youth culture

In a country with an army of young people who were, and still are out of school, unemployed and unskilled, the South African’s government launch of the National Youth Service Programme (NYS) in Cape Town five years ago on August 24 was a milestone in the youth development sector.

Social networking platform, MXit, has launched Africa's first instant messaging book in what it says is a bid to encourage literacy and a love of reading among youth.

The company says that the book, which can be downloaded on its network for just R13.50, will cost a fraction of what readers would pay in "traditional" bookstores.

The occurrence of suicide amongst teenagers and young adults is rising dramatically. It is the second largest cause of death amongst teenagers. Teenagers are in the vulnerable in-between stage where they are no longer young and dependant on their parents for everything; yet they have not reached maturity either. They develop physically, socially and emotionally at a fast pace and we expect them to take responsibility for their own actions.

South African youth have “got the message” regarding the need for HIV prevention.  What continues to drive the epidemic, however, is not their disregard of the message, but rather their response to their circumstances. Many young people who leave school face an uncertain future and feel excluded from opportunity. And not surprisingly, half the lifetime risk of HIV infection among young women is crammed into just five years after leaving school [1].

South Africa has made efforts in creating an enabling environment for young people, by establishing policies, institutions and programmes that are aimed at developing the youth of South Africa.