Who we are?
Yubuntu is a community of practice platform that was established to support the Youth Development Sector.
Mission
As Yubuntu, we realised that South Africa has a substantial youth unemployment problem, with many young people who face significant barriers to making a successful transition from school into employment or further education and training. A mismatch between the supply and demand of skills, institutionalised inequality, spatial challenges, and a whole host of complex issues contribute to this persistent and growing youth unemployment issue.
The issue is a critical one that impacts all spheres of society. Governments, civil society, and even the private sector are aggressively working to address this challenge. While there is a clear need for collective effort to address the youth unemployment crisis, many interventions remain siloed with little meaningful collaboration between organisations. Young people are not homogenous entities and require various forms of support in order to make the successful transition from school into the economy. Given this fact and the recognition that no single organisation can provide the full range of support required by all unemployed youth, it is essential to coordinate the efforts of all stakeholders that are operating in the sector to facilitate a smoother journey for any young person into work.
Vision
The platform aims to build a community connected by their shared commitment to building a better future for our young people and, through them, a brighter future for the entire country. Yubuntu recognises that there are multiple associations and organisations that wish to engage in and coordinate activities and build the capacity of their constituents. The platform has been developed to enable this by providing functional capabilities for skills development, community interaction, and the sharing of resources. While we hope to create a connected community, we also recognise that there are various associations and forums that have members that they wish to engage with and build relationships with the broader community. Yubuntu allows for the establishment of associations within the community and segmented engagement to preserve these existing associations while still including them within the broader community.
Solution
Yubuntu was established to facilitate collaboration between the many youth organizations that are working tirelessly to support youth across South Africa.