Unpacking The Lived Realities of Western Cape Youth

Unpacking the
Lived Realities of
Western Cape Youth
Exploring the well-being of young people
residing in five of the most deprived areas
in the Western Cape Province
Ariane De Lannoy
With contributions from Alicia Fortuin, Tsitsi Mpofu-Mketwa,
Gibson Mudiriza, Sonwabiso Ngcowa and Evelien Storme
Edited by Charmaine Smith
March 2018
p POVERTY &
INEQUALITY
INITIATIVE
Unpacking the Lived Realities of
Western Cape Youth
Exploring the well-being of young people
residing in five of the most deprived areas
in the Western Cape Province
Ariane De Lannoy
With contributions from Alicia Fortuin, Tsitsi Mpofu-Mketwa,
Gibson Mudiriza, Sonwabiso Ngcowa and Evelien Storme
Edited by Charmaine Smith
March 2018
p POVERTY &
INEQUALITY
INITIATIVE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The partners who worked on this study are grateful to all those who contributed to this
report:
• In first instance, the young people who freed up several hours of their time to talk to
us about their often difficult and traumatic life experiences. Without them, this report
would not exist. The research team sincerely hopes that the work will go a long way in
contributing to better lives for them, their families and their communities.
• The organisations and individuals who helped us reach the participants and organise the
focus group discussions in sometimes difficult circumstances.
• The postgraduate research assistants, who dedicated their time and passion to conduct
the focus group discussions, transcribed the many hours of conversation, provided first-
level analysis notes, and input on a first draft of this report. They all went beyond what
could possibly be expected of them as fieldworkers on this study: Alicia Fortuin, Tsitsi
Mpofu-Mketwa, and Sonwabiso Ngcowa.
• Staff at the Department of the Premier of the Western Cape Government, who provided
input on the study design, sought contact details for organisations in remote areas, and
gave extensive feedback and guidance on various drafts of the report: Cameron Cyster,
Shakira Eicher, Ammaarah Kamish, Rebecca Ross, Kathryn Wooldridge.
• Researchers and other staff at the Southern Africa Research and Development Research
Unit (SALDRU), who never stopped caring, sorted out numerous administrative tasks
that helped to keep the team going, or read and edited various drafts of the report:
Haajirah Esau, Emily Harris, Amy Jephthah, Murray Leibbrandt, Gibson Mudiriza, Nicci
Scheepers, Charmaine Smith and Evelien Storme.
• Mandy Lake-Digby, for the report’s design and layout.
Suggested Citation:
De Lannoy, A, Fortuin, A, Mpofu-Mketwa, T, Mudiriza, G, Ngcowa, S, Storme, E and Smith,
C (2018) Unpacking the Lived Realities of Western Cape Youth. Exploring the well-being
of young people residing in five of the most deprived areas in the Western Cape Province.
Cape Town: Department of the Premier: Western Cape Government, and Southern Africa
Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
Front cover picture: Western Cape Government
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Youth well-being in the Western Cape Province: an introduction................................................... 5
Methodology........................................................................................................................................................... 8
Indicators on youth well-being: an overview of Youth Explorer indicators........................ 8
Subjective youth well-being and agency: gathering the voices of young people.......... 8
Challenges of the fieldwork and limitations of the data............................................................ 8
Literature review....................................................................................................................................... 9
Youth well-being in the Western Cape: what do the Youth Explorer data tell us?................. 12
Youth are disproportionately affected by poverty.................................................................... 12
Key challenges and opportunities for intervention................................................................... 13
Schools.............................................................................................................................................. 13
Post-school education................................................................................................................. 14
Economic opportunities............................................................................................................. 15
Health and wellness..................................................................................................................... 16
Youth well-being and agency in the Western Cape and beyond: a brief reference to
existing studies ................................................................................................................................................... 18
Unpacking young people’s lived realities: a new series of focus group discussions with
Western Cape youth from a lower socio-economic background................................................... 21
Community and family life – ‘I don’t want to stay in an unhappy place anymore’....... 22
Happiness, safety, and the lack thereof at the community level.............................. 22
Happiness, safety, or the lack thereof within the family.............................................. 24
Mentors and role models.......................................................................................................... 25
Deprivation, hopelessness, and the request for support............................................. 26
Recreational facilities............................................................................................................ 28
Offering ‘opportunities’........................................................................................................ 30
‘At least it was a school you could go to’: the perceived importance of education
and the realities of under-resourced schools ............................................................................. 31
Aspirations................................................................................................................................................ 34
Agency....................................................................................................................................................... 37
The need to actively support young people’s agency............................................................ 39
Conclusion and recommendations............................................................................................................. 41

Family and community life.................................................................................................................. 41
The self, and aspirations...................................................................................................................... 43
Education .................................................................................................................................................. 44
Economic opportunities...................................................................................................................... 47
The request for comprehensive support: prevention, protection and guidance.......... 48
Prevention: Safe, clean and easy-to-reach recreational facilities............................. 48
Protection, healing and mentoring....................................................................................... 49
Multi-faceted character of the deprivations requires multi-faceted
interventions.................................................................................................................................. 49
References............................................................................................................................................................ 51
3
ABBREVIATIONS
ATM Automated Teller Machine
FGD Focus Group Discussion
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
MPI Multidimensional Poverty Index
NEET Not in Education, Employment or Training
NGO Non-Governmental Organisations
PII Poverty and Inequality Initiative, University of Cape Town
PSET Post-School Education and Training
PYDS Provincial Youth Development Strategy
TB Tuberculosis
TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training
WCG Western Cape Government
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Geographic location of municipal wards included in the study

and indicators on youth well-being for each ward.............................................................. 10
Figure 2: M
ultiple dimensions of deprivation intersect
and reinforce one another.............................................................................................................13
Figure 3: Incidence of multidimensional youth poverty, by ward,

Census 2011........................................................................................................................................ 14
Figure 4: Y
outh aged 16 – 17 who have completed grade 9, by ward,
Census 2011.........................................................................................................................................15
Figure 5: Y
outh by employment, education and training status, by ward,
Census 2011.........................................................................................................................................16
4
YOUTH WELL-BEING IN THE WESTERN CAPE
PROVINCE: AN INTRODUCTION
Key points
• The data indicate the perpetual struggle of youth growing up in an
impoverished environment, trying to find solutions to their problems.
• Poverty and so-called ‘social ills’ are clearly experienced as interconnected.
• Youth ask for support and interventions that would allow them to fulfill the
aspirations they hold for themselves and their families.
• The findings corroborate other qualitative research with youth, going back as
far as the 1990s. This indicates the limitations of post-apartheid policies and
programmes to undo the damage and inequalities created in the past.
Too many conversations about However, many of the existing policies draw
young people focus only on their on official statistics that point at the deficits
problems, not on helping them grow in young people’s lives. This tendency,
and develop. Even fewer programs albeit inadvertently, may lead to the de-
and policies focus on engaging personalisation of young people, the issues
young people in their schools, and topics they face. It also often results in a
organisations and communities.1 focus on the ‘objective’ aspects of well-being
More recent youth development policies at but overlooks the more ‘subjective’ areas of
the national, provincial and city levels have well-being: how young people feel generally,
however been recognising the precarious how safe or unsafe they experience life to
situation many young South Africans be, their sense of life satisfaction, etc. As
find themselves in. They stress the need a result, general policy recommendations
to intervene in several aspects of young following a string of statistics may not
people’s lives, often strongly emphasising be based on a complete understanding
economic inclusion and empowerment, of young people’s lived realities and tend
education, skills and training, health and to overlook their aspirations, dreams and
social cohesion.2 In the Western Cape, the agency. Yet, effective implementation of
Provincial Youth Development Strategy youth development policies requires a
(PYDS) sets the goal that, ‘by the age of comprehensive understanding of young
25, youth in the Western Cape are inspired, people’s realities; their needs and dreams;
educated, responsible, independent, healthy their real or perceived support networks, or
and productive citizens with positive gaps in these; their level of access to services
personal, family and social relations’. The and their willingness to take these up; and
Western Cape Government (WCG) aims their sense of happiness.
to reach this goal by focusing on five
pillars: family foundations; education and Aware of this need for a more comprehensive
training; economic opportunity; identity and understanding, the WCG issued a call for
belonging; and reconnection opportunities. a study that gathers, from young people’s
For each pillar, a range of programmes are own viewpoints, a deeper understanding of
designed and implemented; each of these their daily lives, including their aspirations,
programmes aims to reach between 100,000 agency, and available support structures.
to 400,000 youth, focusing on particular The ultimate aim of this study was thus
‘communities and geographic areas where to begin to build a more nuanced body of
youth have blighted life chances’, and evidence that could help inform the WCG’s
providing a differentiated approach for rural youth-related policies and interventions.
and urban youth.3
5
In conducting this work, it was important This distinction is crucial: the ‘adolescent
to avoid applying a ‘blanket approach’ to stage’ (defined by the World Health
youth, as such an approach would mask Organisation [WHO] as anyone between
the racial, gender and income inequalities 10 and 19 years), for instance, is the time
that influence young people’s lives and life in which children ‘move toward social and
chances. For instance, nationwide, African economic independence, develop identity,
and Coloured youth are still far more and acquire skills needed to carry out adult
likely to experience unemployment than relationships and roles. […] it is a time of
White and Indian youth.4 Young women tremendous growth and potential but also
are more likely to be represented amongst of considerable risk during which social
the unemployed; those who are not in contexts exert powerful influences’.13 It is
education, employment or training (NEET); internationally recognised as a critical stage
and those who are poor.5 They are more for interventions that can lead to long-
vulnerable to contracting HIV6; to being the lasting change.14 It is therefore important
victims of sexual crime7; and to carrying the to pay particular attention to this younger
responsibility for child and family care in the cohort and to understand their individual,
household8. Income inequalities continue to household and community contexts when
influence the barriers that young people face conceptualising and implementing strategic
in accessing quality basic education9, higher interventions that could support them
education10 and work11. Young people’s socio- in their development and that can build
economic status, race, gender and their resilience. Indeed, young people between 15
personal disposition provide for a myriad and 18 years are most at risk of dropping out
of experiences and outcomes that need of school, which severely limits their chances
to be acknowledged. As it is impossible to for further education and employment.
present a thorough understanding of all
these different experiences in one study that In addition, youth between 19 and 24 years,
was limited in scope and numbers. The WCG too, are at a key point in their transition,
therefore requested a focus on some of the expected to move from schooling towards
poorest wards in the province, and to include post-school education and training (PSET),
Black and Colouredi youth only, to allow for work and possibly independent living and
a focus on some the most vulnerable youth parenthood – for some, this might mean
in the province. having to navigate both adolescence and
the transition to adulthood at the same time.
The South African definition of youth is very Enabling young people to navigate these
broad as it includes those aged 15 to 34 years transitions to adulthood in a well-supported
old.12 While this broad age range is warranted manner is crucial if we wish to enhance their
for several reasons, a blanket approach to present and future well-being. In the current
this group is again unhelpful, as policies and context of South African townships and
interventions aimed at a 15-year-old would informal settlements, these transitions are
need to focus on different issues than those often constrained and disrupted by adverse
targeting 34-year-olds. In recognition of the economic and socio-cultural factors.15
importance of thinking carefully about this
age-based definition, the WCG specifically Finally, then, the study also took care
asked that this study limits the upper not to collapse the wide variety of youth
age to 24. In addition, also recognising experiences into one ‘vulnerable’ category.
the importance of adolescence, the WCG This would overlook the evidence on the
requested the definition be expanded agency and resilience of large numbers
downwards to include adolescents from 11 of young people attempting to generate
years onwards. pathways out of poverty for themselves.16
For this reason, this report refers to the
i The research team is mindful of the sensitivity and controversy around the use of racial terms in South Africa, as these
categorisations are social constructs introduced and maintained under the previous apartheid regime. It is, nevertheless,
believed to be essential to recognise the historical constructs, as they continue to carry important social meanings, and
explain many of the remaining inequalities in the country. We therefore use the terms ‘Black’ and ‘Coloured’ in similar
ways as, for instance, Statistics South Africa does.
6
structural barriers to well-being that exist between poverty and ‘social ills’. In all
(and stubbornly persist) in the lives of young groups, there were very similar requests
people and adds a focus on aspirations and for support, to reach very similar kinds of
agency within a context of deprivation. aspirations. These indicate the areas where
interventions are needed to enable these
The report consists of two distinct sections. young people to create meaningful lives for
First, it provides a statistical overview of themselves.
available indicators on youth well-being,
as defined collaboratively by the WCG and Importantly, the results corroborate a fairly
the Poverty and Inequality Initiative’s (PII) extensive body of qualitative research that
researchers working on the Youth Explorer goes back as far as the 1990s and that
project.ii Secondly, based on voices of young provides examples of young people and
people living in some of the more deprived their families attempting to mitigate the dire
areas of the Province, the report introduces circumstances of their constrained and often
an understanding of the subjective aspects risky environments.17 The experiences of a
of well-being. life in deprivation in 2017 remain strikingly
similar to those captured in young people’s
The data indicate the truly perpetual struggle narratives over a period of more than 30
of youth growing up in an impoverished years. This is a painful indication of the
environment, trying to find solutions to limitations of post-apartheid policies and
their problems. Young people in the groups programmes to undo the damage and the
engaged in very serious and considered inequalities created in the past. The current
debate about the issues in their communities, study aims to contribute insights that can
and the drivers of those issues. Many begin to shift the pathways of many young
challenges were raised, often with a clear people, for the better.
understanding of the interconnectedness
ii The PII is a multi-disciplinary strategic initiative of the University of Cape Town. It aims to increase UCT’s collective con-
tribution to tackling major development challenges facing South Africa. One key area of its work focuses on the impor-
tance of the youth stage for interventions aimed at breaking the cycles of poverty. The youth research team is housed at
the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU). They developed a Youth Explorer: an online tool
that maps indicators of youth well-being down to the small area level and makes these accessible to policy-makers and
practitioners. Data restrictions have inevitably led those indicators to be more focused on the objective aspects of youth
well-being.
7
METHODOLOGY
Key points
• The research approach was both quantitative (drawing on available data on
WC youth, as collated on the Youth Explorer) and qualitative (10 focus group
discussions – FGDs).
• A literature review of research with young people in the province provided
historical context and allowed for validation of the FGDs data.
Indicators on youth well-being: Afrikaans speaking – areas: Mitchells Plain

