At the time of South Africa’s transition to democracy, hopes were high for the cohort of children born at that particular moment in history. Today, more than two decades into democracy, this group of children is ’coming of age’. Despite the many promises of a better life for all, racial, class and gender inequalities continue to shape these young people’s lives, dreams and opportunities.

In its endeavours to meaningfully engage with the key challenges facing South Africa, the youth focus of SALDRU is a response to the need for evidence-based interventions that aim to empower youth and to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty. SALDRU therefore undertakes concerted efforts to bring together research, policy and practice in collaborative moments of knowledge exchange and creation.

Download our youth policy brief, The State of Youth Wellbeing in South Africa (PDF).

You might also be interested in the Youth Explorer, an interactive tool that draws on census data to provide a range of information, down to ward level, on young people aged 15-24 throughout South Africa.

Click on the links below for more information about our youth projects:

 

Youth

Yazi Youth Information Portal

An easily accessible information portal that visually maps the pathways through the educational system – from grade 9 onwards – into higher education and into the world of work by providing details for informed decision-making.
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Youth

2015 Youth-focused Child Gauge

The South African Child Gauge is an annual publication of the Children's Institute, UCT. It provides a snapshot of the status of children in South Africa, and in particular, monitors progress towards the realisation of their rights.
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Youth

Youth Policy Dialogues

The aim of the workshop was to bring policymakers and researchers together to discuss what kind of policies would be most effective to steer the country towards a new and more inclusive development path.
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