Swiss-South African Co-operation Initiative
Funding Programme

Section Summary:


Our Focus and Strategy

SSACI's overall objective in terms of its Deed of Trust is: "To advance educational opportunities for disadvantaged young South Africans in order to enable them to obtain employment". This is in line with one of the South African government's own priorities, namely to tackle the critical problem of youth unemployment.

SSACI believes that its money can be best spent on vocational training and job creation for out-of-school youths in the 16-35 year-old age bracket. Particular emphasis is given to training in the Further Education and Training band of the National Qualifications Framework - i.e. the technical and vocational equivalents of Grades 10-12 in the academic school system.

To receive funding from SSACI, a project must comprise a substantial technical or vocational training component and a post-training support programme aimed at assisting successful trainees either to find jobs or to create their own. In most cases, there is also a period of on-the-job mentoring for first-time employees.

Since SSACI seeks to get youths into sustainable long-term employment, it concentrates its projects within sectors of the economy that are:
  1. Growing, and are therefore likely to offer future opportunities for advancement
  2. Creating job opportunities from that growth (as opposed to the "jobless growth" found in some sectors of the economy)
  3. Creating the sort of jobs that young people can fill, i.e. jobs that require a relatively low level of skills and experience at entry-level, but offer good prospects for further on-the-job training and hence of career advancement
Research reports have enabled SSACI to identify about twenty such industries or sectors of the economy - ranging from automobile repairs, business services and catering to information technology, retailing, and tourism and hospitality - within which to fund promising projects..

SSACI also gives priority to fostering micro-enterprises, recognising these as the most rapidly-growing sector of the South African economy, with the highest rate of growth in employment.


Our Funding Portfolio

Overview

By July 2009, SSACI's 53 projects had resulted in:
  • Almost 5'000 unskilled, unemployed youths enrolled for training
  • 3΄500 of these trainees completing their courses (90% of those scheduled to graduate)
  • 3΄200 graduates being placed in wage- or self-employment
  • 358 new enterprises started
  • 500 existing enterprises receiving BDS
  • Over 1΄150 new jobs created

In addition to these quantitative outputs, SSACI had also played a key role in:
  • Developing new qualifications and related training courses in agriculture, construction, customer contact-centres, ECD and tourism.
  • Piloting a new model for supporting SMEs, subsequently implemented nationwide by the Department of Labour
  • Piloting a new university scholarship scheme, subsequently adopted by provincial government
  • Improving the training in basic engineering skills at public FET colleges
  • Assisting projects to become financially self-sustainable beyond the period of donor funding
  • Conducting significant research into best practice in skills training and small enterprise development.
Supporting Youth Entrepreneurship in SA
Mentoring Manual

Focus Areas

SSACI aims to open up new pathways to employment for youths. To this end, we seek projects that prepare youths for long-term careers in industries or enterprises that offer prospects for sustainable employment, personal development and the acquisition of further skills. We therefore focus on sectors of the economy that:
  • Are growing, and are therefore likely to offer future opportunities for advancement
  • Are creating new job opportunities from that growth (as opposed to the "jobless growth" found in some sectors of the economy)
  • Require low-to-intermediate entry-levels of skill and are therefore the sort of jobs that young people can immediately fill
Cost-benefits

Graduates of SSACI-funded training projects typically go from training into jobs paying 3-5 times more than the minimum wage earned from the unskilled work they would otherwise be limited to, if they're fortunate enough to even find work.

Newly-established entrepreneurs in the informal sector (i.e. unregistered micro-enterprises) typically show profits of R1'000-R1'500 per month, with a small number going up to and above R10'000. Though low, these incomes represent a significant step up for youths who were previously unemployed. They are also well above the national norm for businesses in the informal sector, whose median turnover is well under R1'000 per month.

It is worth noting that training in SSACI-funded projects not only provide employment for the beneficiaries but also long-term employability because trainees acquire specific occupational, entrepreneurial and life skills, as well as valuable work experience. This gives them access to further work opportunities.