an overview of Youth Explorer (urban, ward 82), and Bishop Lavis (urban,
ward 24).
indicators
Indicators on youth well-being were con- Participants were divided by gender (male/
structed using Census 2011 data and mapped female), and into three age groups (young
on the Youth Explorer portal.iii WC data adolescents, 11 – 15 years of age; youth, 16 –
were analysed to reflect which ‘domains’ of 19-year-olds; and older youth, 20 – 24 years)
well-being would require urgent attention to assist a greater understanding of their
to realise the PYDS aims. Key findings are potentially very different needs, experiences
discussed in section 3, starting on page 12. and expectations. These separate gender
groups were important to facilitate truly ‘safe
spaces’ where youth could share as openly
Subjective youth well-being and as possible their experiences and aspirations.
agency: gathering the voices of FGD facilitators were matched to the
participants according to the main language
young people of the selected area (Afrikaans or isiXhosa),
Between April and July 2017, 10 FGDs were and, where possible, in terms of gender.
conducted with a total of 25 young men and
32 young women aged 11 – 24 years.iv Challenges of the fieldwork and
Youth Explorer data were used to determine
limitations of the data
the more deprived areas of the province and, The original goal was to conduct 12 FDGs
on that basis, fieldwork areas were selected across six areas (three rural and three urban):
in the Breede Valley, Stellenbosch and the two gender groups per area, and across a
Cape Town Metropolitan municipalities. range of age groups. However, by 20 July
FGDs were conducted in three Black – 2017, two groups with Coloured young
predominantly isiXhosa-speaking – areas: people in a rural area remained outstanding
Khayelitsha (urban, ward 89), Breede Valley and were eventually dropped from the
(rural, ward 18) and Stellenbosch (rural, sample (one male and one female group
ward 2); and two Coloured – predominantly aged 20 – 24 years, in rural Breede Valley).
iii https://youthexplorer.org.za. Youth Explorer indicators of youth well-being are based on the full 2011 national census
dataset. While this is a slightly outdated dataset, it is the only available dataset that allows for representative data disag-
gregation for individual youth, down to the ward level. These were crucial criteria for the selection of a dataset to use to
develop the range of Youth Explorer indicators. While the 2016 Community Survey (CS) provides more recent statistics,
the publicly released CS dataset does not include income and employment data, nor can the CS data be disaggregated to
the ward level. Quarterly Labour Force Survey data do contain income and labour market outcomes but are not compa-
rable to the CS data. We therefore decided to include the 2011 census data here but provide more recent CS data where
they are available.
iv All participants signed a consent form and were guaranteed confidentiality, as per the University of Cape Town’s research
ethics protocol.
8
Two aspects of the fieldwork proved hesitant to respond to an invitation by a
especially difficult and eventually led to the young female researcher (who was asked
reduction in the number of FGDs. to conduct the groups due to clashes in
availability of a male researcher). It could
Firstly, gaining entry into each of the rural also indicate deeper lying issues with young
communities and then inviting youth from men in this community, and their ability
the poorest wards of those communities or willingness to open up and talk about
were both very difficult. themselves. In various communities, the
need for counselling, ‘especially for the
All the FGDs were organised with the help guys’, was raised by several participants.
of local community or youth-oriented The reluctance to talk may thus also not be
non-governmental organisations (NGOs). limited to young men in Bishop Lavis only.
However, finding correct contact details of,
and subsequently establishing collaborative Lastly, this study sample is small and
rapport with organisations in more rural almost inevitably biased. Participation was
communities were difficult. Very few orga- voluntary, although young people were
nisations that were contacted seemed to offered a snack, transport money and a
have the capacity, or the willingness, to small (R30) supermarket voucher as a token
reach youth in the poorest wards. of appreciation. Invitations with the help of
local NGOs happened through a snowballing
These difficulties eventually led to the technique. This approach means that the
exclusion of the two rural FGDs with study may have involved young people
Coloured youth, but are also, in themselves, who are more ‘connected’ (already in touch
very telling. If it was this hard for an academic with community resources), and who are
institution, with resources and with support probably more vocal, reflective, and less
from government, to establish cooperative discouraged. Care should thus be taken not
rapport with organisations, how much more to present these data as representative of
difficult must it be for a young person from all youth in these communities, or in the
a deprived background, in a fairly isolated province overall. However, this study does
geographic area, to persist in reaching out provide useful, in-depth insight into the lived
to such organisations to access the kind of experiences of particularly vulnerable youth
support he or she is looking for? in the Western Cape.
The second difficult aspect of the fieldwork
concerned the FGD with young men aged Literature review
20 – 24 in Bishop Lavis. While local
organisations helped to invite participants, The brief literature review of similar existing
and provided transport for participants studies firstly gave some historical context
to a calm and safe venue where food was to WC young people’s life experiences and
arranged, this group had to be cancelled allowed us to distill, from their narratives,
twice as none of the young men who had whether their experiences were improving
agreed to participate showed up. or not. Secondly, previous data collected
through similar methods and with similar sub-
The reasons for non-attendance are unclear. groups of the population allow us to check
It may be that the young men were simply the reliability and validity of our own work.
not all that interested, or that they were
9
Youth in Mitchells Plain – Ward 82
19% total youth population
graphics
Demo- 96% race – coloured
49% male
51% female
34% aged 20–24 have completed matric or higher
aged 16–17 deprived in education progress (less than
26% grade 9)
Bishop Lavis – Ward 24
Education
33% male
20% female
33% average mean score in grade 9 systemic tests
47% average mean score in grade 9 English systemic test
20% average mean score in grade 9 maths systemic test
50% in income-poor households
50% male
Poverty
51% female
28% multidimensionally poor
0.13 MPI
26% deprived in household adult employment
opportunities
30% youth deprived of employment

Economic
49% deprived in NEET

58% youth unemployment rate Stellenbosch – Ward 2
54% male
61% female
Mitchells Plain – Ward 82
1% deprived in electricity
Family & living
environment
2% deprived in toilet facilities

1% deprived in piped water
8% deprived in internet access
Khayelitsha – Ward 89
68% deprived in dwelling type
18% deprived in living with parents
Wellness
35% female that have given birth to a child

Health &
14% age 16–19

54% age 20–24
Youth in Khayelitsha – Ward 89 Youth in Bishop Lavis – Ward 24

21% total youth population 19% total youth population
graphics
graphics
Demo-
Demo-
99% race – coloured 92% race – coloured

48% male 50% male
52% female 50% female
36% aged 20–24 have completed matric or higher 37% aged 20–24 have completed matric or higher
aged 16–17 deprived in education progress (less than aged 16–17 deprived in education progress (less than
28% grade 9) 23% grade 9)
Education
Education
34% male 30% male

33% average mean score in grade 9 systemic tests 33% average mean score in grade 9 systemic tests
40% average mean score in grade 9 English systemic test 48% average mean score in grade 9 English systemic test
26% average mean score in grade 9 maths systemic test 19% average mean score in grade 9 maths systemic test
68% in income poor households 53% in income poor households
64% male
Poverty
51% male
Poverty

50% multidimensionally poor 27% multidimensionally poor
0.26 MPI 0.13 MPI
36% deprived in household adult employment 25% deprived in household adult employment
opportunities
opportunities
30% youth deprived of employment 22% youth deprived of employment

Economic
Economic
45% deprived in NEET 43% deprived in NEET

64% youth unemployment rate 47% youth unemployment rate
57% male 45% male
40% deprived in electricity 9% deprived in electricity
Health & Family & Living

environment
environment
27% deprived in toilet facilities 5% deprived in toilet facilities

3% deprived in piped water 1% deprived in piped water
76% deprived in internet access 20% deprived in internet access
64% deprived in dwelling type 65% deprived in dwelling type
35% deprived in living with parents 23% deprived in living with parents
Wellness

Wellness

13% age 16–19 12% age 16–19
45% age 20–24 48% age 20–24
10
Figure 1: G
eographic location of municipal wards included in the study and
indicators on youth well-being for each ward
Cape Town
Breede Valley– Ward 18
Youth in Stellenbosch – Ward 2 Youth in Breede Valley – Ward 18

21% total youth population 19% total youth population
graphics
graphics
Demo-
Demo-
63% race – black 57% race – coloured

51% male 50% male
27% aged 20–24 have completed matric or higher 33% aged 20–24 have completed matric or higher
aged 16–17 deprived in education progress (less than aged 16–17 deprived in education progress (less than
40% 34%
grade 9) grade 9)
Education
Education
41% male 42% male

36% average mean score in grade 9 systemic tests 27% average mean score in grade 9 systemic tests
47% average mean score in grade 9 English systemic test 36% average mean score in grade 9 English systemic test
25% average mean score in grade 9 maths systemic test 17% average mean score in grade 9 maths systemic test
57% in income poor households 60% in income poor households
51% male
Poverty
60% male
Poverty

50% multidimensionally poor 19% multidimensionally poor
0.26 MPI 0.10 MPI
25% deprived in household adult employment 19% deprived in household adult employment
opportunities
opportunities
28% youth deprived of employment 11% youth deprived of employment

Economic
Economic
44% deprived in NEET 25% deprived in NEET

48% youth unemployment rate 22% youth unemployment rate
42% male 19% male
17% deprived in electricity 5% deprived in electricity

environment
environment
6% deprived in toilet facilities 4% deprived in toilet facilities

3% deprived in piped water 2% deprived in piped water
65% deprived in internet access 11% deprived in internet access
82% deprived in dwelling type 65% deprived in dwelling type
38% deprived in living with parents 30% deprived in living with parents
Wellness

Wellness

21% age 16–19 18% age 16–19
60% age 20–24 53% age 20–24
11
YOUTH WELL-BEING IN THE WESTERN CAPE:
WHAT DO THE YOUTH EXPLORER DATA TELL US?
Key points
• Many young people struggle to finish secondary schooling; only 48% of youth
aged 20 – 24 have completed matric or matric equivalent.
• Only 28% of 18 to 24-year-old WC youth attend college or university.
• Drop-out rates in WC Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)
colleges are especially high as only about three out of five students who
register for the National Certificate (Vocational) actually write the exam, while
only 55% of them pass.
• The official unemployment rate for WC youth aged 15 – 24 was 41% in 2011.
When discouraged work-seekers are included this rate increases to 52%.
• WC youth unemployment is highest for those without a matric and lowest for
those with any tertiary education and training.
• Job search is facilitated by access to networks of people who already have a
job. However, one in five WC youth (21%) live in households where no working-
age adults are employed. In some townships or informal areas, this proportion
increases to 30 – 40%.
• Interpersonal violence and road injuries were the top two causes of death
among male youth (aged 15 – 24) between 2010 – 2013.
• HIV and TB were the leading causes of death among female youth of the same
age during this period.
Youth are disproportionately Many young people experience multiple

affected by poverty forms of deprivation simultaneously, inclu-
ding low levels of education, poor health
In 2011, the Western Cape had a population and limited access to housing, basic services
of 5 781 361 peoplev, with 1 061 057 of those and economic opportunities.21 These
between the ages of 15 to 24. More than four vulnerabilities are often inter-related: for
out of 10 of these young people (44.5%) example, income poverty can compromise
aged 15 – 24 lived in households with a per children’s health, which, in turn, impacts on
capita monthly income of less than R779 education and employment prospects.
[the ‘upper bound poverty line’18], compared
to 33% of the adult population19. The Youth Multidimensional Poverty Index
(MPI) is an index designed to capture the
Income poverty continues to be strongly multiple deprivations experienced by young
associated with race: 57% of African youth people.22 It comprises 11 indicators on educa-
and 43% of Coloured youth live below the tion, health, living environment and economic
poverty line, compared to just over 4% of opportunities. Analyses of the 2011 Census
White young people.20 data indicate that 22.8% of the youth aged
15 – 24 in the WC are multidimensionally
v These numbers differ from the ones published by Statistics South Africa. This is because they exclude people in ‘Insti-
tutions, Transient and Tourist hotels’. That exclusion was settled on after careful consideration of the different interview
guides administered to that sub-population. In addition, the Community Survey 2016 Technical Report of Statistics South
Africa (p. 9) clarifies that the CS 2016 also did not collect data for this sub-population. A correct comparison would thus
only be possible between samples that both exclude the sub-population. Such a comparison reveals an increase in the
total population of the WC to 6 279 730; the youth population increased to 1 062 917 in CS 2016.
12
Figure 2: Multiple dimensions of deprivation intersect and reinforce one another
Schooling
Belonging &
Post-school
social
education
networks
Transport &
Employment
mobility
Income
poverty
Family /
Housing
parenting
Information & Health &

connectivity safety
poor.23 However, there are stark differences poverty and how they interact is crucial
across wards. for developing comprehensive, transversal
policies that can support youth to break
Figure 3 (p. 14), drawn from the Youth the vicious cycles of poverty. Various
Explorer, highlights the spatial inequalities government line departments may, however,
that persist within the youth cohort: be interested in certain key indicators for
multidimensional poverty rates range from their specific area of work. This section
under 10% in city and suburban wards therefore provides an overview of those key
(shaded light green) – eg, ward 59 in Cape indicators.
Town’s southern suburbs – to over 40% in
parts of the south-eastern and northern Schools
areas of the province (wards shaded dark
green) – eg, ward 2 in Breede Valley. Nationally, access to education has improved
significantly since 1994, but this has not
A breakdown of the MPI shows that resulted in increased employment. The poor
educational attainment (46.3%) and NEET quality of education in most public schools
(20.1%) are the two largest contributors to acts as a poverty trap. Poorer children in
multidimensional youth poverty in the WC. those schools very quickly fall behind, and
This indicates the urgency to intervene in such learning backlogs and grade repetition
ways that would improve young people’s remain key drivers of school drop-out at a
educational outcomes and connections to later age.25
the labour market.24
The Youth Explorer data indicate that, in the
WC province:
Key challenges and • Overall, 74.5% of youth aged 16 – 17
opportunities for intervention have completed grade 9 or higher.vi But
there are certain areas where less than
Understanding the multiple dimensions of
vi 2016 Community Survey data indicate that 80.4% of 16 to 17-year-olds had completed grade 9 or higher.
13
Figure 3: Incidence of multidimensional youth poverty, by ward, Census 2011
Ward 2, Breede Valley, 58.6%

