project

managers blame all problems, delays on cost overruns on NYS- EPWP