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Faculty of Management Sciences

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Subject: search.filters.subject.Youth

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Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
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    Improving active citizenship amongst the youth in Gweru using action research
    (2023-04) Tafirei, Takaedza; Mutero, Tinashe; Kaye, Sylvia
    A lack of citizenship virtues among youth facilitates their participation in violent civic and political processes, as well as low participation in key democratic processes. Patriotism, respect, dialogue, unity, and tolerance are integral values of citizenship that facilitate citizens’ progressive participation in a democratic society. Some young people in Zimbabwe do not exhibit these virtues, as evidenced by their participation in electoral violence, and violent social service and human rights violations protests. The status quo shows little evidence of deliberate efforts made to inculcate peace-anchored citizenship virtues. This study adopted a qualitative research approach undergirded by a participatory action research design with the aim of improving citizenship virtues among selected youth in Gweru, Zimbabwe. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Results reveal that that young people are not self-motivated to participate in violence, but there are contributing factors such as economic vulnerability and clientelism, frustrations from abuse of human rights, exclusion from decision-making processes, poor social service delivery, and coercion. It has also been flagged that there is low appreciation of peace-anchored citizenship virtues among the youth. It was therefore concluded that there is a need to blend inculcating citizenship virtues among the youth with promoting their economic empowerment. Hence, this research has designed a model on how to promote citizenship virtues among the youth through social entrepreneurship as action research.
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    Reducing violence through the seed of greatness youth programme in Empangeni
    (2023-04) Mthabela, Happiness Sonto; Plüg, Simóne
    Youth violence is a major issue all over the world. The prevalence and patterns of youth violence are also common in South Africa, where young people are regularly exposed to violence in their families, schools, and communities. Youth violence can lead to numerous health consequences, including increased rates of depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, suicide, anxiety and premature death. Young people who are exposed to violence at such a young age are more likely to become involved in violent cycles, both as repeat victims and as potential perpetrators of violence, or develop other antisocial behaviour. Given the extent of youth violence, unless drastic intervention strategies succeed in breaking the cycles of violence, levels of violence are only likely to rise over time. This study aimed to uncover, understand, and respond to experiences of violence that exist amongst the youth of Empangeni in Northern KZN, by raising awareness of peacebuilding approaches and emphasising how youth involvement in peacebuilding programmes can provide lasting solutions. This study focused on youth from The Seed of Greatness Youth Programme, a youth organization based in the Empangeni area, and adopted a Participatory Action Research approach to engage youth affected by the problem of violence in building a peaceful community. The qualitative research approach was utilised to obtain detailed and rich data. The data was collected through face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions. The information collected was audio recorded and then transcribed. After transcribing, the data was analysed and themes and sub-themes were derived from the collected information. The study reveals that the most prevalent forms of violence youth are experiencing in Empangeni are physical violence and gender-based violence. The main causes of violence were found to be substance abuse, peer influence, ongoing exposure to violence and a lack of economic opportunities. Findings also highlighted the perceptions of the effects of violence which were found to be PTSD and depression, development of coping strategies among victims, vigilantism and desensitisation to violence. Furthermore, in collaboration with the participants, a training workshop aimed at reducing key factors linked to violence was designed, implemented and evaluated. The Participatory Action Research method proved to be an extremely effective approach for this study. The process allowed the youth of Empangeni to be key role players in the research and to participate in all the stages of the research process with the purpose of creating social change. This involvement made youth feel valued which, in turn, yielded positive results as their involvement and participation in the project increased. The insight and experience acquired through the participatory action research process was valuable for both the researcher and youth in that both learned from each other through the sharing of knowledge in the research process
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    Reducing youth participation in xenophobic violence : case study of Durban
    (2021) Nyathi, Cresencia; Sylvia, Kaye; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas
    This thesis focuses on the role played by youth especially Black young men in related xenophobic violence. Drawing on qualitative research sessions involving young men and women who are citizens, migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers living in South Africa. The thesis offers four overarching focal points. Firstly, it contextualizes and critiques historical state structures and attitudes which shape the understandings of xenophobia and xenophobic violence in South Africa. Secondly, it analyses everyday experiences triggering young people to take part in violence labelled as xenophobic. Thirdly, it draws from global cases where xenophobia has occurred to understand the xenophobia has occurred to understand the xenophobic phenomenon comprehensively. Fourthly, it adopts the scapegoating theory of prejudice as the basis of the underlying factors triggering the attacks.