multidimensionally poor youth
Ward 2, Breede
Valley, 58,6%
multidimensionally
poor youth
Cape Town
Ward 59, City of Cape Town, 3.4% of

youth are multidimensionally poor
0% 11.7% 23.4% 35.2% 46.9% 58.6%
Source: Poverty and Inequality Initiative (2017) Youth Explorer. PII, SALDRU, University of Cape Town.
Access at: https://youthexplorer.org.za.
55% reach this level (eg, Langeberg, and • There are extreme disparities at ward
Bergrivier) - as indicated on Figure 4, p. level in outcomes between learners
15. attending school in affluent areas versus
those attending schools in townships or
• Many young people struggle to finish
informal settlements. For instance, only
secondary schooling, and only 48% of
7% of learners in the New Crossroads
youth aged 20 – 24 have completed
township passed the mathematics test
matric or matric equivalent.vii
in 2015, compared to 68.2% of learners
• Major learning deficits are already attending school in the much wealthier
substantial by the time learners reach suburb of Newlands.
grade 9. Data on the education systemic
evaluations, provided by the WC Post-school education
Department of Education, indicate that, in
2017, only 22% of all WC learners passed A college or university qualification increases
the mathematics test, with an average employment chances and earning potential;
mark of 34%; and only 53% passed the yet only 28% of WC youth aged 18 – 24 attend
language test, with an average mark of college or university.viii There are multiple
51%.26 reasons for this: many high-school learners
lack access to information needed to make
vii 2016 Community Survey data indicate that 55.4% of 20 to 24-year-olds had completed matric or matric equivalent.
viii 2016 Community Survey data indicate that only 25.3% of 18 to 24-year-olds are attending college or university.
14
Figure 4: Youth aged 16 – 17 who have completed grade 9, by ward, Census 2011
Ward 6, Bergriver, 34.5%

of youth aged 16 – 17 have
completed grade 9
Cape Town
Ward 11, Langeberg , 47.8%

of youth aged 16 – 17 have
completed grade 9
34.5% 47.6% 60.7% 73.8% 86.9% 100%
Source: Poverty and Inequality Initiative (2017) Youth Explorer. PII, SALDRU University of Cape Town.
informed decisions about matric subjects or Economic opportunities

career paths;27 each college and university
The official unemployment rate for youth
has its own application requirements,
aged 15 – 24 in the WC was 41.2% in 2011 –
making it difficult and costly for students to
and this rate increases to 52% if discouraged
apply to more than one institution; tuition
work-seekers are included.31 As elsewhere
costs and other study-related expenses
in the country, low educational outcomes
are high;28,29 and many students refer to
and the structure of the labour market are
the institutional cultures as alienating and
key drivers of youth unemployment: the
contributing to drop out. Another major
demand for labour is highest for skilled and
barrier to post-school education is that the
experienced employees (with a post-school
majority of learners either do not pass their
qualification). As elsewhere in the country,
matric exams or, if they do, do not qualify
youth unemployment in the WC too is
for entry in higher education.
highest for youth without a matric (47%) and
Indeed, drop-out rates in WC (TVET) lowest for those with any tertiary education
colleges are especially high: about three out and training (16%).32 Youth Explorer data
of five students who register for the National also show that:
Certificate (Vocational) examinations • Unemployment is especially high for
actually write them, while only 55% of them young people living in the north-eastern
pass.30 parts of the province, with youth
unemployment well above 65% in some
15
Figure 5: Youth by employment, education and training status, by ward, Census 2011
Ward 1, Prince Albert , 49.6% of

