Youth and Community Development Division (YCD)

In 2009, JET began expanding its education improvement work to include the public Further Education and Training (FET) College sector in recognition of the sector's growing importance in meeting the enormous challenge of unemployed youth and the inadequate provision made for their further education and training. Also in 2009, the establishment of the Department of Higher Education and Training ensured a more prominent postion for FET Colleges and the preparation of young school leavers for access to the labour market in the eduation development arena. Against this background, the Youth and Community Development subdivision became a fully fledged division starting from January 2011.

The Youth and Community Development Division (YCD) has adopted a five part strategy with
regard to improving conditions in the FET College sector:

• Providing technical Support to the DHET to enhance planning and monitoring in
the sector;
• Demonstrating models of interventions to improve the effectiveness of teaching and
learning in FET Colleges;
• Working with industry to secure workplace learning opportunities for FET College
learners, either during the course of their studies or post-qualification, in order to
enhance their employability;
• Demonstrating models of youth livelihood development with FET Colleges in
impoverished areas;
• Providing strategic research to support knowledge development in the sector.

Early in 2010, JET was contracted by the ETDP SETA to manage an FET Round Table and Summit
on behalf of the DHET. A multi-stakeholder Round Table was convened in April and the critical challenges facing the FET College sector were tabled and debated. For details of and documents from the Summit, see FET College Round Table & Summit

JET has also developed a strong working partnership with the National Business Initiative (NBI) and a collaborative model has emerged between the two organisations with respect to work in the FET College sector.

In the community development field, the division focuses on involving communities in youth development work, such as youth livelihood programmes, as well as, in collaboration with our School Improvement Division, improving the participation of parents and other community members in their children’s schooling. 

For further information Contact Dr Anthony Gewer: agewer@jet.org.za