There is a need for boardroom training for young people, says A Seat at the Table (Satt) chairperson Tryphosa Ramano.
She was speaking at the Connect Youth in Dialogue Summit (CYID 2026) in Johannesburg, which brought together young leaders, business executives, entrepreneurs and development partners, on 19 June.
Ramano said much of the work undertaken by government, business and civil society revolved around young people, yet youth were often excluded from decision-making processes.
"Young people do not need promises. They need access to opportunities, practical support and people who are willing to invest in their growth. Real change happens when different sectors work together and remain accountable for the commitments they make.
"We talk a lot about AI and social media but have we engaged young people in policymaking?"
Ramano said Satt had evolved from a person-to-person mentorship initiative into an organisation that trained young people to serve on boards across various sectors.
In partnership with the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS), the organisation offers a three-day intensive programme in corporate governance. It also runs courses lasting between three and six months that prepare young people for board leadership roles.
Ramano said more than 300 young people had been trained in board leadership through the programme.
The organisation also supports learners at Ribane Luka High School in Mamelodi, a STEM-focused school with strong matric results. In partnership with GirlCode, Satt funds coding lessons for learners.
Satt has sent six youth delegates to the One Young World Summit in Munich and plans to send a delegation of 20 young people to the 2026 summit in Cape Town.
Thandiwe Legwale, Standard Bank's head of client coverage for South Africa, said there was a strong case for investing in young people.
"There is sufficient data showing that the future is Africa and Africa has a large youth population," she said.
"At Standard Bank, driving Africa's growth means investing in the continent's greatest opportunity: its young people. As South Africa marks 50 years since the 1976 Youth Day uprising, Youth Month reminds us that empowering youth is essential to building a more innovative, inclusive and prosperous future."
Legwale said Africa's growing prominence on the global stage meant young people needed to be equipped to compete and succeed.
A mindset shift was needed so that young people did not wait for opportunities but, instead, created them.
"Young people need to lean into the country's challenges and become part of the solution."
Legwale said Standard Bank's Youth Enterprise Programme helped aspiring entrepreneurs develop their businesses and reduced the time required to establish sustainable enterprises.
As a long-time supporter of Satt, Standard Bank has committed to hosting the annual summit at its Rosebank office complex for the next three years.
Bonga Makhanya, the executive chairperson of the board at the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), said the agency supported Satt because it strengthened youth inclusion in economic discussions and policy development.
"For us, it is not just about participation in a programme but about putting the challenges facing young people on the table and proposing mechanisms to advance their inclusion."
Makhanya said youth representation on boards promoted continuity and intergenerational governance that reflected demographic realities and the lived experiences of young people.
"It improves the relevance of decision-making, encourages innovation and strengthens accountability in institutions that shape youth policy," he said.
According to the NYDA's audited results for the 2024-25 financial year, the agency supported 2 050 youth-owned enterprises through its grant programme.
During the same period, 22 500 young people received non-financial support, including training and mentorship services. A further 1 500 young people were supported through the NYDA Business Development Voucher Programme.
Makhanya said one of the biggest challenges facing young entrepreneurs remained access to finance
"Alongside the general shortage of funding and investment, young people continue to be constrained by the financing architecture itself.
"Our intention is to move beyond grant dependency towards a more integrated financing system where different instruments are aligned and sequenced," Makhanya said.
Gerald Mariemuthoo, a financial crime investigator and recipient of a Satt award, said the programme had taught him about leadership roles and the responsibilities expected of young leaders.
He previously completed the Board Mastery Programme, a three-month leadership course delivered in partnership with GIBS.
"A Seat at the Table has provided a platform for networking. There are people I have met through the programme and collaborated with on other projects," he said.
Mariemuthoo is enrolled in a four-month Advanced AI Governance course offered by Satt. He said the programme was helping him develop as both a professional and a credible partner in the sector.