youth are NEET
Cape Town
1.3% 11.9% 22.5% 33.2% 43.8% 54.4%
Source: Poverty and Inequality Initiative (2017) Youth Explorer. PII, University of Cape Town.
areas. Long distances between living fall into this category, with slightly more
areas and jobs, and significant transport females NEET than males. Pockets with
costs, make it particularly difficult for well above 40% of youth being NEET are
these young people to navigate entry found in urban areas such as Khayelitsha
into the labour market.33 and Mitchells Plain, and more remote
areas like Prince Albert and Oudtshoorn.
• 21% of WC youth live in households where
no working-age adults (age 18 – 64) are
Due to these barriers, young people are often
employed. This increases to 30 – 40% for
faced with extended periods of joblessness
youth living in some of the townships or
and unsuccessful job searches during which
informal settlements in, for instance, the
they run the risk of becoming depressed,
Cape Town Metropole and in rural areas
discouraged and chronically unemployed.35
around Stellenbosch, Beaufort West and
Major changes can only be expected once
Langeberg. While such youth are likely
the labour market produce more jobs
to be financially disadvantaged, they are
and absorb more unskilled labour, or the
also likely to have limited exposure to the
education system produces job-seekers
working world or to information about
with the required skills.
available jobs, putting them at a further
disadvantage.34
Health and wellness
• A particularly vulnerable group is youth
Poverty is associated with experiences of
who are NEET. Overall, 33% of WC youth
16
social exclusion, heightened stress, violence across multiple aspects of their lives. It is
and trauma, which all may increase risk and important to understand the way in which
severity of mental illness and substance these deprivations interact to limit young
misuse and compromise access to care. people’s overall well-being.
Health data36 presented on the Youth The evidence provided on the Youth
Explorer show that: Explorer points to the importance of
• Between 2010 – 2013, the top two causes improving literacy and numeracy levels
of death among male youth (aged 15 – for all, preventing school drop-out, and
24) in the province were interpersonal enabling access to higher education and
violence (52%) and road injuries (12%). training, as well connections between the
worlds of school and work. Understanding
• HIV (28%) and TB (13%) were the leading
and alleviating the heavy burdens of poverty
causes of death among female youth.
and of disease among young people are
other areas that need to be addressed.
Improving the health of adolescents and
youth is crucial for their current well-
The data, however, do not allow us to gain
being and future economic productivity, as
a better understanding of subjective areas
adolescent behaviours and health are key
of well-being, which later parts of the report
predictors of the adult burden of disease.37
will zoom in on.
In short: young people in the Western Cape
Province clearly experience challenges
17
YOUTH WELL-BEING AND AGENCY IN THE
WESTERN CAPE AND BEYOND: A BRIEF
REFERENCE TO EXISTING STUDIES
Key points
• Studies conducted as far back as the 1990s have consistently indicated a great
deal of resilience on the part of youth, but also the need for guidance and
support in times when the situation becomes too complicated or dire to allow
them to explore new options.
Statistics clearly show that large proportions structures and failing institutions. These were
of youth in South Africa, as in the province, young people with high aspirations, who
find themselves in dire situations, often chose in favour of education, despite their
faced with severe structural constraints. families’ wishes for them to start earning an
While the data provide insight into young income, or their peers’ supporting the school
people’s socio-economic context, they do boycott. They made harsh choices that
not explain how youth perceive and interact frequently led to self-doubt and that rendered
with that context. them outsiders in their communities:
Qualitative research, both internationally Bulelwa knew all too well that a good
and nationally, shows extensively that education could be her only ticket out
young people can mitigate the often of the poverty of New Crossroads.
dire consequences of their constrained Staying at a good school meant making
environments by tapping into and a ‘selfish’ decision at the expense of
strengthening their resilience, which her family’s wellbeing, and against
operates as a combination of individual her mother’s wishes. Not making
strengths and socio-cultural resources.38 this ‘selfish’ decision could cost her a
brighter future. The long-term benefits
A brief review of Western Cape-based of being in a better position to improve
research indicates that youth in the more the family’s welfare would also have to
deprived (township) areas of the province be foregone.40
not only continue to aspire to better lives, but Bulelani, the second of Ramphele’s
also demonstrate remarkable resilience and ‘successes’ creatively looked for ways to
ability to intervene in their life circumstances. satisfy ‘competing goals’. His wish was to
In the context of poverty, young people go to a better school and get into higher
may also exercise their agency in ways that education, but he did not want to alienate
are not regarded as positive, for example himself from his peers who supported the
increased risk behaviour such as joining a school boycott:
gang.
[…] he managed to convince his peers
As far back as the late 1990s, Ramphele39 that his move to Rhodes High was not
worked with young adults growing up in
in any way a reflection of his weakening
New Crossroads, a township characterised
commitment to ‘the struggle’. There
by high levels of poverty, unemployment,
was general agreement among his
informal and unserviced housing. Ramphele
peers that most teachers in the
details two individuals’ stories of ‘success’:
township schools were not equal to
young people who managed to get into the
the task. He suggested to them that
stream of upward mobility despite growing
by going to a better school he would
up in extreme poverty, with brittle support
become a resource for them by tutoring
18
them over weekends. He laughed as he desirable” outcomes among youth. Young
told the story – yet at the time being men and women may choose to act on
necklaced to death as a sell-out was a their situation by seeking faster ways out of
very real threat.41 poverty rather than by maintaining a longer-
A subsequent series of qualitative studies term focus on socio-economic mobility
with Western Cape youth has consistently through education.50
presented similar findings:
For example, one young man expressed
Henderson emphasised the fragility in
ix,42 doubt that education would really lead
young people’s lives brought on by the him to where he hoped to be one day (‘a
deprivation in their households, their businessman’). He instead chose to join a
experiences of mobility and caregiving, the gang, which brought instant status, identity,
levels of violence surrounding them, and power – and several years later, death. Other
power dynamics in sexual relationships43. studies indicate how some young girls from
She also stressed young people’s ability poorer communities engage in transactional
to maintain a sense of agency within that sex to gain money, gifts and social status.51
fragile world.
Thus, the research shows the ‘rudderlessness’
Bray et al44, De Lannoy45, Swartz46, Newman in almost all spheres of young people’s
and De Lannoy47 have all continued to point lives. They face a lack of clarity about what
at the context of often severe hardship pathways to follow, or of the outcomes
that remains a daily reality for most young of certain decisions and choices. In the
people, alongside the very high aspirations absence of such clarity, their trial and error
of especially African youth. Various authors approach to find solutions may lead to
provide examples of parents deciding to discouragement.
send their children to better schools in
neighbouring areas, thereby prioritising A longitudinal study with young people
school fees over other household expenses; from various socio-economic backgrounds
or of young people themselves negotiating in the Cape Town Metropole52 tells the story
of Thandiswa, who makes various serious
access to schools that are perceived to
attempts to find work: printing her CV, going
perform better than those in their immediate
from shop to shop to drop it off, and signing
environments.
up for training courses or recruitment
However, the studies also draw attention to agents (some of which were scams). But
the complicated negotiations of personal these moments of action are interspersed
aspirations and the need to belong to a with times of depression and giving up as
broader peer group. Young people may her efforts are never rewarded. Taking steps
believe in the value of education for social to achieve her goals turned out to be an
betterment, for example. But, given the often emotional and financial rollercoaster ride.
low educational outcomes of peers, trying to Thandiswa’s story is not unique and the
maintain an academic career creates the risk experience is not limited to that of Western
of becoming an outsider in one’s peer group. Cape youth either.53
Young people thus attempt to navigate
These qualitative studies’ recordings of
their environments in ways that would not
young people’s attempts to get their lives
push them off their desired paths.48 Similarly
complex negotiations have been recorded on track and balance sometimes opposing
with regards to health- and crime-related needs are also reflected in survey research.
behaviour.49
Quantitative data analyses demonstrate
However, agency in deprivation may how young people enter into and out of
sometimes also lead to increased risk temporary work, short training opportunities
behaviour instead of more “socially and periods of unemployment.54 However, it
ix Henderson worked with Ramphele on the same project in New Crossroads. The youth described in her study may well be
the same ones as those described in Ramphele’s study.
19
may miss some of the nuance on the reasons on the part of youth, but also the need for
for these and on the difficulties youth guidance and support in times when the
encountered while trying to find a stable job situation becomes too complicated or dire
and better life. to explore new options. The findings of our
study, presented next, corroborate much of
In conclusion: all these studies have the evidence of the older studies.
demonstrated a great deal of resilience
20
UNPACKING YOUNG PEOPLE’S LIVED REALITIES: A
NEW SERIES OF FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS WITH
WESTERN CAPE YOUTH FROM A LOWER SOCIO-
ECONOMIC BACKGROUND
Key points
• Participants did not consider their communities ‘happy places’. While some
found happiness inside their homes, all pointed at a range of issues affecting
their well-being outside of the family homes.
• Youth were mostly concerned over safety issues; gangsterism; interpersonal
violence and crime; deviant behaviour by both adults and young people;
substance abuse; dirty and unhealthy living environments; and the lack of
access to youth-specific support services.
• Girls and young women in all communities expressed fear of interpersonal
violence and rape; in Langereef, a constant fear for abduction permeated
conversations among girls and boys.
• Lack of support for one another – and for youth in particular – within the
community, was mentioned in all groups.
• While many described their own homes and families as places of happiness,
comfort, safety and support, it was also frequently mentioned that problems
in the community, and with young people, ‘start at home’ as many parents are
physically or emotionally unavailable for their children.
• Many other adult role-players in the communities, such as teachers, were also
described as uncaring. However, examples were given of individuals who were
actively involved with young people’s lives and genuinely interested in their
well-being. Where such cases were described, it was clear that these people
had a positive impact on the participants’ well-being.
• Young people described hardship and violence as part of their daily realities.
They did, however, not consider these to be part of a normal life. They made
clear connections between poverty and risk behaviour, deprivation and
hopelessness in their communities. All asked for change.
• While recognising their own agency, they were also clear in their request for
support at the individual, family and broader community levels that would
address both immediate (recreational) and longer-term (opportunities) needs.
• Youth facilities were experienced as too far and difficult to reach; as short
termed or lacking continuity; girls felt that most facilities provided activities
only aimed at boys.
• Many of the desired recreational activities were described as having the
immediate aims of keep children off the streets and out of trouble, and to offer
a safe space for friendships and networking.
• Participants indicated that the kind of support needed may vary from person to
person, reflecting the fact that youth is not a homogenous group.
While the data currently available on there remains a lack of data on subjective
Youth Explorer capture various objective domains of well-being that would help us
aspects or dimensions of youth well-being, understand, for instance, young people’s
21
sense of happiness, safety, opportunity and understanding that the lack of happiness in
satisfaction. the community, and the extent and kinds of
violence experienced and witnessed are, in
This section of the report presents the fact, not part of a ‘normal’ life, should not be
findings of the 10 FGDs with young men and experienced, and cause serious damage to
women aged between 11 and 24. The findings their lives and psyches.
are discussed thematically and focus on: the
experience of community and family life; the When asked what her community was like,
value of education and experience of school; one young girl in Khayelitsha instantly replied:
aspirations of the individual; young people,
or peers, in general; and support needed for Participant: Here in the community,
youth in the community. it’s a place full of naughty things. […]
Like when people go to work, their
bags are grabbed. So, that’s not right.
Community and family life – ‘I (Khayelitsha girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
don’t want to stay in an unhappy
place anymore’ In the separate FGD with young Khayelitsha
boys, the description of the community was
Participants’ sentiments towards life in almost identical to the young girl’s, with
their communities were often mixed. Some added references to gun violence and drug
spoke about their communities as ‘happy’ or abuse:
‘nice’ because ‘people are bubbly’ or ‘they
let one another be’. However, the groups’ Participant: There are people who are
discussions quickly – or, immediately in robbing people who are coming from
many cases – turned into expressions of an work and those who are using train
overwhelming sense of negativity and a lack as their means of transport […] the
of happiness. The unhappiness was based on one with the gun is saying that he is
shared concerns over various safety issues; going to kill her and [she] doesn’t want
perceived or experienced deviant behaviour [to] give up her bag and her phones.
among both adults and young people; dirty (Khayelitsha boys, 11 – 15-year-olds)
and unhealthy living environments; and the
lack of access to services that could provide Asked how this situation made him feel
specific support for young people. These about life in the community, he replied, ‘I am
lead to a general sense of isolation and not feeling happy’.
disappointment, both within the community
In Tafelsig, sentiments were very similar:
and beyond. There were, however, important
differences in the extent of feelings of Participant: [Our community is] not
insecurity and isolation, with some of youth actually a nice place; there’s a lot of
in the poorest rural areas conveying a truly crime and gangsterism and people on
constant sense of fear. The issues are further drugs. (Tafelsig boys, 16 – 19-year-olds)
unpacked in the following sections.
The Bishop Lavis girls described their
Happiness, safety, and the lack thereof community as follows:
at the community level
Participant: Everything that’s happen-
Threats of rampant gangsterism, inter- ing in our community, like the kids
personal violence and crime; a lack of dropping out of school and gangsters,
support in the broader community, or […] that makes the place unhappy. So
within the family; and extensive substance the environment you live in, makes
abuse featured in all groups, and were you unhappy. People want to move
often the first things mentioned to describe out. (Bishop Lavis young women, 20 –
the communities. Youth spoke about 24-year-olds)
these as almost ‘normal’: as part of their
everyday experiences. But, importantly, The Breede River girls and boys spoke about
they frequently expressed the very clear maparapara: ‘[… gangsters] who steal from
22
others. And people who rob us. […] They relationship they would find themselves in
steal our T-shirts on the line […] They do when growing up. The Khayelitsha girls, for
house robberies […] And they rob us at the instance, felt they could never wear ‘stylish’,
ATMs if our grandmothers and grandfathers short clothes, for fear of being raped:
go to draw money.’
Participant: We need to have a place
Many indicated that the only way to find some that we feel safe in. Like us as girls, we
kind of happiness within the community is are still young and we don’t want to be
to stay away from everything as much as left out. We cannot dress the way we
possible. For some that meant hardly ever want. We must always wear to cover
leaving the house – which was the case for our bodies up.
many of the girls in the Tafelsig and Bishop
Lavis groups – or constantly thinking about Interviewer: What is it that you fear to
strategies to keep oneself safe while being wear stylish things?
out. Participant: Like those people who rape
[…] (Khayelitsha girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
Fear of crime and violence was especially
– but not only – present in the discussion The Langereef girls made the connection
among the girls and young women, and more between a life in deprivation (in its broadest
so among some of the poorest communities, definition) and the dangers that come with
like Langereef. There, a very palpable fear of it. They spoke about young girls prostituting
abduction, rape and murder ran throughout themselves because of a lack of money in
the entire discussion and was present among the house (and thereby placing themselves
both the boys and girls. at risk of rape, violence and murder), but
they also mentioned how, for instance, a
Participant: My community is not a lack of electricity increases risks for women
happy place because some people don’t and children:
know how to think about other people
[consider other people’s welfare]. They Participant: Yes, it’s dark […] in the
can see a child for example and they house there is no electricity. You get
know that the child belongs to the inside while you are busy trying to put
neighbour, yet […] they take that child electricity [in the pre-paid meter of the
and hide it in their house whilst the house you are sharing electricity with
neighbour is busy looking for the child. …]; before you even finish, he close[s]
[…] There was a man who took his wife’s the door and rape you.
child […] and locked him in the fridge
and he died. (Langereef/Stellenbosch Participant: Or kill you […] that’s
rural, girls 11 – 15-year-olds) why you need to have your own box.
(Langereef girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
Participant: I protect myself by walking
with my friend; maybe my friend will The awareness of the threat of rape and
be stolen; I will cry out and say, ‘here is murder of young girls was mentioned also
a child being stolen’; people will come in the Bishop Lavis group by a young man
and help and beat the person [stealing when asked what he would like to see
a child] to leave the child. (Langereef/ change in the community.
Stellenbosch rural boys, 11 – 15-year-
Direct experiences of crime, violence and
olds)
death were described in all the groups,
Fear of rape was mentioned in several of though some definitely presented more
the female groups and clearly restricted gruesome details than others:
young girls’ and women’s ability to move
around freely (especially, but not only, at Participant: People drink alcohol and
night); to express themselves as they would end up stabbing each other until people
like to; and made them question the kind of get their intestines out. (Langereef
girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
23
When asked what change he would like Interviewer: What kind of support would
to see in the community, one young man you like to see in your community?
powerfully described the wish for a peaceful,
healthy environment: Participant: Like the NGOs that help
... Childline, like giving advice. A rehab
Participant: Just to see healthy centre or something because we have a
relationships between people based lot of drug abuse in our area ...
on love and respect for one another
Participant: A local therapist …
so that the children can see what love
looks like from their parents. I want us Participant: A place they can go to;
to live in a lovely peaceful community, [where someone says] we are here
a place that people can be proud of. for assistance […] we can get you to a
I don’t want to stay in an unhappy place facility, you know. (Bishop Lavis young
anymore. (Bishop Lavis young men, women, 20 – 24-year-olds)
20 – 24-year-olds)
The Tafelsig girls felt that boys may need
His sentiment was echoed in all the groups. help even more than girls:
The sense of trauma caused by the exposure
to crime and violence was present in all Participant: Everyone needs someone
groups and the request for support to deal to talk to; that’s why I suggest therapy.
with this was heard in several discussions. […] You [may] feel like something is
The young women in Bishop Lavis gave a wrong. You don’t [know] what […] You
particularly poignant description of suicide, don’t know how to fix it […] so to have
which seemed to have become a ‘normalised’ someone professional, that actually
situation in their direct environment, but studied psychology […], that could help
with the clear indication that it is not normal you. I think that is what we need in our
and that young people need help: community. […]
Interviewer: So, you said… a lot of Participant Yes, especially guys, they
young people need support…? need help because they can’t speak
about their feelings. I think the guys
Participant: Definitely… because suicide in our community need a lot of help.
is actually a big thing. […] They need help with expressing
themselves with whatever it is they
Participant: They actually called our
have going on […]; they need a happy
street hang straat [‘hanging street’]
place. (Tafelsig, girls 16 – 19-year-olds)
Participant: […] a few years ago…. Three
or four people committed suicide. After Happiness, safety, or the lack thereof
each other. within the family
Many of the young participants referred
Participant: From young ‘til old.
to finding happiness, comfort, safety
Interviewer: […] do young people have and support in their homes and families.
support in your community? However, it was also frequently mentioned
that problems in the community, and with
Everybody: No! young people in particular, ‘start at home’.
Participant: […] we don’t have any
Participants gave several examples of
support there. You must support
parents not giving enough attention and
yourself. (Bishop Lavis young women,
support to youth, abusing substances, or
deliberately putting their children at risk –
When asked what kind of support youth these could all drive youth risk behaviour:
would need, both the Bishop Lavis and
Tafelsig girls’ groups were clear in their
request for advice and therapy:
24
Participant: I would say I’m happy. on the youth, which causes stress and a
I’m always surrounded by my friends, sense of isolation, depression, or of ‘acting
family. (Bishop Lavis young men, 20 – out’. A young woman in Tafelsig described
24-year-olds) how providing enough care and love to a
young boy would serve as an antidote to the
Participant: My support place is mostly attraction of gang life – a thought that was
my family ‘cause they have supported echoed in several other groups:
me most of my life. (Tafelsig girls, 16 –
19-year-olds) Participant: […] like for a young boy
that doesn’t feel loved at home to take
While many of the participants spoke of
him under your wing and give him
finding care and love in their homes, several
the love and support […] nurture him
of the groups also referred to parents in the
because he won’t wanna disappoint
broader community as not ‘dedicated’, and
someone who loves him so dear and I
not providing guidance and support to, or
think that will help him drift away from
appropriate boundaries for, their children:
gangsterism and drugs. (Tafelsig girls,
Participant: Some [parents] are 16 – 19-year-olds)
married, yes, but they’re not interested. There were also examples of parents
[They] don’t know the children and the who were engaging in risk behaviour and
children feel like their parents don’t substance abuse, which then put the children
understand them. Because they need and youth at risk; for instance, when they go
to have that mother/father–daughter/ out to the shebeens to look for their mother,
son kind of relationship. We need more as the Langereef girls indicated.
dedicated parents who will actually
take interest in the child’s life. So that Finally, almost on the other side of the
their children can be on the right paths. spectrum of parenting were parents who
(Bishop Lavis young women, 20 – were said to intentionally place their children
24-year-olds) at risk. The Bishop Lavis girls spoke about
mothers ‘selling their children’, as did the
Importantly, the participants’ understanding
Langereef girls. They told of mothers asking
of how these situations arise was not
their daughters to prostitute themselves,
without nuance. They distinguished between
while others spoke of parents asking their
examples of parents driving young people
children to go rob people:
to risky behaviour, some unknowingly – by
working long hours far from home, which
Participant: Some girls […] bunk school.
meant little time with their children to offer
Or [they] come to school but won’t
them the attention they need. One Tafelsig
attend a certain class. Some sell their
young man felt unsupported, also with his
bodies because they have problems
schoolwork, as his ‘mother is always working’.
when they need money. Some parents
A young woman in Tafelsig looked after her
support that [habit]. Maybe a girl [has] a
younger sibling on her own, as their mother
gweja;x to get money her mother would
worked in another town. A Bishop Lavis
say, ‘My child bring back money from
young woman described how some youth
that gweja of yours’. Some parents do
were unable to complete their homework
that. (Langereef girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
because of too many responsibilities at
home, while parents work long hours. This Mentors and role models?
lack of attention was suggested as one of
the reasons for children becoming unruly at The youth described many other adult role-
school. players in their community as uncaring,
too. However, they also referred to positive
Other parents were said to not provide love relationships with some individuals who
and care, or to place too much pressure ‘were there for them’, who were actively
x Local township derogatory term for ‘black foreign man’.
25
interacting and genuinely ‘involved with’ principal who took an interest in the learners’
them, as opposed to those who were ‘just well-being and schooling outcomes:
there’, uninvolved, not interested, harsh and
fast with their judgements. Participant: For me at my school, it [is]
a combination of our teachers and the
Those who were described as uncaring principal. When you walk past him, he
included some of the teachers who are greet[s] you by your name. Our principal
unconcerned about teaching, do not know always look[s] out for the well-being of
how to teach, do not respect the basic school the students. I would say he has a heart.
rules, or who are a direct threat to young (Tafelsig girls, 16 – 19-year-olds)
women. This school experience is detailed
more in the next section. Worth noting here, The Tafelsig groups were an important
though, is that the constant sense of possible example of the positive impact of a
threat, disrespect, and lack of care created supportive individual or environment. These
real feelings of isolation and distrust among groups were organised with help of Mr K, a
young people. One adolescent described it slightly older man who runs an NGO study
as follows: group. His positive effect on both the young
men and women was evidenced in the ways
Participant: For me, school is a in which the participants expressed their
challenge because [you] deal with sense of respect for, and trust in, him:
a lot of personalities and not just the
students but the teachers as well. Have Participant: When I come to Mr K. I feel
to understand them before approaching safe. He will always guide you and give
them. Some teachers you go to for help you advice.
and others will gossip about you. It’s a Participant: Ja, […] and you feel
challenge to find people you can trust comfortable talking to him about your
[…]. (Tafelsig girls, 16 – 19-year-olds) problems.
However, there were also several examples Participant: Brother K. is one of those
of extraordinary individuals who were people that go the extra mile. He will
available for young people, who were trusted come to your house […]. He will come
and caring and who therefore clearly had a speak to your parents about what we
strong and positive impact on their lives, do here at the programme. And tell
and outlooks on life. For instance, a young them about your capabilities and how
woman expressed how some teachers you can improve. That motivates you a
provided nurturing support, sometimes in lot. (Tafelsig boys, 16 – 19-year-olds)
place of parents:
What stood out in the references to positive
Participant: It’s hard to tell my mother relationships was that these individuals ‘were
because [you] will be scared, but with there for them’ as they could be trusted; they
your teacher [you] won’t be scared provided support, love, guidance, a sense of
to start because the teacher might belonging; and were said to do so without
see you in class just sitting and you judgement.
are not alright; you are worrying. So,
your teacher will call you at break time Deprivation, hopelessness, and the
and ask. [You] tell him/her about that request for support
stress and s/he promise you not to tell
Participants made clear connections
anyone about it. The teacher will take it
between poverty and risk behaviour,
as private. (Langereef girls, 11 – 15-year-
deprivation and hopelessness among their
olds)
peers and the adults in their communities,
Another mentioned how a teacher at school but they did not present themselves and
was ‘like a mother’ to them, while another their peers as merely passive victims. Of
described the positive effects of a motivating importance for policy and interventions is
26
that the kinds of support that youth said go on to remember again. (Langereef
they need were directed at individual, family girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
and broader community levels, and involved
both immediate and longer-term support. Participant: No, because people kill
These include close-by recreational facilities themselves because they have stress,
with gender-appropriate activities and even if it’s for a small thing. (Langereef
continuity into other youth development girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
initiatives that resonate with their aspirations In many of the FGDs, however, the young
and longer-term needs. people discussed the extent to which one is
able to remain in control of one’s own life: to
Despite frequently mentioning fear and
make choices that can be either protective
insecurity caused by the behaviour of their
or risky, to remain focused, and to seek
peers or of many of the adults around
support to avoid giving in to pressures:
them, the group discussions reflected that
young people interpreted much of that Participant: They must work hard in
behaviour itself to be caused by poverty and their school work and not allow their
hopelessness. Transactional sex, teenage peer pressure to be their stumbling
pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse, thieving block in achieving their dreams.
and gangsterism were cited as consequences (Khayelitsha boys, 11 – 15-year-olds)
of a life in deprivation. An adolescent girl
expressed her perception of factors leading The concept of ‘agency’ is discussed later
young women into teen pregnancy and in this report. It is important to note though
transactional sex: that none of the young people presented
these choices and actions as easy or
Participant: You are poor mos, you straightforward. Especially in the poorest
don’t have enough food and you are so communities, like Langereef, the sense of
many. So as a girl like this, you meet, really being able to make considered choices
like, a big man mos; then he will say, ‘I in even just a small part of one’s life seemed
will give you this and that’, but then you very evasive, as illustrated in earlier quotes.
[eat] his money you can’t refuse to sleep Many of the participants therefore made a
with him and then you get pregnant. So, plea for increased and dedicated support to
my point is there are teachers who can strengthen their agency, and to turn both
counsel and there are some teachers their lives and their communities around:
who can cause more stress. They will
be shouting at you, ‘Hey, why did you Participant: It can be a happy environ-
do this?’ but she or he didn’t ask my ment. Basically, you need a support
background. If I tell her, she will see that system. You need your friends to keep
I am not wrong. My background is the you grounded. You need love – most
one which pushes me into this stress. important. And you need stability,
Some are abused with those who they safety, you need all that to make Bishop
live with […] so there is no need for you Lavis a better place to live and a happy
to shout at me because it’s not my fault. environment. (Bishop Lavis young
(Breede Valley girls, 14 – 19 year-olds) women 20 – 24-year-olds)
Responding to a question on whether they This request for support warrants more
thought young people in their community attention as it is crucial in informing policies
were in control of their lives, participants and interventions. In the narratives of these
replied: youth, the calls for support were situated at
the individual, family and broader community
Participant: No, because when they levels, and involved both immediate
have stress they want to drink, thinking and longer-term aspects. The report
that will rub [erase] the stress off […] distinguishes between the participants’
they want to use drugs […] yet the stress request for recreational facilities on the one
will stay; you will only forget, but you hand: these they believe would support
27
them and their peers in their attempts to involved with the wrong stuff happens
stay on ‘the right path’, keep busy and ‘out because we not busy, we not active. And
of trouble’ by giving them something to do also, that’s where we sometimes get
in easily accessible, safe, youth- and gender- depressed and demotivated. (Bishop
friendly spaces; and, on the other hand, their Lavis young men, 20 – 24-year-olds)
frequent call for ‘more opportunities’. Close
When asked about recreational facilities or
reading of the data shows that this particular
a place where young people like to visit, the
request refers to both opportunities to help
majority of participants felt that there was
solve social issues and individual hardships
nothing. The young girls in the Khayelitsha
immediately – for instance through the
and Bishop Lavis groups immediately
provision of therapy, anger management
indicated that there was ‘not even a park’
courses, guidance, support groups, etc., and
where children could play.
opportunities that would somehow activate
their options to a better future – for example,
After some probing, however, there was
possibilities for volunteering, for contacting
usually recognition in the groups that
employers or accessing bursaries, for gaining
some places for young people are in fact
work experience or finding ways back into
available. However, participants identified
the education system.
several shortcomings with existing facilities
or programmes. These were often far away
The next section deals in more detail with the
and thus difficult and dangerous to reach,
request for recreational facilities and then
especially for the youngest; they were often
expands on the request for ‘opportunities’.
referred to as short lived ‘because people
lose interest’; and many facilities only cater
Recreational facilities
for boys. Participants also felt that most,
In all groups, young men and women if not all the facilities – much like their
expressed the wish for sports facilities or communities – did not really offer the kind of
some form of ‘youth centre’ for arts (broadly support that youth in their areas are craving.
defined) activities and other opportunities The next sub-sections elaborate on each of
that would allow youth to occupy themselves these shortcomings.
after school rather than engaging in negative
behaviour. One girl put it as: 1. Distance to facilities
Participant: An after-school leadership Several groups mentioned that existing

