Looking to the future

Data collected from the face fact sheet distributed to all respondents during phase I

interviews, enquired about what participants’ felt they needed to be more successful in terms of their capabilities. Responses are summarized in table 7 below:

Table 7 Face fact questionnaire Phase I  

Skills still lacking # Assistance needed

Technical skills 3(m) Study more to ensure success in the IT industry, how to build own networking database, financial assistance or internships, nothing needed as current employer is assisting in furthering education

English written and verbal skills

1(m) Old NFP facilitators, more classes on English use

Further studying 2(m) 1(f)

1 (?) Financial assistance, 1(m) Have experience but don’t have formal qualification. Currently enrolled at university, discipline to save and pay for fees

Keeping updated on new technologies

1(m) N/A

Presentation skills 1(f) 1(m)

Old NFP facilitators can assist, practice

Marketing skills 1(m) Further studying

Own-business start up 1(m) Studying further (institution) More knowledge on

how the world of work operates

1(m) Studying further

Planning for the future 1(f) How to apply for a job How to balance studies

and work

1(m) A mentor for support

More work experience 1(m) Learnership Satisfied – nothing

needed

1(m) Have all the skills necessary to succeed, would just love to give back to the community

Motivation and focus 1(f) Discipline to pay for studies, however felt she was on the ‘right track’

Altruism and resilience

Despite a series of stressors T1 had been exposed to in her childhood she shared: “I don’t want to see anyone suffer. I don’t want to see anyone suffer like me…if I was the person who had the money I would…buy clothes and the school bag for kids and just give them. You go to school you don’t have shoes, it’s winter, the shoes is broken, then you have to put plastic at least the water won’t get in…So I know that life. So that’s what I would like to do. To motivate other people also out there; this pain, I was in. Because even right now, there’s someone who was raped by stepfather, brother, those things are happening. ” (T1-(f)).

T1 shared that negative experiences have not changed her for the worst:

“Even that thing it never changed me. Even now I still love people. I’m more careful now (laughs) but I can’t help myself, I keep on helping people, give them food, and give them clothes” (T1-(f)).

Other respondents shared that if they could be the owners of their own business they would focus on giving inexperienced youth a chance at work. When respondents’ were asked what they felt was needed to be more successful in their futures, one male respondent believed he had all the necessary skills to succeed and now he wanted to prioritize giving back the community. In data collected from phase I it was event that youth had an awareness of youth

unemployment in South Africa and showed empathy for people in difficult economic circumstances:

“I just think if only I had my own company then I would be hiring these people. I know that feeling of not working. It’s hard” (P1-(f)).

Respondents also had advice to give unemployed youth such as motivating them to keeping applying for jobs even when they felt despondent or didn’t receive feedback and use

employment agencies. Summary

Data collected from the face fact sheet distributed has revealed that the majority of

participants feel there are still areas for improvement. Even though they felt more confident in their technical, non-cognitive and English language skills they still felt these skills were lacking and they more assistance was needed to succeed in the future. Many of the

participants were wanted to or were continuing their studies if they had financial resources to do so.

Two concepts that have emerged are those of altruism and resilience. Various respondents showed hopes for their futures as well as proactive attitudes in their decision to rise above adversity and then to help others. We see that despite hardship experienced in their own lives, if respondents had the means they would want to help others in the future and do not want to see others suffer.

6.3.1 Room for programme improvement

For this study, it was felt important to present respondents’ perceptions on how NFP could improve programme quality. Questions related to levels of participation were posed, however other topics shared by respondents have been included.

Level of participation

When probed about participation levels in NFP and decision-making power of the youth a male respondent explained how NFP could improve:

“Well, decision making wise I don’t think we did have that much. But again, I think the way the programme was designed like I forgot that term... I just forgot the term18, but like it was not like we had something like that we know we were going to do, things                                                                                                                

were changing. Sometimes we expect something’s going to happen and then it doesn’t happen and then we do something else. As for decision making basically it was like more of following the plan so we didn’t have much to say to change the way the programme function and stuff”. (P11-(m)).

Other areas for improvement

Other areas that made it hard for the youth was the financial constraints of the programme, which youth said affected the quality of the programme. At times there were not enough computers to share and the Internet connection was unstable. Staff members shared that Internet was a heavy expense on the programme and that various computers had been stolen from the office could not be replaced. For some youth not having financial help for travelling to the programme 5 days a week was a constraint. Others mentioned that the programme length was too short. There was a decision by management to change from one cohort of 6 months to two cohorts of 3 months to reach more youth hence NFP 1 and 2. This for staff was also a positive as it gave implementers a chance to iron out programmatic issues and improve quality for NFP 2.