17 February 2004

By Thabo Mokgola

About 300 young people will gather in Benoni, east of Johannesburg, for the second national conference on youth development at local government level, which runs from 16 to 18 February 2004.

Youth development workers, municipal youth managers and leaders of the broader youth sector will attend the three-day conference, which is part of the bilateral relationship between South Africa and Flanders. It will be hosted by the National Youth Commission (NYC) and the South African Youth Council (SAYC).

Jabu Mbalula, chairperson of the youth commission, said one measure of a progressive state was the way it treated its youth. He said that South Africa had put in place effective structures to ensure that young people fully participated in communities.

The commission has identified key interventions needed in the youth sector after research it conducted in Tshwane and Mangaung as well as other engagements with the youth sector.

"The engagement ensured that we develop a framework for youth participation in local youth policy, guidelines for participation and a statement of commitment for the participation," said Sizwe Shezi, president of South African Youth Council.

Other issues that were identified include:

• researching youth participation in the Integrated Developmental Plans;
• capacity building for local youth organisations; and
• advocacy and lobbying of various stakeholders to encourage youth participation.

" One is happy with the positive response that we received from municipalities in ensuring young people's lives are bettered," Mbalula said. "A number of municipalities have commenced with the setting up of local youth units to ensure improved youth development at local levels of our governance."

- Source: BuaNews