programme like soccer or b-boying,xi facilities were far away and therefore
and it drains them so they don’t have required money for transport, or they had to
energy for wrong things. So, to have walk, which all groups said placed them in
more interesting and fun programmes danger either of crime or of road hazards.
for the youth. So, it would take up a lot The Khayelitsha girls explained:
of their time or the school can have,
Participant: There is a park at YB but
like, activities like music or gymnastics.
we have [to] travel. There are a lot of
(Tafelsig girls, 16 – 19-year-olds)
cars on the way. All the cars are always
A young man summed up the psycho-social running fast and they do not wait for
consequences of a lack of places to go to people to cross the road.
and things to do:
Participant: Small children […] cross
Participant: A lot of people don’t know the road on their own and are hit by
what to do after school, they just sit at cars. There is no-one accompanying
home and it’s not because we dumb; them. At the stadium, it’s a freeway
it’s because there’s no opportunities, no and there is no-one controlling traffic.
doors that can open for us. That’s where (Khayelitsha girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
a lot of the baby making and getting
xi Also referred to as ‘breakdancing’.
28
2. No continuity Participant: We used to have dancing
activities, like, with my friends; we
Several groups mentioned that facilities
would gather younger children and get
or programmes come and go without
them to dance while we watch them.
any real continuity. The Bishop Lavis girls
But it was stopped by the elders from
blamed both funders and young people or
the community […] because we made
community members in general for this.
too much noise. […] we don’t have a
Unfortunately, the researchers could not
hall. (Khayelitsha girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
find further information about how the
programmes were run, delivered or who
3. No gender diversity
they targeted. Such information would
assist some kind of diagnostic analysis on Young women in all the groups pointed
what exactly happened and where things out that, where there were facilities, they
go wrong. The fact that young people and often only catered for boys or young men.
small children were painted as ‘not being Especially sports facilities were said to
interested’, coming ‘only for the food’ and provide only space for soccer, which is not
being ‘wannabe gangsters’ may indicate always attractive to young women:
that the programmes did not really connect
with young people’s aspirations or did not Participant: We need to have our
provide activities that could compete with ground so that we can play sport. Even
the lure of gangsterism: here at Kapa Stadium there is no place
for [us] because most of the people
Participant: There was […] the Rotary who play there are playing soccer […];
centre opposite Bishop Primary… [with] so most of the people who go there are
hip hop classes and karate … boys. I don’t see why it’s only boys who
should be playing sport because as girls
Participant: Now it’s gone … we can also play sport. (Khayelitsha
Participant: The funding is bad … girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
Participant: I think [it] is because the Participant: […] Okay, they have soccer
people sponsoring this stuff saw that – what do the girls have? Nothing.
people weren’t really interested. It’s (Bishop Lavis young women, 20 –
like only one or two people that would 24-years-old)
go. […] Female participants asked for sports
Interviewer: So, people are just not facilities for netball and swimming (rather
interested? than soccer or rugby); for places where they
could engage with fashion, the arts (including
Participant: No not really. Even dancing and drama); and where they could
small children of 11, 12; they wannabe have ‘bonding time’, share experiences and
gangsters. (Bishop Lavis young women, ‘just relax’ without feeling unsafe.
In sum, when asked what facilities they
Girls in Khayelitsha pointed out that other would like to have available, preferences
community forces may also work against across all groups ranged from a playground
the running of youth programmes. They (especially among the youngest groups),
spoke of taking the initiative to organise a safe and clean park, a swimming pool, a
themselves and provide activities for the gym, a theatre or a movie theatre, all within
younger children, but were discouraged easy reach and, given their severe financial
from continuing. The lack of a physical constraints, affordable (or free).
facility where they could continue with their
initiative led them to give up on it. This points The older girls and boys mentioned some
to the importance of easily accessible, safe kind of ‘youth club’ (some specified a club
and youth- and child-friendly spaces in their ‘where alcohol would not be allowed’) where
vicinity: youth could hang out, have a good time
29
without fearing danger, and – explicitly – but currently everybody is frustrated
where they could support one another. The […] with the fact that they are just in
notion of offering support to one another Bishop Lavis. There’s people who have
came up several times, and especially in the never been out of Bishop Lavis and that
female groups: is kind of crippling […]. (Bishop Lavis
young men, 20 – 24-year-olds)
Participant: I would have liked a
sisterhood, there in Bishop Lavis. Another example was a young man’s
disappointment in the soccer programme in
[Everybody agrees] his community:
Participant: If you have a problem …
Participant: I wanted to be a profes-
that’s where suicide also comes in, like
sional football player but […] the
betrayal. […] If you have a problem you
support that you need is not here in
can come to me, or us. We won’t go tell
the community. […] So, you struggle in
anyone outside of this circle. [...] And
finding ways to become the professional
for guys… I think that will help them a
that you want to be. (Bishop Lavis
lot, especially the wannabe gangsters.
[…] Like a sisterhood and a brotherhood
thing; that would be really nice. (Bishop Tafelsig participants, however, offered
Lavis young women, 20 – 24-year-olds) a positive example of a programme that
did seem to be getting the longer-term
Importantly, many of the desired recrea-
connection right:
tional activities were described as having
an immediate aim: to keep children out of Participant: We get to meet people
trouble and off the streets; to offer a safe like Professor Jonathan Jansen. We
space for friendships and networking. get to meet all these great people.
However, these activities and spaces should You get exposure and all you doing is,
also provide a connection to a longer-term like, studying. You get to hear other
view on the future: the participants spoke people’s stories. People meet you and
often about their wish to find a way forward, they want to offer you bursaries and
to forge connections and to be given the things like that. So that’s some of the
opportunity to ‘open doors’. The final point opportunities we get. (Tafelsig girls,
of this section discusses this in more detail. 16 – 19-year-olds)
Offering ‘opportunities’ Importantly, the participants indicated that

