An assessment of the state of youth participation in non-governmental organizations empowerment programmes : the case of Emfuleni Local Municipality

Abstract

The population of Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) is dominated by the youth and is also having a very high level of unemployment which directly negatively impacts its participation in issues affecting them (ELM IDP, 2020-2021: 51). Hence, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) play a pivotal role in closing the service delivery gaps by providing the youth with the required skills empowerment programmes or tools of trade for commercializing skills in order to address unemployment, poverty and skills disparities. The aim of the study was to assess the state of youth participation in NGOs empowerment programmes. The researcher applied a qualitative research approach in which two instruments of data collection were utilised: focus group and semi structured interviews. The researcher employed a non-probability sampling method called purposive sampling to identify participants with the help of the institution, acting as gatekeepers, who identified and referred participants from their pool for the study. The population used in this research was divided into three (3), namely programme participants, NGO officials and two funding institutions. Theoretical exploration on youth participation was considered to understand the concepts and the content of the study. The main objective of the study was to examine existing governments policies on youth empowerment and other youth programmes. The main question asked was: What is the role of youth participation in NGOs empowerment programmes? The main finding indicated that the youth is not mainstreamed in strategies, policies and programmes of the government, and funding is inadequate to fully implement all the institution’s objectives and programmes. Bokamoso Skills and Economic Empowerment Centre was the only NGO which the researcher used because it was the only one which provides relevant youth skills and training programmes that are capable of addressing the problem of unemployment and exclusion among the youth in Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM). The researcher recommended that government departments should review its funding model so that it enables NGOs to offer skills empowerment programme which produce qualified artisans and not semi-skilled candidates. This can be achieved if the government directly mobilizes resources from the private sector and have a bilateral or tripartite or

multilateral standing Memorandum of Agreement with all stakeholders involved. Furthermore, the government and implementing agencies should have a standing intergovernmental structure which specialises in the integration and mainstreaming of youth economically in all the policies, strategies, programmes and budget in order for the youth to fully and properly participate. This will also ensure the execution of policies through the effective cooperative flow of information, coordination of priorities and budgets across the different state of organizations.