List of Projects

Current Projects

Name Accelerated Artisan Skills
Description Revitalisation of apprenticeships in critically scarce artisan trades (millwrights, fitters & turners, boilermakers, electricians and welders) through an intensive 80-week training programme leading to the nationally accredited trade test
Duration 3 years (2008 - 2010)
Lead Agency SSACI
Budget R2 000 000
Status 40 apprentices currently in training; negotiations under way with government agencies to scale up project in 2009
 
Name Access to Technical Training
Description Scholarships, mentorship and assistance with job-placement for 160 students studying engineering or financial accounting courses at FET institutions in the Western Cape
Duration 7 years (2003 - 2009)
Lead Agency Access Trust
Budget R3 500 000
Status On track for completion in June 2010
 
Name Avitourism
Description Creation of employment opportunities in tour-guiding for bird enthusiasts through:
  • Training of 20 youths from rural districts in Limpopo Province as birding guides, followed by placement in employment in lodges or camps on wilderness trails.
  • Refurbishment and upgrading of community-owned campsites on wilderness trails
Duration 2 years (2008 - 2009)
Lead Agency Birdlife Southern Africa
Budget R990 000
Status On track for completion in December 2009
 
Name Community ECD Services
Description Expansion of employment opportunities in early childhood development (ECD) through:
  • Training of 50 young women as new ECD practitioners through a ten-month training programme leading to a nationally-recognised qualification, and thereafter assisting them to find employment in ECD centres in disadvantaged communities within the greater Cape Town metropolitan area
  • Training in managerial, educational, financial and health-and-safety issues for 300 community members responsible for 5 community-based ECD centres and 40 satellite sites
  • Promotion of long-term sustainability of the centres and sites by helping them with financial planning and access to government subsidies
Duration 2.5 years (2007 - 2009)
Lead Agency Centre for Early Childhood Development
Budget R2 700 000
Status On track for completion in July 2009
 
Name FET College Training
Description Assisting public Further Education & Training colleges to align their training in engineering skills more closely with the needs of industry through:
  • in-service development of lecturers
  • workplace-based experience for students
  • Development of local college-industry partnerships
Duration 3 years (2008 - 2010)
Lead Agency SSACI, in partnership with Department of Education
Budget R2 500 000
Status On track through 4 lead colleges, with systemic lessons being passed on to provincial and national education structures
 
Name Hospitality Skills for 2010
Description Skills training of 300 youths for the hospitality, leading up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup tournament, and assistance with job placement.
Duration 2.5 years (2008 - 2010)
Lead Agency Hospitality Youth Initiative
Budget R3 500 000
Status On track for completion in July 2010
 
Name Human Resources for Rural Health
Description Simultaneously address the shortage of qualified professional health staff in rural hospitals and the high incidence of unemployment in deep rural areas through:
  • Training for 100 rural youths in the critically scarce health professions (medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry & physiotherapy) and placement back into local hospitals and clinics to serve for a period equal to the duration of their studie
  • Integration of the training programme into publically-funded scholarship schemes
Duration 9 years (2002 - 2011)
Lead Agency Friends of Mosvold Scholarship Scheme (KwaZulu Natal); Wits Initiative for Rural Health Education (North West & Mpumalanga)
Budget R10 500 000
Status 15 graduates to date, with another 64 in training; scheme adopted by North West provincial government
 
Name Innovative Enterprise Development
Description Training, mentorship and business loans for 180 emerging young entrepreneurs with innovative businesses in Cape Town to help them grow their businesses and create more jobs.
Duration 7 years (2003 - 2009)
Lead Agency The Centre for Innovation & Entrepreneurships in the Graduate School of Business Studies, University of Cape Town
Budget R1 680 000
Status 120 businesses serviced, with 70% reporting increased revenue and profitability, leading to creation of 80 new jobs
 
Name Research into Promotion of Youth Entrepreneurship
Description Applied research, including:
  • Supporting Youth Entrepreneurship in South Africa (SSACI; 2006)
  • Lessons in Mentoring Young Entrepreneurs (SSACI; 2009)
  • Aspects of small business development in SA for the 2008, 2009 and 2010 editions of the prestigious Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (UCT; 2009, 2010 & 2011)
Duration 5 years (2006 - 2010)
Lead Agency SSACI, Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Budget R1 600 000
Status 3 research reports published to date, with 2 more scheduled for publication in early 2010 and 2011.
 
