Transcript Slide 1
National Youth Summit: Mainstreaming Youth Development for LG through Sustainable Infrastructure Provisioning The Institutionalisation of Youth in Local Government outline • • • • • • • Objectives of the Youth Summit Introduction Status-Quo Challenges Youth in Local Government Critical Success Factors Conclusion OBJECTIVES OF THE YOUTH SUMMIT: Promote youth development in local government; Increase the participation of youth in local government delivery programmes and structures; Confirm the opportunities for youth in infrastructure delivery; Create awareness amongst youth on skills required in infrastructure delivery environment; and Mobilise civil society and the private sector to create opportunities for the youth in the infrastructure sector. introduction “Every state should provide its young people with opportunities for obtaining education, for acquiring skills, and for participating fully in all aspects of society, with a view to, inter alia, acquiring productive employment and leading self-sufficient lives” United Nations World Program of Action for Youth “. . . the youth as critical resources in our democracy and active citizens in building millennium communities” South African Youth Charter SA Youth Charter Commitment to: • Develop and Implement local youth policy and development agenda • Create a conducive environment for youth development and participation, including creating institutional support for youth development • Allocate resources for achieving vision of effective and efficient implementation of youth policy • Create and sustain communication mechanisms that facilitate clear, accessible and transparent dialogue between all relevant stakeholders • Ensure optimal participation and consultation of all youth in government planning processes • Develop and implement programmes, in consultation with youth, for the advancement of youth service • Periodically review and evaluate government’s implementation of youth policy and programmes • Establish mechanisms for affirming and educating youth about governance and national youth service • Support youth structures and work with youth to address critical socioeconomic and developmental challenges • Create and sustain spaces for cultural, recreational and sports activities status-quo • Political and Administrative will to promote youth development exist – Executive Mayors and or Mayors have dedicated senior Councillors for the youth portfolio (Special Programs) – Most municipalities have youth desks; youth focal points and or special programmers officers established with in their organograms – Metro’s and other high capacity municipalities have fully fleshed units focusing on youth development challenges • Lack for clarity or shared vision among stakeholders at local level • Development of localised interventions given the capacity – what can a specific municipality afford and sustain • None existence of localised baseline so as to be able to channel initiatives • Empowerment measures of youth-owned enterprises and companies within a municipal area not documented • Lack of resources in some municipalities to support establishment of units Youth in LG Best Practices in Youth Development (Research, Monitoring and Evaluation) This is the basic and central role of the local government in facilitating Youth Development. There is no other place or institution well positioned to be an ultimate hub of up-to-date information about Youth Development other than municipalities. This objective can be achieved by engaging in the following activities: • Undertake continuous needs analysis by periodically commissioning authentic research or using existing structures (e.g. Youth Summits, Ward Committees) to assess the needs of young people • Based on the results of the needs analysis above, facilitate development, packaging and delivery of customised services relevant to the youth in local government to ensure a move away from events based only intervention to holistic Youth Development programmes informed by the needs of young people Youth in LG Harnessing Strategic Partnerships and Resource Mobilisation Coordination and creation of a conducive environment fertile for partners with adequate resources for Youth Development is yet again a basic and central role of Municipalities. Avail infrastructure and resources to support Youth Development programmes and host programmes provided by the strategic partners and formalise these with partnership agreements Youth in LG Integrated Communication Strategy for Youth Development It does not matter how effective local government is in its role of contributing towards the achievement of a better life for all young men and women if such is not communicated to all stakeholders ,Community Radio Stations, Municipal Utility Billing, Ward Committees, Community Development Workers (CDWs) and so on, depending on the effective and available mode of communication and taking into account geographic location, language and literacy levels of young people targeted Youth in LG Youth in Planning Ensure that Youth Development interventions and the beneficiaries or targeted youth priority groups are clearly spelt out in the Integrated Development Plans (IDP) Youth in LG Youth in LED Ensure that the Local Economic Development (LED) strategy clearly highlights Youth Development economic interventions. In line with Asgisa, such economic interventions targeted for youth development to include: • Targeted labour-absorbing economic activities (EPWP and agricultural programmes) in the special priority areas aiming to develop skills and create jobs for the youth • Infrastructure projects that are labour intensive • Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) and small business development opportunities for the youth • Sector strategies (e.g. Tourism, Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Agriculture) that will enhance youth empowerment and participation Youth in LG Developing Youth in Leadership Youth participation in local government and involvement in setting up agenda for their own development must be guided and managed through democratic structures and not be left to chance. Youth Development Units in all municipalities should be used as focal points and or entry points for youth development initiatives by all stakeholders which have among other things a responsibility to support the Youth development initiatives other critical success factors • Coordinated ,support ,training and capacity building to existing youth structures •adopt youth development policies •Mainstream the national youth service in infrastructure programmes •Undertake targeted recruitment of the youth in municipal programmes •Collaboration between municipalities and FETs •capacitate unemployed graduates with a world of work relevant programme •Provide information on access to opportunities for the youth •enforcing youth quotas in municipal procurement •youth units should still be located in the office of the Municipal Manager/Executive Mayors •Allocate special funds for youth development • conclusion SALGA Strategic Plan 2007-2011 Objectives and the National Conference held in April 2007 is clear on issues regarding Youth Development To continue to advise, support and guide municipalities on mainstreaming issues of youth development as priority in municipal planning and functioning Finalise the youth strategy that was developed in 2006.(Now finalised) Az’dume!!!