Exploring Challenges Facing the youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET) under the Restrictions of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The case study of Khayelitsha Township

Bathembu, Linda

Exploring Challenges Facing the youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET) under the Restrictions of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The case study of Khayelitsha Township

Thesis / Dissertation

2023

Abstract

This research study explores challenges facing the youth not in employment, education, or training (NEET) under the restrictions of the COVID-19 Pandemic using Khayelitsha Township as a case study. According to the first National Youth Policy for South Africa, young people are a vital resource whose prospects are inseparable from those of the country. However, the approaches aimed at reducing youth unemployment in South Africa seem to have failed. It is of this reason that this study aimed to explore challenges facing the NEET youth under the restrictions of the COVID-19 Pandemic. To do so, a qualitative method and open-ended questions are used. A non-probability sampling technique was used since the exact population size of NEET youth in Khayelitsha is not known. Twenty young people between ages of 18-35 years were selected. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews. COVID-19 protocols were followed. Tech's eight steps in coding process was used to analyse data. The research findings have shown that not being in employment, training, or education threatens the youth's sense of future socio-economic opportunities. As a result, NEET youth cannot afford better life and are likely to have low educational attainment. As such, they find employment seeking expensive. The research findings further revealed that the NEET youth faced security challenges that include the lack of funds for opportunity searching and difficulties accessing COVID-19 relief grant. In addition, the research findings discovered that there were challenges affecting NEET youth's sense of trust in the government system towards creating opportunities for them. Lastly, the research findings showed some challenges affecting youth's political participation such as those who showed apathy from voting and those who were willing to vote for change. Due to the research findings, this research study recommends that the government needs to work with employers when implementing training programs to ensure that those programs are aligned with the needs of the labour market. The research study further recommends the government to strengthen the anti-corruption system so that it can eradicate corruption as it negatively affects NEET youth. Lastly, practical legislative principles that promote youth employability and security in the labour markets need to be implemented.

Keywords

Social Development

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