the kind of support that is needed may well
Throughout the conversations, there was vary from young person to young person –
the general sense that, even when available, a reminder that youth is not a homogenous
facilities or programmes did not really offer group. Some may thrive in an educational
young people a sense of opportunity. This environment that leads to bursaries etc.,
had to do with the lack of continuity of while others may wish to explore the route
programmes, or their inability to connect to of becoming a professional football player.
young people’s aspirations and longer-term Some of the girls asked for connections to
needs. As a young man said: job and volunteering options for those who
left school. We will return to this important
Participant: I don’t feel like we have
issue of ‘support’ and ‘opportunities’ in more
much going in terms of [what] attracts
detail later.
young people. […] I firmly believe that
there’s a lot of potential in Bishop Lavis
30
‘At least it was a school you could go to’: the perceived importance of
education and the realities of under-resourced schools
Key points
• All participants understood education as empowering and as creating a
possible pathway to a ‘better life’. Pro-poor education policies and programmes
were considered very helpful.
• Disappointment was expressed about some teachers’ performance and
conduct; the effects of these on learners’ behaviour, and vice versa, were
acknowledged.
• Main concerns were under-resourced schools, large class sizes and safety at
school, all of which were described as impacting teachers’ ability to teach
efficiently and learners’ ability to concentrate.
• The lack of access to quality education was clearly recognised as a barrier to
reaching their aspirations.
• Participants spoke of ways in which this situation could be changed for the
better; they recognised the role of supportive adults, such as an inspiring
headmaster who makes learners feel noticed, supported and challenged.
All participants described school as ‘very All groups also expressed their appreciation
important’. for the fact that there were no-fee schools
near their homes; the school nutrition
Participant: First of all, you need programmes were highly appreciated too
education, and you have to have the and youth acknowledged that the food was
discipline to sacrifice things in order healthy and nutritious.
to do well. (Tafelsig boys, 16 – 19-year-
olds) Participant: There are mothers who
cook for us so that during break we can
Facilitator: Do you think school is
have a decent lunch. (Khayelitsha boys,
important?
Everyone: Very, very important.
Participant […] we get food. We eat
Participant: Because, if you don’t get for free […] We are given fruits; […]
taught things at home, where else are they give us food [that] is considered
you gonna learn it from? They say it [a] balanced diet. (Breede Valley girls
starts at home but if it does not start at 14 – 19-year-olds)
home; it starts at school. (Bishop Lavis
This sense of happiness was, however, not
uncontested: some participants, like the
Most young people said they were happy Tafelsig boys, simply stated, ‘not liking it
at school because of its social nature and [school]’ as ‘it is boring’. Participants in all
it provided a sense of safety that was not groups also expressed deep disappointment
found outside the school walls. and discouragement because teachers
were abusive, lacked motivation, and were
Participant: Because I know that I am ineffective or incapable of explaining the
safe and there is nothing that can harm curriculum content. These experiences,
me as there are teachers to protect us. however, were clearly more present among
(Khayelitsha boys, 11 – 15-year-olds) those who attended schools in the poorer
areas. Reports of corporal punishment were
31
rife, too, and several references to sexual instance, a girl stated:
abuse by teachers were heard in the various
girls’ groups. Participant: At my school, there is no
respect from learners for teachers.
The way in which certain teachers were Teachers are [treated] like below other
described in dealing with their classes parents. (Khayelitsha girls, 11 – 15-year-
indicated a context that was clearly uncon- olds)
ducive to learning, such as these practices
reported in Khayelitsha schools: However, participants were also aware of
the consequences of teachers’ inability or
Participant […] Miss who plays with her unwillingness to teach, a situation that was
phone during her period [when] she often referred to as one of the reasons
should be teaching us. for low performance among learners. The
young people also indicated that some
Participant: They [the teachers] say, subjects were simply too disconnected
‘let’s sleep’, after that she plays with or far removed from their own realities to
[her] phone. be interesting. For the Khayelitsha girls
group, some subjects were difficult because
Participant: Or she gives us work from
learners were unfamiliar with the nature
a book and not write it out and she
of the subject material, such as business
checks her messages or whatsapp.
transactions and balance sheets.
Participant: Or she can give an activity
and not explain the activity and switch While school was mostly described as safer
on the phone. ‘Tomorrow we are going than the surrounding areas, participants
to do that activity’ [imitating the mentioned that there were areas within
teacher’s voice]. If you are wrong she the school grounds that they considered
will beat [you]; yet you don’t know how unsafe and rather stayed away from, such
to do that activity. as the toilets or at the back of a school.
Several participants spoke about learners
Participant: Ours say, ‘lets sleep’ until misbehaving, bullying, and abusing others,
the whole period is over. […] Our LO without teachers reacting or coming to the
teacher says she doesn’t have time to defense of those who were being abused.
teach us. (Khayelitsha girls, 11 – 15-year-
olds) Participant: I feel unhappy in the school
[…] because older people [learners]
Or these, reported by the Tafelsig boys: take our lunchboxes […] they report it
but the teachers do nothing about that.
Participant: Our teachers are spiteful
with us. […] When it is our turn to Participant: […] they steal our stuff.
use the computers, they just say the (Tafelsig boys, 16 – 19-year-olds)
computers are not working.
Participants also explained the difficulties of
Participant: [Our maths teacher] just concentrating in class when other learners
gives us the work but doesn’t explain it. are outside listening to music or making
(Tafelsig boys, 16 – 19-year-olds) noise, without anyone with authority
standing up to them.
Participants were not unaware that some
of the teachers’ behaviour might be a In the majority of the groups there was
consequence of some of the learners’ reference to schools being vandalised or
behaviour. There was recognition of the severely under-resourced, much to the
vicious cycles created by disrespect and young people’s despair. The Khayelitsha
power struggles between teachers and boys described attending school in classes
learners, though there were sometimes of no less than 40 to 82 learners. Tafelsig
rather heated conversations about how and girls spoke about classes of 60 learners. One
where that cycle started. In Khayelitsha, for young man from Bishop Lavis explained how
32
things can easily deteriorate when social the school started to change and we
issues from the communities spill over into got more sponsors from different
the schools: organisations […] the principal, he was
there for the school when no-one really
Participant: It was a good school in cared. (Tafelsig girls, 16 – 19-year-olds)
the beginning but because of the
lifestyles of the children that live in the Other learners suggested that teaching
surrounding communities […] everyone techniques and materials could be adjusted
wants to be gangsters. So, they started and be more interactive to make it easier to
dismantling the school. And kids were understand or to keep learners’ interest:
bunking school and would break the
windows […] so then it became a bad Participant: If we can at least [once]
thing. (Bishop Lavis young men, 20 – a month watch something [that
24-year-olds) happened], maybe we can see a
change in learning history. There
Perhaps his follow-on statement reflected should be someone talking because
an understanding that education in such a we learn differently. Some of us, we
context is not of the best possible quality: learn through listening, some of us we
learn through life, some of us we learn
Participant: It was a school at least, so through doing things like watching
we could at least go there and learn movies. (Khayelitsha girls, 11 – 15-year-
something […] olds)
While the situation in schools, as described In recognising that there may be a limit to
by the participants – and in many other what can be done within the school context
WC and South African studies – may and with the current teacher body, several
seem very complex to tackle, the young of the groups asked to sort out just the basic
people themselves spoke about ways in provision of resources at school (‘what our
which the situation could be changed for school really needs is tables and windows’),
the better. One young woman described but also to make available all the necessary
how her school had been ‘corrupt’ and subjects, additional tutoring and remedial
‘vandalised’ until a new headmaster brought teaching support:
a drive and dedication to not only provide
better resources for learning but also to Participant: I would like the government
make learners feel noticed, supported and […] to bring change to my community
challenged: and to our school as well. And the
subjects that we don’t have, we would
Participant: So, we got a new principal, like to have them because they will
Mr. B. So, when he came, he changed help in the future […] we also like the
the school. We got a new hall, we got sponsorship for […] computers. (Breede
a library built for us. The school was Valley girls, 14 – 19-year-olds)
fixed, the school was repainted and
decorated. Some of the classrooms The importance of getting quality education
were painted; we got new desks, new right was clearly reflected in the young
projectors. The school was known people’s thoughts on the kinds of lives they
as corrupt, but since the upgrades aspire to.
33
Aspirations
Key points
• Aspirations for a better, more stable life were high among all participants.
• The majority of participants, across all age and gender groups, expressed
aspirations for a professional, stable life that would allow them a much more
affluent lifestyle than what they currently know.
• But there was the realisation that the odds may well be stacked against them
because of financial deprivation, the lack of support, and the absence of a
school environment that is conducive to teaching and learning and which
provides a wide range of subjects to choose from.
• More rural youth spoke of their geographic isolation as a possible barrier, and
older youth spoke about the absence of work-related opportunities.
The majority of the young people spoke Participant: […] I want a steady job […].
about wanting to become lawyers, doctors, I can’t still think I have a job now for
lecturers, teachers, accountants, engineers, six months and then stay at home for
psychologists, etc. This wish for a professional another six months. No thank you. […]
career and a stable, high income, was not only I want to go overseas. I want to travel.
driven by the wish for individual betterment, I want to leave the country for a little
but clearly reflected the desire to also bring while. […] I don’t want to struggle, I
about substantial change for their families struggled my whole life. I want a good
and their communities and to alleviate the life.
current levels of sorrow and deprivation:
Interviewer: What does a good life look
Interviewer: What are your dreams in like?
life?
Participant: I want my own house. I
Participant: My dream is to become a don’t want to think about what I’m
social worker and help other children going to be eating tonight or where the
not to be stolen. rent is going to come from. […] I’ve had
that for, like, years (Bishop Lavis young
Participant: I want to teach children. women, 20 – 24-year-olds)
Participant: I want to be a doctor, when Participant: A strong financial situation.
people are sick, I will help them. […] Working and giving your parents
what they were lacking when they
Participant: I desire to become a
were younger. Making them happy.
policeman so that tsotsis stop stealing
[…] giving back to them for what they
children.
did for you when you were younger.
Participant: I want to train to be a lawyer So, for example, if you [are] staying in
to discuss the things that happen [in a wendy house, one day you can buy
the community]. (Langereef boys, 13 – your parents a big house. Everyday
16-year-olds) telling them: ‘there’s always going to
be food […] luxuries, there’s going to
Both the Bishop Lavis and Tafelsig girls be trips for you, you can go on holiday’.
expressed clearly the wish to put an end (Tafelsig girls, 16 – 19-year-olds)
to the daily struggles of a life in (financial)
deprivation for both themselves and their More young women were clearer in
parents: expressing educational and career aspi-
34
rations than young men, but the male Participant: Not everyone passes as well
participants too wished to ‘be wealthy’, as other people to go to universities. So
‘change the environment I live in’ and ‘put that’s the crap thing, the colleges also
my parents in a different area’ (Tafelsig don’t always have the things that you
boys, 16 – 19-year-olds; Bishop Lavis young want to study. And then you must still
men, 20 – 24-year-olds). do an internship and I don’t have time
for that also […]
The adolescent girls in the Breede
Valley group showed an especially clear Participant: To add to that, there’s
understanding of the connections between people that didn’t pass matric well, that
school, subject choice, higher education don’t have matric. But then they have
and their goals – an understanding that was the potential to do the job and could
not present among some of the younger have really been grateful for the job and
participants. The slightly older youth also do it as you would want it. That’s the
understood, however, that educational thing, they underestimating people…
and career trajectories are not always in […] ‘you don’t have matric, ag I can’t
one’s own control. The fact that not all high man, that’s the least requirement’ […]
schools offer the necessary subjects for now that person goes, ‘ag I’m gonna
their aspired career was mentioned several sit on the corner and start begging for
times, and mentioned even more frequently money’. Because that’s what happens,
was that the schools streamed learners into especially with drop-outs, they don’t
maths literacy instead of ‘pure maths’. feel to go to school anymore. Now they
want to work, provide something but
Also frequently referred to was the fact they can’t […]. (Bishop Lavis young
that learners in certain schools do not get women, 20 – 24-year-olds)
to choose the subjects they want to study.
The older youth also expressed a very
For instance, one young woman explained
clear understanding of the various costs
how she wanted to become an actress or
associated with studying at institutes of
musician, but this was not attainable because
higher education (which go beyond the fees
of the lack of subject offer and choice at
only), and the difficulties they would face if
school:
they wanted to study but were not able to
Participant: Art in South Africa comes get financial support.
first. Actress, music, being a comedian,
Participant: […] well, if the kids want to
anything in that industry comes
go far in life and achieve their dreams;
number one […] I really love culture but
they can’t do it without money. How
at our school we don’t actually have
are they going to get to university? Taxi
none of those […] and I had to choose
fare? Everyday? And the 25th [pay day]
the subjects that I am in [grade 10]. I
is still far … and by the 15th the parents
didn’t even have a choice […] because
start worrying where the money for
the classes were full. So, I had to take
transport and taxi fare is going to come
Economics, Business, Maths Literacy
from, so they have to go borrow money
and Consumer Studies. (Breede Valley
from somewhere or someone. […]
girls 14 – 19-year-olds)
Participant: The moment you think
In addition, several groups referred to issues
about college, all this kind of stuff runs
related to the lack of articulation between
through your head […] in order for you
the different parts of the education system.
to go to college, you need money, and
Some of the young women pointed out,
in order to have money, you need a job.
for instance, that options were slim when
[…] if I didn’t get a bursary I wouldn’t
one needs or wants to leave the schooling
know what I would do because I really
system to try to earn money:
didn’t have the money to pay. (Bishop
Lavis young men, 20 – 24-year-olds)
35
In several of the groups, young people made committed and responsible to reach their
a clear connection between the loss of goals. In several instances, it is possible
dreams, the lack of education, poverty and that this was mentioned as participants
crime: attempted to give what they thought would
be socially desirable replies. But, in several
Participant: Our prisons are full of our discussions it was clear that there was also
community children. Our brothers and a real understanding that personal choices
sisters, uncles and aunts – the prisons and actions lead to specific outcomes and
are full of them because of lack of that one is going to have to work in order to
education and they steal. (Breede get what you want.
Valley girls, 14 – 19-year-olds)
In a final round of questions, the FGDs
However, these young people’s awareness
probed this sense of agency or control,
that structural barriers hinder their socio-
and, circling back to participants’ earlier
economic trajectories did not mean that they
requests for support, asked once more what
presented themselves as passive victims.
interventions or services could help support
They frequently mentioned young people
youth in their areas.
needing ‘to work hard’, ‘focus’, and remaining
36
Agency
Key points
• While several participants described instances in which youth could be driven
to risky behaviour, many also showed resilience and a strong sense of agency
within a context of poverty. Their aspirations often informed their sense of
agency.
• They spoke of different ‘protective’ measures that could contribute to their own
well-being.
• Boys experienced peer pressure to use substances or join gangs; the girls
mainly spoke about peer pressure to go out, drink, or fall pregnant.
• Youth of all age groups, both genders and in all areas, explained that socialising
often happened at their or a friend’s house in an attempt to stay safe and avoid
deviant behaviour.
While acknowledging the pitfalls of risk Several of the boys spoke about having to
behaviour, a Breede Valley adolescent navigate peer pressure towards substance
described dealing with these as a matter of abuse or gangsterism, while the girls mainly
personal choice: spoke about peer pressure to go out, drink
or fall pregnant. A young boy explained
Participant: If you want to drink, you how he would be pressured, and even hit,
will drink, and if you don’t want to, but chose to ‘run away’ – similar to what the
you won’t drink. It is your choice but young boys in Khayelitsha told us:
then they love to drink as youngsters
[…] and you do get pregnant. So, it’s Participant: And those children who […]
your choice. (Breede Valley girls, 14 – say: ‘Hey, you! Drink alcohol’ – and if you
19-year-olds) don’t want, they slap you. Then I will
just say, ‘I don’t want’ and I run away.
A peer went on to state that poverty does
(Langereef boys, 11 – 15-year-olds)
not have to lead to transactional sex:
When asked how they spent most of their
Participant: I don’t think being pushed ‘downtime’, the majority of participants
by poverty could lead you to prostitu- referred to spending time indoors, with
tion and stuff. I don’t think that’s the family. Girls especially explained being ‘a
only way that will bring money. Because loner’ and staying indoors:
that will bring diseases and viruses
[and] that will harm you once again Participant: I don’t take a step outside
[…] can’t you at least go out to town of the house. (Bishop Lavis young
[…] ask for a job. It could be anything. women, 20 – 24-year-olds)
(Breede Valley girls, 14 – 19-year-olds)
How, and where, they spend their time was
The nature and time constraints of the presented as a conscious decision to try
FDGs did not always allow for in-depth to keep themselves safe from violence and
individual probing and it is therefore not peer pressure. Young men and women of all
entirely clear to what extent the responses age groups and in all areas explained that
were reflections of what was considered socialising often happened at their house
possible, or of what these young people or the house of a friend. It was considered
were actually practising. We did, however, better, or safer, not to even try to go out so
capture examples of strategies to stay safe, they would not be tempted into drinking, for
or to stay ‘on track’ with education. instance.
37
However, staying indoors all the time was not where they could bring their sorrows and
everyone’s preferred tactic. A Khayelitsha questions and help one another out:
girl described trying to balance ‘staying
inside with books’ and ‘going out to play’: Participant: Just a small group […], so
that we can help each other in subjects
Participant: Me, what I told myself is that we don’t know. Maybe someone
that I cannot [always] stay indoors. I knows something that I don’t know
tell myself I don’t have to keep myself then she can explain to me and I also
indoors reading my books. I can still know something that she doesn’t know
read my books and play in the streets. and we can explain to each other.
(Khayelitsha girls, 11 – 15-year-olds) (Khayelitsha girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
In addition to these kinds of ‘protective’ Others referred to actively seeking

