PROFILE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SERVICE
Empowering businesses to create
jobs for unemployed youth The Youth Employment Service (YES) is a private sector youth employment programme affecting broad-based change across sectors, provinces, and the country.
W
e address the country’s youth unemployment
childhood development, and conservation where youth live,
crisis by empowering businesses to create jobs
meaning young people can play an important part in building
for unemployed youth. We’re a youth-focused
their own communities.
and business-led non-profit organisation that
The YES host partners help capacitate local businesses,
is not reliant on government funding, making our jobs 100%
schools, clinics and NPOs with dynamic young people who are
private sector funded.
eager to learn and grow their careers. This feeds into poverty eradication and upliftment of communities and economies
We work with leading businesses in various sectors to provide 12-month quality work experiences for unemployed young
beyond the mines these towns surround. The YES model can also see young people deployed in
people to be future managers, skilled employees, professionals,
community-based SMEs, effectively boosting the capacity
change-makers, and entrepreneurs who will drive their
of local businesses to deliver goods and services to their
communities and the South African economy forward. For
neighbouring mines and beyond.
many youth, this is their first employment in the private sector and YES provides a vital first step on their journey to long term employment. For business, YES is a key pipeline through which you can
Take skills development programmes up a level YES also allows mines and other businesses to take their existing
select, develop and de-risk undiscovered, standout talent,
skills development programmes up a level by pairing them this
previously locked out of the economy. We provide businesses
work-readiness initiatives post-training. The YES turnkey solution
with a route to sustainability and long-term value.
can help companies deliver on their SLPs, integrate into their
Businesses can improve their B-BBEE scorecard by up to
environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and achieve
two levels while affecting broad-based transformation. Beyond
their sustainable development goals (SDG) as needed by their
B-BBEE, many businesses are also integrating YES into their
investors and consumers.
environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies to have a meaningful and measurable impact on communities and the
Build a legacy for you(th)
environment.
YES has a current run rate of creating 2 000+ high quality jobs
There are two ways business can participate in YES: they can place youth within their own company structures, or they can
inception, YES and its partners have injected R5.5 billion into
place youth in one of YES’s 33 vetted host partners through the
the economy through YES Youth salaries. A total of 40% of YES
turnkey solution.
youth alumni are currently employed post-programme, which is
A popular integrated solution for mining and resource companies YES is becoming a popular integrated solution for mining and resource companies to not only help them meet their ESG goals, but also to fulfil their social and labour plan (SLP) contract. Through YES’s turnkey solution, resource and mining companies can create youth work experiences with communitybased NPOs working in some of the most critical sectors in South Africa such as healthcare, education, digital, early
28
for youth per month, predominantly in the private sector. Since
SA PROFILE www.saprofilemagazine.co.za
double the national average. ■
Join the national movement of over 2 200 corporate partners like Anglo American Platinum, Kumba Iron Ore, and South 32 who have signed on to create a brighter future for youth.