SA: New initiative to address youth unemployment

An important initiative aimed at addressing and understanding the state of youth unemployment in South Africa was recently launched at Don Bosco Educational Centre in Ennerdale, Johannesburg. The New Skills for Youth  (NSFY) programme is a $75 million, five-year, global initiative by J.P. Morgan designed to empower young people to acquire the education and credentials they need to be career-ready for and succeed in well-paying jobs. The programme envisages benefiting 1,000 young people.

South Africa is one of the first countries to inaugurate an innovation site for the global NSFY initiative. The NSFY launch saw the establishment of the first South African site where the NSFY’s programme of simulated workplace-based learning will be offered. Lessons from this innovation site will be used to inform other local and international youth employment creation initiatives.

The initiative is supported by J.P. Morgan, in collaboration with JET Education Services, the Catholic Institute of Education and the MSC Artisan Academy.

(Source: Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference/Justice and Peace department)