Name Stellemploy Artisan Training
Description Establishment of a local skills training centre in Stellenbosch and training for 390 local youths in basic artisanal skills, followed by placement in the construction and light engineering industries
Duration 3 years (2007 - 2010)
Lead Agency Stellemploy
Budget R1 400 000
Status On track for completion in June 2010
 

Successfully Completed Previous Projects

  
KZN Poultry Farming Training of 95 youths in KwaZulu-Natal as commercial poultry farmers through a new learnership implemented in collaboration with the Agriculture SETA Gallery... 2'700'000
 
Business Start-Up Training Training and business development services for 350 young entrepreneurs in Gauteng, North-West and Free State provinces. Gallery... 1’690’000
 
Thembalethu BDS Business development services for youth-owned enterprises in rural Mpumalanga. 1'500'000
 
Basic Entrepreneurial Skills Development Development and piloting through 400 enterprises in 6 provincial sites (Free State, Limpopo, Gauteng, North West, KZN & Mpumalanga), of a model for delivering intensive hand-holding services that could be sustained or replicated through further funding from the National Skills Fund.Gallery... 5’600’000
 
 
Mobile Mentors Provision of "mobile mentorship" and other on-site business-development services to youth-owned enterprises in Gauteng and the Western Cape. Gallery... 300’000
 
Inner-City Furniture Skills Training of 17 youths from inner-city Johannesburg in carpentry and upholstery and place them in jobs in the furniture manufacturing or repair industry. Gallery... 220'000


TECSAT Technical Education Training of 120 Western Cape youths in metalworking and electrical and mechanical engineering at FET institutions and assistance in job placement. Gallery... 2’128’000
 
Amsai Community School IT Centre Construction of an IT centre for use by this community school and adult basic education centre in Orange Farm informal settlement, Gauteng 2'400’000
 
Bahloki Rural Enterprise Development Technical skills and entrepreneurial training for 100 youths in rural Mpumalanga 400’000
 
Forest Town Skills Centre Refurbishment and equipping of a skills training centre for senior learners at Forest Town School for handicapped learners 350’000
 
Furniture Industry Skills Training Technical skills training in carpentry, joinery, furniture-manufacture and cabinet-making, followed by post-training assistance in finding employment or setting up micro-enterprises, for 190 youths from North West Province 2'319’000
 
Street Youths Skills Training Life Skills, entrepreneurial skills and literacy training for 60 "street youths" from Durban and East Rand 215’400
 
Siyavuka Ceramic Design & Manufacture Training for 30 unemployed Soweto youths in ceramic design and manufacture, followed by job placement or incubation facilities and business advice to graduates who want to establish their own business. 686’000
 
Youth Empowerment Training Training in life-skills and self-empowerment for 500 unemployed youths from Gauteng and Western Cape Gallery... 2'820’000
 
Soweto Disabled Entrepreneur Project Technical skills training (in welding or catering) and post-training mentorship in setting up micro-enterprises for 25 disabled youths in Soweto, Gauteng 438’000
 
Business Training by Community Radio Business and technical skills training by a mixture of contact sessions and distance education in tourism and hospitality-related enterprises for 30 young entrepreneurs in 12 selected localities around the country 800’000
 
Business Skills Development Centre Entry-level training in office and business skills and post-training mentorship in finding jobs or setting up micro-enterprises for 175 youths from the greater Cape Town area Gallery... 2'300’000
 
Wilderness Therapy Trail-guiding FET and tertiary-level training for 30 formerly-militarised youths in 4 provinces as wilderness guides 930’000
 
Eco-Tourguiding Training for 10 youths from Tembisa/Ivory Park as eco-tour guides and assistance in setting up tourism agency to coincide with WSSD 450’000
 
Small projects (15.1-15.18) 18 small projects, usually involving research and development of training courses, or deserving “welfare” projects, each valued at under R50’000 561’000
 