measures, several young people spoke about out support of their church or a youth
how they took the initiative to organise organisation. However, it was clear that
activities and events for themselves and this search for support was not always
others. The Khayelitsha girls organised dance easy. As mentioned before, there were
sessions for the younger children; several of instances where the young people ended up
the Bishop Lavis youth spoke about setting feeling misunderstood, which clearly led to
up study groups and friendship groups disappointment.
38
The need to actively support young people’s agency
Key points
• The majority of the participants said that they had hoped their lives would be
‘further along’ by now.
• All expressed the need for a range of support services, offered by dedicated
and respectful adults or peers, to help solve present individual and societal
issues. Such services ranged from reliable police and security services to
nurses, teachers, mentors, and therapists.
• Older youth especially asked for services that would open up possibilities for
the future. There is a need for interventions that can help clarify and connect
youth to pathways to an aspired future, to study further, re-connect to the
schooling system after having left school, or gain work experience.
When asked what young people need to squatter camp – they are not forceful.
achieve their dreams, responses ranged from They should be forceful for people
‘self-drive’, ‘focus’ and ‘being disciplined’, to who are drunk in the street […] There
a range of support services offered by truly are children who are sent for errands
dedicated and respectful adults or peers at night […] then they meet with drunk
that would help solve present individual people. A drunk person cannot control
and societal issues (addiction, depression, himself. He may end up raping a child.
violence), and which would open up (Langereef girls, 11 – 15-year-olds)
possibilities for the future. Importantly, there
was a strong request for these services to Other girls described the need for dedicated
be pro-active and to understand the daily nurses, therapy centres, and some form of
limitations youth face in their search for pro-active mentoring:
solutions to the barriers in their lives.
Participant: We need more helpful
Participant: Just imagine there’s a place medical assistance so people can be
that I could actually go to for help. […] happy, especially children. Because,
for resources, where someone will tell these days, […] the nurses just do it for
me, they’ll take my hand, and they’ll the sake of doing it, because it’s their
help me. That would make my mom jobs. So, we need people [who are]
very happy. Because all of our moms actually passionate about their work.
don’t necessarily know the answer or Participant: You need to take someone
know where to go. (Bishop Lavis young under your wing that you can educate
women, 20 – 24-year-olds) and you can mentor. […] That’s the
All of the groups mentioned the need for most important thing, because that’s
services that would help solve present issues. why people are always doing the wrong
Such services ranged from reliable police things because there isn’t anybody that
and security services to nurses, teachers, can tell them, ‘c’mon, let me show you
mentors, and therapists. For instance, several the right way’. (Bishop Lavis young
women, 20 – 24-year-olds)
participants requested more effective
and ‘forceful’ police, such as this girl in As described earlier, several groups,
Langereef, where the fear for abduction and especially those older than 15, spoke about
rape dominated the conversations: the urgent need for ‘opportunities’ to avoid
boredom, discouragement and depression.
Participant: The police should be around
This included recreational facilities to keep
here in the squatter camp because the
young people occupied after school. It also
police [security guards] here in the
39
included opportunities that would facilitate Participant: Ja, like in Bishop Lavis,
possibilities: interventions that would help there isn’t a place where you can
clarify and connect them to pathways to an volunteer, or do stuff to keep yourself
aspired future, to study further, re-connect busy. Like if there were places, whatever
to the schooling system after having left it may be now. […] I believe that I would
school, or gain work experience: be basically volunteering all over but
there’s nothing.
Participant: I like [this place] because
I grew up here, but […] it gets boring Participant: I actually think opportu-
because we don’t have opportunities. nities – there’s not a lot of that, like I was
For example, […] last year there was a at home for two years [unemployed
guy from Paarl in the Olympic games. after finishing school] […] more jobs,
You see that [on TV]; here we don’t man. (Bishop Lavis young women,
have opportunities. (Breede Valley 20 – 24-year-olds)
girls, 14 – 19-year-olds)
Finally, there were several references to the
Participant: I want the government need for financial support. This was certainly
to open up more opportunities for not a request motivated only by the wish
people that are no longer in school […] for some form of youthful consumption.
just more opportunities. (Bishop Lavis Previous sections have already pointed out
young men, 20 – 24-year-olds) that the participants made clear connections
between a life in deprivation and risk be-
haviour, absence of parental guidance, and
low educational outcomes.
40
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The findings indicate that the five provincial of existing programmes have several,
pillars to support youth development sometimes severe, inefficiencies and gaps.
(family foundations; education and training; This final section summarises the main
economic opportunity; identity and be- issues described by the young participants,
longing; and reconnection opportunities) their suggested interventions or solutions,
were well chosen. However, it is clear the gaps that seem to exist in the PYDS and
that the accessibility and implementation its current implementation.
Family and community life
Key points
• Solutions to increase safety and to treat the trauma of constant exposure
to threat should be included in the PYDS implementation plan. Suggestions
included regular and stronger police presence in communities, creating trust
and ethical cooperation between communities and police forces, holding
perpetrators to account, implementing some of the criteria for ‘safe cities’,
increasing employment opportunities and mitigating the effects of income
poverty.
• It is important that parenting support be accessible to all parents in
impoverished communities and not only those who are considered
‘dysfunctional’; such support should be viewed as part of interventions that
provide material and financial support and further guidance for parents.
• Expanding access to well-trained professionals to deliver psycho-social
support to help families to develop coping strategies and access services is an
imperative.
• This extensive support to families and communities will require collaboration
between government departments, civil society and the private sector through
a whole-of-society approach.
Community life. All participants indicated gangsterism, transactional sex and suicide.
a sense of unhappiness with life in their Peer pressure, the lack of alternatives and
communities. They identified the main of positive role models were described as
issues to be crime, violence, dirty and under- some of the drivers.
serviced areas, a lack of ‘mentors’ among the
adults around them, a general lack of trust in Safety, or rather the lack thereof, in the
the broader community, a sense of isolation community was mentioned by all. The fear
and trauma, and a lack of easily accessible of kidnapping, rape, mugging, gang violence
and reliable facilities. In particular, they and murder was expressed in all groups, with
identified a lack of facilities that a) provide the young people linking deprivation, crime
recreational opportunities; b) help them cope and violence. While some asked for stronger
with their current situation; and/or c) can police presence, others indicated distrust of
form bridges to a better future. The young the police. Several groups asked for a more
people explained that many of the ‘social decisive approach towards known criminals,
ills’ in their households or communities were drugs dealers, alcohol distribution and gangs
caused by deep levels of deprivation which in their neighbourhoods.
drive some to despair, substance abuse,
41
Detailed recommendations on how best to the right direction. Many spoke of caregivers
mitigate the high levels of violence in the working long hours away from home, leaving
country, and in the province, fall outside no time or energy to care or connect.
of the scope of this study. However,
implementing regular and stronger police The WCG’s emphasis on parenting support
presence in all the areas, creating a sense is thus warranted. However, in the context
of trust and ethical cooperation between of parents needing to operate in heavily
communities and police forces, holding impoverished communities which affect
perpetrators to account, implementing some their capacities to parent, it is important that
of the criteria for ‘safe cities’55 (e.g. sufficient such support be accessible to all and not only
and working street lights; safety buttons), those who are considered dysfunctional.
increasing employment opportunities and Secondly, such support should not be seen
mitigating the effects of income poverty separate from interventions that provide
may begin to shift some of the dire levels material and financial support and further
of crime and violence. It is imperative that guidance for parents to better guide their
solutions to increase safety and to treat children. Many young people mentioned
the trauma of constant exposure to threat the financial constraints that lead parents
are included in the PYDS implementation to worry about providing food, transport
plan: the knock-on effect of these on other money or educational support. This confirms
desired outcomes such as education and what is well recognised in existing research:
employment is indisputable. that poverty increases stress levels and has
a negative effect on physical and emotional
Family. While many described finding love, health.56 Expanding access to well-trained
care and support at home, there were professionals to deliver psycho-social
frequent mentions of parents not knowing support that helps families to develop
how best to parent, or having turned to coping strategies and access services is
substance abuse and even exploiting their an imperative. Given constraints on public
own children. All participants spoke about resources (including finances, skills and
high levels of stress within their families, capacity), the practical implementation
even if they were considered supportive. of this will require collaboration across
Several mentioned that their mothers too government departments, civil society
did not always know where to find relevant and the private sector through a whole-of-
information or how to help steer their lives in society approach.
42
The self, and aspirations
Key points
• Despite the effects of poverty, the youth indicated that they have not lost their
inspiration or ability to dream about a life for themselves and others that is
different and better.
• All participants had experienced very dire circumstances that could easily
push them off their belief in possibility and it was not always clear to what
extent they really managed to remain resilient in the face of peer pressure and
multiple deprivations.
• It is important therefore that the Province finds ways to pro-actively reach out
to all young people by creating education and economic opportunity as well as
providing facilities for guidance and support.
All the issues faced at the family or The PYDS speaks of a goal that the
community level were painted along sky- province’s youth are ‘inspired’ (p. 33). The
high aspirations and wishes for a better narratives of many of these young people
life for themselves, their families and their indicate that despite the effects of poverty,
communities. Most young people expressed they have not lost their inspiration or ability
aspirations towards a professional, stable life to dream, and to picture for themselves and
that would allow them an affluent lifestyle. others around them a life that is different
and better. Several participants (of all ages,
This wish for a professional career and a both male and female) pointed out that ‘you
stable, high income, was not only driven by have a choice’ as an individual not to engage
the desire for individual betterment, but also in risky behaviour or crime. However, it
to bring about substantial change for their was not always clear to what extent these
families and their communities and to alleviate youth really did manage to remain resilient
the current levels of sorrow and deprivation. in the face of peer pressure and multiple
This was true for all participants, across deprivations. All these young people had
gender, race and age. However, the older experienced very dire circumstances that
groups gave indications of understanding could easily damage their belief in possibility.
how their structural constraints could hinder
the fulfillment of their aspirations. More rural It is important therefore that the Province
groups referred to isolation of their area as a finds ways to pro-actively reach out to all
possible barrier. In both Black and Coloured young people and, as the PYDS points out,
communities there was reference to peers to provide them with ‘a sense of imminent
who had given up wishing for a better life possibility’. The pillars of education and
and who were now ‘just waiting’ to see economic opportunity play an important
change happen. How much of the latter role therein, but so does the provision of
was due to discouragement among young facilities that provide guidance and support.
people or peer and community influence,
was not clear.
43
Education
Key points
• Participants spoke of conditions indicating low-quality education and were
aware of the negative effects of these on their possibility for upward mobility.
• Urgent intervention is needed to enable youth to reach their full educational
potential through improved quality of teaching and learning for all, and
comprehensive support interventions that can begin to shift young people’s
situation for the better.
• Improvements to the education system, such as clear and comprehensive
career guidance early in high school, are required.
• Serious attempts need to be made to address the large learning backlog
among the current cohort of high-school learners.
• Existing academic after-school programmes need to be evaluated, as do
other models implemented elsewhere in the country, to enable a better
understanding of which ones might be most beneficial in the WC.
• Access to post-school education or work opportunities needs to be improved.
• Further and substantial investment in the college sector needs to be
considered.
The PYDS sets itself the target ‘to ensure that of the negative effect of this situation on
youth are literate, numerate and prepared their possibility for upward mobility, already
for life and work’ (p. 6). hindered by the levels of poverty in many
of their households. Placed alongside the
Participants’ narratives indicated that, Youth Explorer statistics discussed earlier,
for some, school was a place of stability, it is clear that the Province would need to
safety and belonging. A number of learners intervene urgently to enable youth to reach
were accessing fee-paying schools in an their full educational potential.
area that was a little further away from
where they lived. They described receiving This situation is not unique to the WC.
quality education with clear guidance from However, like elsewhere in South Africa
teachers and school management. Among where the problem of low-quality schooling
the majority of those who accessed schools may often seem insolvable, it is possible to
in their immediate, more deprived areas, consider a number of interventions that can
there was a general sense of gratefulness for begin to shift the situation for the better:
access to fee-free schools and to the schools’
nutrition programmes. Several groups spoke • Improve the quality of teaching and
of the positive impact of caring, supportive learning for all. The greatest efforts
and engaged teachers and headmasters on are clearly required in poorer areas,
their lives. However, especially youth in more starting in the foundation phase or
deprived schools also described situations earlier, before learning deficits have
that were utterly unconducive to learning. grown to the current levels found in
grade 9. Efforts have been made by the
Participants spoke of disengaged teachers, WCG through various academic after-
the lack of basic amenities such as chairs and school programmes that focus on maths
tables, unsafe and generally under-resourced and English tuition in low-resourced
schools, limited subject choices, and minimal schools. These programmes include the
or non-existent guidance on subject choice. Mass participation; Opportunity and
Many of these young people were aware access; Development and growth (MOD)
44
Year Beyond programme and pilot as safe spaces and guidance hubs for
programmes in the After School Game children and youth.
Changer. However, the impact of these
• Remediate the large learning backlog
interventions is not yet clear. Once they
among the current cohort of high-
have been tested, and some lessons
school learners who attend schools
learned, the programmes, or elements
in less affluent areas. This is a big
thereoff, could be considered for roll out
task, but does not seem entirely
to a wider group of schools. It will be
impossible. There are indications of
equally important to consider carefully
success by both small and larger-
whether other models applied across the
scale interventions such as the “AK
country might be beneficial in the WC.
Snapshots” Study Groupxii in Michells
• Based on the participants’ narratives, the Plain that helped to organise the FGDs
following areas should be considered there, and Ikamva Youth,xiii which runs
as a priority for stakeholders working peer-tutoring programmes in various
to improve the education system in the communities across the country.
Western Cape: There is, however, a lack of detailed
understanding of the models of these
• increased and dedicated support for
programmes, and of evidence on what
teachers and school management
kinds of interventions and approaches
working in less than optimal situations;
are most successful at the high-school
• increased and better management level, in resource-poor settings, and
of current resources for teaching, at what scale. A scoping exercise of
school management and educational national and international literature
equipment (starting with the basics into existing programmes and their
of chairs, tables and windows, but impact is therefore needed.
preferably going further, to turn
• Post-school opportunities should be
classrooms into places of inspiration –
created by supporting youth to write and
not desperation);
pass their matric exam and find access
• increasing teacher knowledge both to higher education, or to high quality
on subjects as well as on pedagogics technical and vocational training with a
and teaching methods; clear understanding of the pathways that
• increasing subject choice and education can offer them. For others it
explaining to learners the impact of not may be important to gain access to work
being able to take a certain subject – and work experience opportunities.
so that their educational choices are • Continue to explore investing substan-
as informed as possible; tially in the college sector to expand
• instilling a culture of pride and passion access to, and improve completion
for the teaching profession that sees rates in, TVET. In addition, it is critical to
teachers abandoning practices that strengthen links between the TVET sector
are simply harmful for their learners; and employers to ensure that education
and training lead to actual employment.
• regulations with regards to phone
use in the classroom by teachers and • In 2016, the Province launched the
learners need to be implemented and Apprenticeship Game Changer to
guarded; and create the necessary opportunities
and pathways for individuals towards
• building connections between com- technical and vocational qualifications
munities, families and schools, and and employment. This involves – but goes
creating schools that truly function beyond – the building of relationships
xii More on the AK Snapshots on the Mitchells Plain Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/MPA.co.za/
posts/10152391500612373
xiii http://ikamvayouth.org/
45
between employers and colleges. It will be that youth need to understand the route
important to measure and understand the to their aspired futures. This includes, but
impact of the Province’s Apprenticeship is not limited to, ensuring access to clear
Game Changer programme on young and efficient information, guidance and
people’s employment opportunities, and support to make it easier for students to
to adjust where necessary. apply to colleges and universities.
• Clear and comprehensive career • Understand the need to provide
guidance should be provided early in comprehensive support – including
high school to guide subject choice and financial aid, academic and psycho-social
highlight post-school learning pathways support that can enable learners to stay
and their relevance for upward social the course.
mobility. Provide the stepping stones
46
Economic opportunities
Key points
• WCG and other youth development stakeholders should continuously consider
innovative support measures and employment-oriented interventions close to
where youth live.
• Motivate employers, particularly those providing entry-level and low-skilled
jobs, to increase their demand for youth employees.
• Provide access to second chance education to those who failed matric.
• Youth-targeted communication strategies could be more effective by
differentiating and gearing them towards crucial moments in young people’s
trajectories.
Several of the older youth spoke about Going beyond the suggested programmes
extended periods of joblessness and in the PYDS is also important; the WCG and
unsuccessful job searches, and therefore other stakeholders working in the youth
about the need for more ‘opportunities’. This development sector should continuously
included the wish to gain work experience consider innovative support measures such
(even if unpaid voluntary work). as travel vouchers, saving schemes and
better access to clear information that can
The PYDS recognises the need for ‘improved help young people access jobs. Although
connections between youth and jobs and not all of this is the mandate of the Western
links to work experience’ (p. 6). Central to its Cape Government, relevant departments
approach is a subsidised work programme, have an important role to play to lobby
as well as job intermediation and facilitation national government in these areas.
of access to first jobs, and, as mentioned
earlier, connecting to pathways within or Of course, the success of all these initiatives
through the education system. However, depends largely on the number of jobs
many of the participants – both in the urban that are available for young people in the
and rural areas – were not aware of any of province, and the required skills levels.
the Province’s interventions. Thus, ensuring Motivating employers, particularly those
a sufficient number of interventions close providing entry-level and low-skilled jobs, to
to where these youth live would be an increase their demand for youth employees
important intervention. is thus important.
In addition, youth-targeted communication Lastly, but importantly, ‘catering’ for the bulk
strategies could be more effective by of young people who may not have written
differentiating and gearing them towards or passed their matric exams is imperative
youth at particular crucial moments in their if we wish to avoid the majority of youth
trajectories – e.g. while they are still at sliding into a more vulnerable position. Here
school, or as they turn 18 and exit the child it is critical to ensuring access to second
support grant system, or when they receive chance education, or to the TVET system,
their matric certificate. where a matric qualification may not be a
requirement to access opportunities for
further learning.
47
The request for comprehensive support: prevention, protection
and guidance
Key points
• All participants asked for facilities where they could ‘keep busy’ after school
and during other free times.
• Boys and girls both asked for: easy-to-reach, safe and affordable social spaces;
places or youth clubs where friends can meet and relax, resources can be
accessed and support offered; clean parks; gym; theatre; cinema; continuity of
programmes and stepping stones to better futures.
• Girls specifically asked for safe sports facilities for netball and swimming,
fashion and arts-related activities.
• Facilities and services that are aimed at preventing further harm, protecting
and healing from trauma were also requested, as were places or people that
provide reliable, youth-relevant information and guidance, especially on
education, health, and jobs or internships.
• Participants asked that services and support be offered in an informed manner
and without judgement.
• An imperative is to support youth in their own agency, but also to connect
them to mentors and role models.
• Supporting youth through the multiple deprivations they experience
requires an understanding of the ways in which multiple deprivations work
simultaneously to constrain young people’s lives; there needs to be access to
a basket of inter-related services that involves collaboration between various
stakeholders.
• The implementation of these requires that young people get to identify the
support they need; that the available community resources are well-understood
and that this knowledge informs the design and maintenance of a centralised
system of information; as well as clear and efficient inter-governmental
communication and alignment of programmes and collaboration between
various sectors.
• Youth Cafés and partnership sites are both likely candidates to become the
type of place that can offer multifaceted support to the Province’s youth,
but more information is needed about their efficiency and the possibility of
bringing additional services into those spaces without weakening their current
offering and impact. Many more of these sites would be needed in all corners of
the Province, and available to youth from adolescence to young adulthood.
Many of the participants clearly felt restricted Prevention: Safe, clean and easy-
and hurt by deprivation and its effects on to-reach recreational facilities
their environments, yet they managed to
articulate what they thought would help them All participants asked for facilities where they
create better lives, including what initiatives could ‘do something’ after school and during
they would like to see. An overview of such other free times. This was also presented as
interventions is provided in the next section. an antidote to the lure of gangsterism, early
sexual debut or substance abuse. The sense of
isolation was great, especially (but not only)
48
in the more rural areas. Current recreational It is therefore imperative for the Province
facilities were described as either too far to find ways to support youth in their own
away (and therefore expensive and unsafe to agency, but also to connect them to that of
travel to), non-existent, not sustained, or not others, such as mentors and role models,
youth relevant. Girls and young women in all who can provide the additional knowledge
groups were adamant that sports facilities that they require.
were almost entirely focused on young men
and did not offer them a chance to practise Multi-faceted character of the
sports in adequately safe and well-equipped
deprivations requires multi-
spaces. Leisure places like (safe) parks,
gyms, swimming pools, cinemas, theatres,
faceted interventions
and malls were requested by all, as well as The findings compellingly show that young
opportunities for further development. people need support to deal with the multiple
deprivations they experience in the different
Protection, healing and mentoring spheres of their lives. The barriers they may
face in the one sphere intricately affect the
Alongside the need for recreational facilities opportunities they may have in the other. For
was the request for facilities and services interventions by the Province this means that
that are aimed at further prevention of harm, gains made in one intervention are at risk of
protection and healing from trauma. These being wiped out by the set-backs in another.
include the presence of trustworthy and It is therefore important that the multitude
protective police forces, and facilities to help of deprivations young people experience is
young people deal with the trauma they and reflected in interventions that the Province
their families experience on a daily basis. The designs. In other words, interventions should
need for easy access to a psychologist was be able to address more than one issue at a
mentioned more than once, for both young time. The implementation of such a ‘basket
women and young men (and in some cases of inter-related services’ need not only
for parents). This was seen as an intervention be the responsibility of the WCG, but may
that could both prevent further harm and again require a whole-of-society approach
risk behaviour, and that could help young that involves collaboration between various
people and caregivers decide on a better, stakeholders.
more positive way forward.
To succeed in this requires one consolidated
Finally, there was a clear request for places approach to youth development that can
or people that would provide reliable offer young people support and advice in
information and guidance on ‘being the areas where they feel they need it the
young’ in general, and more specifically on most. This consolidation needs to exist
education, health, and jobs or internships. both physically, in a safe and nourishing
Importantly, youth asked for these to space that is easily accessible to youth,
be offered without judgement but in a and conceptually, in a basket of services
way that shows understanding of their or support that recognises that these
situation. Young women especially pointed various deprivations work simultaneously
out how they could take up some of these to constrain young people’s lives. Thus,
roles by establishing what one referred a programme to ‘provide parents with
to as a ‘sisterhood’ to provide emotional information about child development and
support, share experiences, knowledge and teach skills to communicate and solve
information that could counter the prevailing problems in non-violent ways’57 may lead to
sense of rivalry and fragmentation in the a better understanding between parents and
community. They were, however, clear about their adolescent youth. However, a single-
their own limitations to knowledge about faceted programme like this will do little to
the educational system, and opportunities alleviate the impact of the deep levels of
to gain experience or find work. income poverty on these households, or the
low quality of education in under-resourced
49
schools that are accessible to these young corners of the Province to ensure they
people. are accessible to young people and are
adequately integrated into the communities’
Multi-faceted interventions have been shown social fabric. Facilities such as the Youth
to have stronger positive effects on young Cafés or partnership sites would need to
people’s engagement in risk behaviour than be available for children at a younger age,
single-focus interventions.58 The ideal would and for all young people in the communities
be, then, to implement an intervention that who feel they have a pressing issue they
helps young people identify the support they need help with. This may well be wide-
need and that connects them to a range of ranging, from needing help with getting
easily accessible and quality services. their identity document or birth certificate,
to issues of severe abuse in the family, to
In order to implement this kind of initiative, health questions, or hunger. The sensitivity
thorough understanding of the available of many of the issues young people deal
community resources would be needed with requires them to receive support in a
as well as the design and maintenance context that safeguards their privacy and
of a centralised system of information. It is non-judgmental. This will allow young
would also require clear and efficient inter- people to really ask for the help they need.
governmental communication and alignment
of programmes, as well as collaboration While the partnership sites seem like a step
between civil society, government and in the right direction, they would need to
private sector stakeholders. be capacitated to engage actively with
young people and with the particularities of
The concept of the WCG’s Youth Cafés and neighbourhoods’ needs. More generally, they
partnership sites are both likely candidates need to be ready to support young people
to become the type of place that can offer in voicing their aspirations and their needs;
multi-faceted support. However, for the to take a genuine interest in youth; and to
WCG’s goal to be met, many more of these provide help, support and a roadmap for
partnership sites would be needed in all young people to reach the life they aspire to.
50
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52