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    The impact of substance abuse in South Africa : a case of informal settlement communities
    (2020-07-20) Mbandlwa, Zamokuhle; Dorasamy, Nirmala
    Substance abuse is a major challenge for many young people globally. South Africa has been reported as a country that is experiencing high levels of alcohol abuse. The focus of this paper is to articulate the contributing factors to substance abuse in South Africa. This paper is presenting the results of the study that was conducted in the informal settlement areas. Conclusions made in this paper about substance abuse in South Africaare based on the findings of substance abuse in the informal community. This study found that the high consumption and abuse of alcohol in South Africaare found amongst young people. The factors such as unemployment, lack of effective mentorship, lack of family values, poor parenting guidance, and loss of hope contributed. This study applied a desktop research methodology, the secondary data was analyzed and unpacked to address the objectives of the study. The main objective of this study was to investigate the causes and the reasons why young people are abusing alcohol. The investigation focused on the excessive and abnormal use of alcohol by young people.
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    An exploration of the relationship between retirement age and youth unemployment in South Africa
    (2020-07-28) Mbandlwa, Zamokuhle; Shezi, Lindelani
    The legal retirement age in South Africa is 60 for women and 65 for men however, so many people continue working even after they passed their retirement age. The retirement age does not force people to retire or force employers to terminate the employment of individuals who have reached the retirement age. This paper therefore emphasize that poor control of retirement system affect the youth employment. The objective of this paper was to show a correlation between youth unemployment and having elderly employees in private and public sector institutions. Proper and effective control of retirement system in South Africa will create employment opportunities for the unemployed youth. This study found that youth unemployment in South Africa is growing and failure to put a stop or trying to minimize it might be a problem for the people and the government soon. This article explored the impact of failure to retire by those who have reached retirement age in government and private sector institutions. Effective implementation of the retirement age of the prescribed legal age would increase job opportunities in government and private institutions
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    Reducing gender-based violence : an action research among Zimbabwean youth
    (2018) Maphosa, Buhlebenkosi; Kaye, Sylvia Blanche; Harris, Geoffrey Thomas
    Gender-based violence is an issue with high global concern. Research has principally focused on the adult population’s responses to existing definitions of violence, particularly gender-based violence in the search for effective and sustainable violence prevention strategies. Few studies have examined how young people themselves define violence and the aspects that lead to their acceptance and application of violence. This doctoral thesis reports on the findings derived as part of an action research conducted in two secondary schools in Zimbabwe, urban and rural respectively, with young people between the ages of 14-18 years. The study examined young people’s attitudes towards gender-based violence and their tolerance towards it, in an effort to engage youth in proactive strategies in preventing gender-based violence and empower them to be actively involved in developing an environment free from violence for themselves as well as their peers. The study involved questionnaires and focus group discussions, a subsequent prevention intervention and an evaluation of the intervention implemented in their schools using questionnaires and focus group discussions. The study revealed that gender roles, norms and stereotypes form a corpus of aptitudes of what violence involves and the tolerance surrounding violence. Particular forms of violence were identified as gender-based violence and also their level of acceptability. Young people’s perceptions and attitudes where constructed by gender socialisation and what they believed to be normal gender behaviour. The evaluation revealed that there was need for more gender-based violence prevention education interventions in schools.
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    Factors affecting young prospective entrepreneurs in the Umdoni Local Municipal Area
    (2016) Mbele, Kwethemba Good-present; Chetty, Gopalkrishna
    Given the current, global, economic situation, the status of youth entrepreneurship in South Africa is no different to that of the youth in other countries. It is debatable whether similar support and mechanisms used by other countries can be used without contextualising them for the South African environment. Cultural differences, level of education, different market standards, and a different socio-political environment are some of the factors that should be taken into consideration, when aiming to create an enabling environment that will open entrepreneurial opportunities for South African youth. A major threat for youth, especially in South Africa, is that if their needs and desires are not addressed, the youth will lose faith in starting their own entrepreneurial activities and in that way, become more dependent on the government to create employment opportunities for them. This situation certainly could add to the currently high unemployment rate and in the long-term, high youth unemployment could destabilise the country. This study is aimed at investigating entrepreneurship activities in a semi-rural area, with the aim of identifying the inherent weaknesses that prevent young people from pursuing entrepreneurial activities, as well as those enabling factors that can mitigate against these identified weaknesses. The study is conducted in the UGu District Municipality, specifically, the Umdoni Local Municipal area has been selected. A mixed methods research approach was used and 120 respondents from the selected municipal area participated in this study, including the municipal official. The study highlighted that access to financial support is one of the primary obstacles for the setting-up of a new business, since the majority of young people in the area tend to come from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition, the research pointed to other challenges, including the business registration process, lack of adequate entrepreneurial training and mentoring programmes, the impact of crime in starting a fledging business and general support from government departments and agencies. Should these challenges not be addressed through an enabling environment, young people will, in the process, be discouraged from engaging in entrepreneurial activities. Given that the study was conducted in a semi-rural area, there are certainly greater challenges to the development of youth entrepreneurship. Therefore, the recommendations include municipalities creating a special relationship with government agencies to obtain greater assistance; that Government and its agencies consider setting up a designated fund to assist young people who want to open business in semi-rural and rural areas; that the administrative requirements for such a group of young entrepreneurs, in respect of funding, training, support, mentoring and business registration, be much more accessible and easier to obtain.