“Conquest for Life” Skills Training Training in electrical appliance repair, carpentry, upholstery or detergent production for 100 youths-at-risk in Westbury and Coronationville, Gauteng, and post-training mentorship in finding jobs or setting up micro-enterprises 900’000
 
Office Skills Training for Employment Training in general office administration skills for 60 youths from the greater Cape Town metropole, and post-training assistance in finding jobs 580’000
 
Rural Students’ Technical Education Provision of 3-year scholarships for 58 youths from rural communities in Western Cape, KZN, Limpopo and North West Provinces to study approved technical courses at tertiary level, and assistance in finding wage-employment after graduation 1’094’000
 
KZN Tourism & Hospitality Training Training and in-service learnerships in the hospitality industry for 120 youths from rural Western Cape and KZN, and post-training assistance in finding jobs Gallery... 1’226’000
 
Borakanelo Local Enterpise Development Vocational training in welding, carpentry or dress-making for 60 youths from the rural Delpoortshoop area of the Northern Cape, and post-training mentorship in setting up micro-enterprises 554’000
 
I-Fundi Call-Centre Training Training and placement of 110 youths as call-centre agents in Gauteng through a new learnership programme developed in conjunction with the Services SETA Gallery... 2’090’000
 
DIT New Venture Creation Learnership Technical and entrepreneurial training for 30 youths in the ICT-support industry, leading to the establishment of 20 new businesses through new venture-creation learnerships developed in conjunction with the ICT SETA 750’000
 
Zenzele Youths Skills Training Training in technical and entrepreneurial skills for 30 Western Cape youths and assistance insetting up micro-enterprises 688’000
 
ECD Practitioners’ Training Training of 30 young women as early childhood development practitioners through a new 18-month learnership programme developed in conjunction with the Education, Training and Development SETA 650’000
 
Pelindaba Engineering Skills Training Practical training, followed by job placement, for 50 youths studying mechanical and electrical engineering at secondary and tertiary level 800’000
 
Athlone Call-Centre Training Training and placement of 284 youths as call-centre agents in Western Cape a mix of learnerships and short courses developed in conjunction with the Services SETA Gallery... 2’344’000
 
KZN Midlands Local Enterprise Development Training of 30 youths from the Natal midlands as entrepreneurs and assistance in establishing micro-enterprises 354’000
 
W/Cape IT Franchising Training of 10 youths from Cape Town as ICT technicians and assistance in establishing franchised micro-businesses. 896’000
 
Bergzicht Tourism & Hospitality Project Development of a new entry-level learnership in the tourism and hospitality industry, and training of a pilot group of 45 learners from the Western Cape, followed by assistance in finding wage-employment or starting their own micro-enterprises Gallery... 425’000
 
Conference on Micro-Enterpirse Development International conference on micro-enterprise development and finance, Nov 2003 190’000
 
Jala Peo Youth Enterprise Development Business development services for 50 micro-enterprises in the Moqhaka district (Free State province) in order to promote business growth and further employment Gallery... 650’000
 
Vukani IT Technician Training Training of 54 youths from Tshwane as computer hardware and software support technicians and job placement Gallery... 475’000
 
Thembalethu Rural Enterprise Development Start-up business skills training for 30 emerging young entrepreneurs in rural Mpumalanga Gallery... 880’000
 
Inyathelo Tourism Market Development Market development services through 10 tourism enterprises in the Western Cape in order to promote growth and further employment 530’000
 
W/Cape Youth Tourism Technical and business skills training in the Western Cape tourism & hospitality industry for 30 youths, & assistance in finding employment 430’000
 
Giyani High School Training Centres Refurbishment and equipping of a technical skills training centre and a computer centre 315’000
 
TNT Voluntary Youth Enterprise Mentoring Mentoring by volunteers of 200 emerging young entrepreneurs in Gauteng and W/Cape to help them grow their businesses and create more jobs. Gallery... 500’000
 
Research into Youth Entrepreneurship Research into factors promoting or impeding youth entrepreneurship in South Africa, in order to identify ways in which young people’s entry into business could be facilitated. 200’000
 
Sustainable Home Construction Development of a new learnership in sustainable home construction and training of a pilot group of 40 young artisans in Western Cape Gallery... 700’000



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