How Innovators Trust Youth And Vodacom Foundation’s Youth Entrepreneurship Programme Is Making A Positive Change On Youth Unemployment
How Innovators Trust Youth And Vodacom Foundation’s Youth Entrepreneurship Programme Is Making A Positive Change On Youth Unemployment. A recent impact report of the Youth Entrepreneurship Programme (YEP), run by the Innovator Trust in partnership with Vodacom Foundation, shows the progress the programme has made in its mission to alleviate youth unemployment in South Africa.
At just over 51%, South Africa has the second highest youth unemployment rate as of 2022. Not only does youth unemployment have a negative humanitarian impact, perpetuating cycles of generational poverty and impacting quality of life, the economic implications are also significant. The report shows growth for the programme and the positive impact it makes in terms of equipping youth with holistic entrepreneurial skills and experience.
“Youth unemployment has several negative implications, not least of which include social exclusion and unrest. The magnitude of this problem in South Africa makes it a top concern for both Vodacom, and the Innovators Trust,” says Taki Netshitenzhe, External Affairs Director at Vodacom South Africa. “The best way to combat this problem is through providing our youth with education and training opportunities to help them gain access to employment. What makes this programme stand out is our holistic approach which not only provides training but also offers youth paid internships to gain real work experience.”
The programme has a strong focus on practical experience, combatting the rising graduate unemployment rates by ensuring young beneficiaries gain actual work experience. This is done through the Innovator Trust internship programme. This started in 2017 with youth being placed in Innovator Trust Enterprise Development (ED) SMMEs. To date, 141 unemployed youth have been given the opportunity to experience the realities of what it takes to run a small business in the ICT space through internships at these organisations. In 2022/2023, 45 of the 50 youth were supported through this programme, by finding internships at ED SMMEs.
