Youth Month

2023 marks the 47th anniversary of the 1976 Student uprising. This year’s National Youth Day and Youth Month will be celebrated under the theme: "Accelerating youth economic emancipation for a sustainable future". This generation must continue to awaken the spirit of 1976 where young people were actively involved in defining their future and the country they wanted. 

The biggest challenge facing youth in the Western Cape and South Africa is unemployment. According to StatsSA, South Africa’s youth continues to bear the burden of unemployment. The country's youth unemployment rate that measures job-seekers between 15 and 24 years old, rose to 62.1% in the first quarter of 2023. 

There are many reasons for youth unemployment, such as lack of available jobs; job applicants not having the necessary experience needed; young people using inappropriate ways of searching for a job; and lack of career guidance in schools or at home. These challenges  make many young people feel alienated, and many have lost hope of finding a job.

There are a number of youth empowerment programmes across all spheres of government that has transitioned young people from learning to earning, and it remains among the top focus for government. We recognise the urgency with which we must ensure that all skilling interventions are responsive to market demands and skills expectations.

Why do we celebrate Youth Day?

What the Western Cape is doing for our youth

While the youth of 1976 fought against the system of the apartheid government, our youth of today face new challenges, but a better future is possible if we take small steps together. The Western Cape Government remains committed to helping our youth through internships, learnerships and bursary programmes. 

The Western Cape Government is serious about increasing the number of young people getting on-the-job training as apprentices, and it is one of our initiatives. 

“Apprenticeships represent the first step on the career ladder for a lot of young people. But employers need to be at the centre of this, creating a bridge that will take them from their educational institutions into the workplace, where they can learn skills that are vital to our economy,” Premier Alan Winde said.

The five sectors, with examples of some of the skills required, are:

• Oil and Gas: Air conditioner technicians, refrigeration mechanics, boat builders, bricklayers, riggers, pipe fitters
• Tourism: Bakers, tour guides, chefs, sports and fitness instructors
• Agri-processing: Electricians, fitters and turners, microbiologists, food technicians
• Energy: civil engineers, environmental health specialists, electricians
• ICT: Software developers, programmers, systems analysts, telecommunications engineers.

An integrated approach to youth development

Read more about the various programmes and initiatives we've put in place to help our youth reach their full potential.

MOD Programme

The Mass participation, Opportunity and access, Development and growth (MOD) Programme aims to create a socially inclusive, creative, and active Western Cape.

Year Beyond 

Apply for this programme if you’d like to tutor primary and high school learners. Year Beyond is an educational outreach programme that aims to assist underperforming schools while allowing you to gain new skills.

First Work Experience PAY Programme

This project aims to provide recent matriculants with the opportunity to gain work experience in the Western Cape Government.

Assistance for young entrepreneurs

Young entrepreneurs play an important role in promoting social change and driving innovation. A number of programmes have been put in place to remove unnecessary challenges faced by ayoung entrepreneurs. 

ePortal

Explore the education apps, videos, eBooks, and online courses available on our ePortal will improve your grades and help you realise your full potential.

Bursaries and learnerships

Use this page to find a bursary from engineering to accounting and kick start your future.

Join the conversation

Follow the conversation on Facebook and Twitter using #YouthMonth2023.