In the News: Announcing the Youth Development in South Africa Summit

Announcing the Youth Development in South Africa Summit

Johannesburg: Organisations advancing youth development and dignity are hosting the Youth Development in South Africa Summit to celebrate and collaborate to amplify and build sustainable impact of youth development practice in South Africa. The Youth Development in SA Summit is taking place on Friday 25 October 2019, at the Wits Sports and Conference Centre.

The challenges facing youth in South Africa have become more prominent, with a lot of investment and attention on “new” initiatives and actions to tackle the issues faced young people. But the challenges are not new and there are many youth-led organisations and formations that have been working at the coalface of youth development for the last decade and more. These organisations hold insights and experience that should be celebrated and need to be shared in order to be more effective in building sustainable solutions to the challenges facing youth.

The Youth Development in South Africa Summit has been organised to amplify the voice and positive image of organisations and practitioners of youth development within South Africa. This one-day gathering will showcase some of the amazing work that NPOs and NGOs are doing and their contribution towards youth development in South Africa. The Youth Development in SA Summit is designed as a platform to:

• Recognise and celebrate practitioners of youth development and youth work in South Africa that have had and continue to have impact
• Share knowledge and best practice to build sustainable and meaningful action in youth development work
• Facilitate collaboration and cohesion in the youth development sector.

“We are very excited to be part of an initiative that offers youth development professionals, aspiring youth development practitioners, emerging organisations, community leaders and strategists a platform to come together, learn and collaborate for greater impact,” shared Amanda Blankfield-Koseff, Founder and CEO of Empowervate Trust, one of the seven collaborative partners that have come together to make the Youth Development Summit a success.

The Youth Development Summit is a collaborative initiative by organisations that advance the dignity and development of youth in different areas. Collaborative Partners: enke: Make Your Mark (host), Activate! Change Drivers, City Year South Africa, Columba Leadership, Empowervate Trust, FinHealth Africa, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, and Nka’Thuto Edupropeller.

The summit is an opportunity to network with leaders in youth development, learn best practice and theory in youth development in the South African context and learn contextually relevant practice to inform effective strategic funding and decision-making. There will be discussions, problem solving and knowledge sharing on the following themes:

• Impact & Innovation – focuses on the impact measurement and innovation; how to measure, sustain and shift where necessary
• Leadership & Management – focuses on organisational leadership and operations; how we can lead and build effective teams and operations in an organisation.
• Funding & Sustainability – focuses on practical ways that organisation can access funding, better understand innovative funding mechanisms, and build themselves for financial sustainability.
• Collaboration & Partnership – focusing on how organisations can collaborate and partner to generate greater impact, or in practical operational terms to succeed, or how to best plug into and leverage new initiatives and investments. 

“From the Sustainable Development Goals, Agenda 2063, to the National Development Plan, there is recognition that collaboration is key to achieve the systemic shifts that we collectively want to see for young people. As the African proverb goes “One finger can’t crush lice” – so working with excellence together for a common purpose is key to achieving the change we want (and need) to see for youth. That is why initiatives like this are so important,” shared Rufaro Mudimu, CEO of enke: Make Your Mark.

Asked why the Youth Development Summit is being held, Ms. Mudimu shared, “There is so much being done and achieved by small organisations, but their work is relatively unseen, not adequately celebrated, and/or they are not able to make the stage to speak and lead at conferences convened at a larger scale due to resource constraints. We want to showcase the work of all leaders and changemakers in the youth development sector. We are putting youth development, in all its focus areas, at the centre to focus on the purpose that drives so many organisations to create a better future for the young people we work with.”

Youth Development in SA Summit Information

• Date: Friday 25 October 2019
• Time: 8:30am-4:00pm
• Where: Wits Sports & Conference Centre, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
• Capacity: Maximum 120 seats
• Exhibitors: leading youth development organisations & practitioners
• Thematic Tracks:
  • Impact & Innovation
  • Leadership & Management
  • Funding & Sustainability
  • Collaboration & Partnership
• Hackathon: How might we better collaborate and build a collective voice in the youth development sector in SA?

Tickets are R200 and are available to purchase online via Quicket. Visit https://www.quicket.co.za/events/87911-youth-development-in-south-africa-summit/ for event and ticket information.