Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
Kristal Duncan-Williams

Creator

Kristal Duncan-Williams

Kristal Duncan-Williams is the project lead at Youth Capital

File photo

Bulungula shows how social connectedness can improve economic opportunities for young people

We must help young South Africans to build productive livelihoods by fostering economic connectedness — described as cross-class social connections

Where we work shapes how we think. It influences our interactions, our focus, our willingness to speak up — even our mood. (Photo by Emanuele Cremaschi/Getty Images)

How to bring young people into the South African economy

From our daily engagements with young people at Youth Capital and the Centre for Social Development in Africa, we know that most are proactive, energetic and resilient. Young…

Harsh conditions: Unemployed men play a game of cards while waiting for temporary work. South Africa’s unemployment rate has yet again hit a record high, climbing to 34.4% of the labour force in the second quarter of 2021. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Youth unemployment is a wicked problem requiring holistic solutions

Covid-19 has worsened unemployment among young adults. Fixing this endemic problem won’t be easy, but a ‘systems thinking’ lens points to the best places to start

Development statistics tell us what has happened. They show us how many children have dropped out of school, how many young people are unemployed and how many households remain trapped in poverty. (Oupa Nkosi)

Tackling youth unemployment requires sustained and coordinated action

Youth unemployment is not often discussed in all its complexities. Like a game of snakes and ladders, this crisis is the result of compounding roadblocks and U-turns that young…

(John McCann/M&G)

Four lessons from youth work initiative

There is a terrific opportunity to leverage interventions such as public works programmes in a cohesive youth employment strategy

Young South Africans must co-drive unemployment solutions

Young people’s experiences should lead the way in a shared response to youth unemployment

New education certificate could help limit school dropouts

To be effective, the General Education Certificate must plug gaps, not create new ones

Second-chance matriculants need support

There is a programme for people to rewrite their national certificate outside of the school system, but they aren’t monitored and they need a study material portal, free data and…

South Africa’s digital divide detrimental to the youth

Without the means to leverage lockdown as a time to grow, Covid-19 reinforces how access to data remains a barrier to young people’s progress

Young people must help design a youth employment plan

A six-point plan will help to drive the president’s youth employment intervention but it is essential that the experiences of young people are prioritised in its design and…