An evaluation of the Qhubeka! Youth Development programme: Using a generic qualitative approach

Abstract

The Qhubeka! Youth Development Programme is the first programme launched by the NonProfit Company (NPC), Just Grace, in 2012. The organisation is implementing five community programmes: (1) School strengthening; (2) Community development; (3) Business support; Community projects; and (5) Youth development programme in the Langa township, Cape Town, South Africa. The Qhubeka! Youth Development Programme is not a typical Positive Youth Development programme (PYD). It offers academic support that is not typical of PYD's. They tend to focus on cultivating proficiencies and other life skills and therefore can be fitted in with After-School Programmes (ASP), which focuses on cultivating learning outcomes. The overall goal of the youth development programme is to enable under-resourced youth to escape the cycle of poverty and equip them to become meaningfully involved in society through further education and employment. The programme aims to develop technical and soft skills in high school learners by focusing on study assistance and psychosocial support. The Qhubeka! Programme provides comprehensive material and guidance over four years. Activities of the programme include (1) academic support; (2) computer training; (3) coding and programming; (4) book club; (5) life skills; (6) career guidance; (7) holiday programme; and (8) psychosocial support. The objective of the evaluation was to assess the performance of the programme in reaching its short-term outcomes and the quality of service delivery. I used primary and secondary data to conduct the evaluation. I collected primary data through semi structured one-on-one interviews with the Qhubeka! Programme learners and programme facilitators. Secondary data, I obtained through the review of the programme documents. I used a thematic inductive content analysis to analyse data. The findings on the evaluation of short term outcomes indicate that the programme achieved its desired short-term outcomes and that the programme was implemented with quality. This was the first evaluation of the Qhubeka! programme and provides programme staff with feedback on how well the programme is reaching its intended outcomes and being implemented with quality, which could guide them in making counteractive changes to improve delivery and impact. This study further contributes to the body of knowledge and evaluations of PYD programmes that incorporate academic support in the South African context of PYD programme.