YES Initiative Announces Its Plans For 2019

The Youth Employment Service (YES) initiative, which was launched last year in an effort to create 1 million new 12-month job opportunities for young people, has outlined its plans for 2019. It is a business-led initiative undertaken in collaboration with government, labor and civil society to skilled employment training to unemployed young people that position them to meet the needs of the economy and pursue work opportunities in SMMEs.

As part of the initiative, businesses create a 12 month paid position for youth between the ages of 18 and 35 with a minimum stipend of R3 500.

During an interview with SME South Africa, Tashmia Ismail Saville, the chief of executive of YES, discussed the 2019 plans for the YES initiative.  Saville said their focus at the moment is bringing in more corporate partners to join the initiative, which already has a total of 248 companies on board, reported IOL.

The YES initiative is looking forward to establishing 100 community hubs to add to the first community hub that was launched in 2018. The hubs are a part of the YES SMMES Development Strategy which mainly focuses on business development, route to market and skills training.

According to Ismail-Saville, they are going to start the initiative in townships and areas with huge potential like Mpumalanga. The YES initiative’s plan for 2019 also includes creating awareness around the initiative calling on South Africans with resources to join for the cause. The initiative will also be looking at joining with enterprise development programmes in an effort to change the technological landscape and business practices of small businesses.

The YES initiative has already provided work opportunities to 4600 youth in 2018 is an initiative between businesses and government with young people.