Inspiring Youth Journeys: Narratives from the Basic Package of Support

Juggling care and commitment: Kaytlin’s story of growth and impact

At just 21, and newly a mother of two, Kaytlin showed incredible commitment and insight into the challenges facing young people who are out of school and out of work in her community.

When the Basic Package of Support (BPS) launched its first pilot site in Atlantis, she stepped forward to apply for the role of mobiliser - a vital bridge between the programme and local youth. Despite the ongoing COVID lockdown, limited access to a phone and airtime, and the daily demands of early motherhood, she managed to attend the recruitment interview, impressing the team with her passion and clarity of purpose. She landed the part-time, stipended position at BPS’ first pilot site.

Kaytlin not only helped shape the new mobiliser role but also became one of the first BPS clients, engaging deeply with the coaching support. With her coach’s guidance, she completed a UNICEF-funded Child and Youth Care Worker training, just one year after taking up her mobiliser role. This was followed by a BPS-specific Youth Coach training and today, three years after taking up her mobiliser role, she holds a full-time position as a junior Youth Coach, supporting over 60 youth in the programme.

Kaytlin’s story speaks to the strength and potential of young women who, even while navigating care responsibilities, seize opportunities for growth and contribute powerfully to their communities. It also illustrates the value of a programme like the Basic Package of Support - one that offers structured, personalised guidance as part of an integrated intervention. Through a coaching approach rooted in trust and a deep understanding of each young person’s circumstances, and by actively connecting them to relevant opportunities, BPS helps youth avoid the cycle of disconnected, short-term jobs. Instead, it walks alongside them, offering timely, tailored support that builds longer-term, more stable pathways to sustainable livelihoods. In doing so, it not only affirms young people’s aspirations, but also demonstrates how coordinated, people-centred systems can truly shift life trajectories.

From Passion to Practice: Shanise’s Path to Purpose

At just 22, Shanise Jeniker has moved herself from feeling lost and uncertain about her future, to running her own massage studio in Atlantis, working with top athletes, and speaking confidently on women empowerment and entrepreneurship in front of a large international audience.

Before joining BPS, Shanise knew what her passion was, but she was unsure of the steps to take to reach her aspired future. She had always dreamed of studying physiotherapy, but when her brother passed away during her matric year, grieving his loss made it difficult to reach the matric results she had hoped to. At that point, her path was unclear, she felt sad, stuck and thought her aspirations were now out of reach. When she heard about BPS through a friend, she thought she “would just give that a try”.

Encouraged by her Youth Coach, Jo-Lynn Daniels, Shanise realised that she could still study. She was pointed in the direction of online massage therapy courses to get started, and decided to self-fund her first online course, in September 2022. Through BPS, she then connected with an established sports massage business, landed an internship, and within two months, earned a permanent role.

When that company relocated nearly two years later, Shanise didn’t hesitate. Supported by her coach, she took up Basic Business Skills Training and joined the Entrepreneurial Development Programme offered by The Tourism and Business Institute, at the end of 2023. She launched her own business in March 2024. BPS pointed out the possibility of further training and seed funding offered by the National Youth Development Agency, which Shanise applied for and received, in January 2025.

Her business has grown from strength to strength. She has worked at the SA Telkom Netball Championships, supported three indoor provincial tournaments, and – just last month – accepted the invitation to talk on women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship at the W20 opening event in Cape Town! Her clients now include top athletes and international visitors. What keeps her grounded is a deeper purpose - honouring the memory of her brother, Tyler, through running her business.

“My Youth Coach, Jo-Lynn, has been a huge inspiration,” she says. “She’s always motivating me, boosting my confidence, and putting my name forward for every opportunity. Joining BPS was one of the best decisions I could’ve made.”

Shanise’s journey is a powerful example of how a longer term plan, step by step decisions and actions, guided by mentorship that remains accessible when needed, can transform uncertainty into stability and fulfilling one’s passion.

Supporting youth to transition into sustainable livelihoods takes time, well-trained and dedicated people, and a community of service providers and opportunity holders that is willing to rally around young people. In that way, programmes like BPS are able to “flatten the churn” for youth: instead of zigzagging their way from one short term opportunity to another without clear direction – every next step becomes a well-informed, considered step that builds towards the achievement of a longer-term vision. This reduces the cost for young people, their families as well as government and opportunity holders.