South Africa

Programmes

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Special Projects & EPWP

The Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is a key government initiative, which contributes to Government’s Policy Priorities in terms of decent work & sustainable livelihoods, education, health; rural development; food security & land reform and the fight against crime & corruption. EPWP subscribes to outcome 4 which states “Decent employment through inclusive economic growth

The EPWP Skills Development Programme targets unemployed youth who reside within human settlements project areas and are within walking distance to the sites. It involves formal and active participation by the youth in the construction sites. Towards the end of their involvement on site the youth are capacitated on business/ entrepreneurial skills. The latter is conducted as means to ensure that programme beneficiaries establish their own businesses in the future.

Various youth development institutions play a pivotal role in ensuring effective involvement of youth. These are the Provincial Department of Public Works, National Department of Public Works, Department of Labour, Institutions for Further Education and Training (FET), Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), Construction Education Training Authority (CETA). These role players are critical in ensuring that the youth who are capacitated with skills are enabled to able to access the following exiting opportunities;

  • Further learning in order to improve their skills and competencies
  • Formal employment, given that the programme offers accredited Technical training to all unemployed and unskilled youth.
Self employment which is made possible by direct interventions that help young people to start small enterprises such as Close corporations (cc) and Cooperatives as way of sustaining livelihoods.