Unpacking The Lived Realities of Western Cape Youth

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Unpacking the

Front cover picture: Western Cape Government

Youth well-being in the Western Cape Province: an introduction................................................... 5

Conclusion and recommendations............................................................................................................. 41

FGD Focus Group Discussion

HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus

MPI Multidimensional Poverty Index

NEET Not in Education, Employment or Training

NGO Non-Governmental Organisations

PII Poverty and Inequality Initiative, University of Cape Town

PSET Post-School Education and Training

PYDS Provincial Youth Development Strategy

TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training

WCG Western Cape Government

Figure 1: Geographic location of municipal wards included in the study

Figure 3: Incidence of multidimensional youth poverty, by ward,

Indicators on youth well-being: Afrikaans speaking – areas: Mitchells Plain

30% youth deprived of employment

49% deprived in NEET

2% deprived in toilet facilities

35% female that have given birth to a child

14% age 16–19

Youth in Khayelitsha – Ward 89 Youth in Bishop Lavis – Ward 24

99% race – coloured 92% race – coloured

34% male 30% male

72% female 56% female

30% youth deprived of employment 22% youth deprived of employment

45% deprived in NEET 43% deprived in NEET

Health & Family & Living

27% deprived in toilet facilities 5% deprived in toilet facilities

32% female that have given birth to a child

31% female that have given birth to a child

Youth in Stellenbosch – Ward 2 Youth in Breede Valley – Ward 18

63% race – black 57% race – coloured

41% male 42% male

63% female 60% female

28% youth deprived of employment 11% youth deprived of employment

44% deprived in NEET 25% deprived in NEET

Health & Family & Living

6% deprived in toilet facilities 4% deprived in toilet facilities

45% female that have given birth to a child

35% female that have given birth to a child

Youth are disproportionately Many young people experience multiple

Information & Health &

Ward 2, Breede Valley, 58.6%

Ward 59, City of Cape Town, 3.4% of

0% 11.7% 23.4% 35.2% 46.9% 58.6%

Ward 6, Bergriver, 34.5%

Ward 11, Langeberg , 47.8%

34.5% 47.6% 60.7% 73.8% 86.9% 100%

informed decisions about matric subjects or Economic opportunities

Ward 1, Prince Albert , 49.6% of

1.3% 11.9% 22.5% 33.2% 43.8% 54.4%

x Local township derogatory term for ‘black foreign man’.

Participant: An after-school leadership Several groups mentioned that existing

xi Also referred to as ‘breakdancing’.

Offering ‘opportunities’ Importantly, the participants indicated that

In addition to these kinds of ‘protective’ Others referred to actively seeking

Figure 1: Geographic location of municipal wards included in the study

Figure 3: Incidence of multidimensional youth poverty, by ward,