We have a youthful population, often referred to by economists as the “youth bulge”; this could be our ticket to inclusive economic growth. But we first need to deal with the barriers young people face.

Almost nine million young South Africans are not in employment, education or training. This doesn’t mean they haven’t been searching for work opportunities; many are simply shut out because of barriers such as high data, transport and other costs associated with searching for work in this country.

Pelontle Maila experienced this first-hand. She has a degree from Ekurhuleni East College, but transport costs to her nearest large town, Kimberley, coupled with poor network connection and lack of funds to buy data, made things difficult. A year went by with no opportunities to gain valuable work experience. Understandably, she was starting to lose hope.

Maila’s story is not unique. Nearly eight in 10 unemployed people have been out of work for longer than a year; we know that the longer people are unemployed, the more unemployable they become. Unemployment rates among young people tend to be 20% higher than older age groups; data also show that when jobs are created, young people are not first in line for them.

Public employment as a way forward

Short-term opportunities offered by public employment programmes can unlock young people’s ability to make and spend money, which is good for them and our economy.

In 2020, Maila secured a teacher’s assistant position through the Basic Education Employment Initiative (BEEI), a flagship programme of the Presidential Employment Stimulus. Since its inception, the BEEI has been a lifeline for nearly a million young people, offering short-term work in 22,000 public schools across the country.

For Maila and most of the participants, this was their first work experience. These roles have not only given young people a chance to earn a stipend and gain work experience, school assistants also fill a critical gap in the education sector.

First work experience

Lack of work experience is a major hurdle for young people looking for jobs. When we crunched the data, we found that eight in 10 unemployed young people have never worked before. Maila’s time as a teacher’s assistant gave her the experience she needs to demonstrate to future employers that she’s got what it takes. She was also able to use her information communication technology diploma in a real-world setting and discovered her passion for teaching computer skills to young children.

Pelontle Maila was beginning to lose hope before she secured a teacher’s assistant position through the Basic Education Employment Initiative (Photo: Supplied)

Social networks

The people you know can promote social mobility. In recognition of this, mentorship was built into the design of BEEI – young participants are paired with mentors who help them make the most of their experience. Classroom teachers provide guidance and support during the programme, and remain important contact points even after the programme is over.

Maila’s transformation is a testament to this as she moved from having no career guidance to having two mentors who would give her advice and alert her whenever a job advert was posted.

Stimulating local demand

Both national and international evidence shows us that social protection has a positive multiplier effect on economies. This means that economies benefit when more people have buying power.

In addition, we have seen many young people accumulate savings, which were subsequently invested into their side-hustles. In other cases, young people have used their stipends to subsidise job-seeking (which costs about R1,000 per month) and actively look for more opportunities. While looking for a permanent job, Maila registered a small baking business and sells scones in her community.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Learnerships may be part of the answer to youth unemployment, but they must be meaningful

Short-term work opportunities designed with young people in mind shouldn’t be thought of as social handouts. When done efficiently, these programmes offer young people their first supported step into the labour market.

If public employment programmes are well designed, with clear monitoring, sustainable funding and strategies for exit pathways into the labour market or self-employment, there will be long-term economic returns for the country.

The path we’re on is not reaping rewards and we can’t just accept it. Tackling youth unemployment decisively should be National Treasury’s primary concern ahead of the 2024 Budget; bolstering the impact of public employment for young people is a key strategy to unlock inclusive and sustainable economic growth. DM

Kristal Duncan-Williams and Clotilde Angelucci are respectively the Project Lead and Communication and Network Lead at Youth Capital. Read young people’s experiences of the BEEI here and add your voice to Youth Capital’s call to secure ongoing funding for the Presidential Employment Stimulus by signing the petition here.