Government of the Republic of South Africa Country Resources Child and Youth General Policies, Laws, Strategies & Plans, Service Standards South Africa 1 March 2009 Policy document

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The National Youth Policy (NYP) 2009 – 2014 is an essential planning tool guiding the country’s approach to youth development. This policy document contains inherent commitments by government, young South Africans and society at large on interventions and services that would have to be rolled out to ensure effective and efficient mainstreaming of youth development in the socio-economic mainstream.

In focusing on the needs of young South Africans, the policy highlights priority target groups that include young women, youth with disabilities, unemployed youth, aged-out-of-school youth, youth in rural areas, and youth at risk. The policy further supports the key interventions that will provide for holistic development of youth. The four pillars upon which the policy proposes specific interventions are education, health and well-being, economic participation and social cohesion. The recommendations that have resulted from each of these themes will feed into programme and project design. It is hoped that this will encourage the inclusion and active participation of young people in decision-making processes, policy, programme and project implementation.

It is acknowledged that for successful implementation of the policy, social partnerships will have to be strengthened. The best way to do so is to clearly define the roles and responsibilities of the key role players and to determine the basis for such partnerships. On the other hand, government will ensure the successful implementation of the policy through intergovernmental coordination. Given this objective, it would also be important that capacity within the youth sector is strengthened. It is hoped that recognition of youth work as a profession will strengthen capacity while promoting the provision of quality services.

As part of the effort to promote policy implementation, an implementation plan will be developed, thus specifying the responsibility of identified role players towards youth development.

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