Launch of Youth Employment Service (YES) Community Hub

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 29, 2018/ -- TEMBISA, the Youth Employment Service (YES) launched its first Community Hub, a smart infrastructure solution that aims to address youth unemployment challenges in South Africa by bringing opportunities to the doorsteps of underserved communities.Over 60% of South Africa’s unemployed reside in townships and through the Hubs small businesses will be able to absorb idle youth labour, whilst igniting local economies and promoting domestic markets.The Hubs will also provide sorely needed business infrastructure in rural areas and township communities and seed new nodes of economic activity and growth in disadvantaged communities by developing economic value chains that attracts, creates and retains economic value into these communities.The launch of the Hub is part of the SMME Development Strategy, one of the most formidable of the YES interventions. YES, the business-led initiative supported by Government and Labour, will offer paid quality work experience for a million unemployed youth over the next three years.The SMME Development Strategy has three focus areas housed in YES Community Hubs – business development, route to market, and critical skills training.The Hub, equipped with modern technology and skilled staff, is designed as an inclusive and engaging platform through which existing and aspiring small business can elevate their business or ideas. The youth are also able to access training that positions them for the modern economy and for work in small business.Each hub will be unique and designed with the community in mind and aligned to the local economic environment. The goal is to establish a hundred of these hubs across South Africa.The YES Hub in Tembisa has been made possible through the investments from Sanlam, Investec and Unilever.“The launch of our first Hub in Tembisa is a visible demonstration of our thinking brought to life – a true partnership between government, corporates and the community. This one is the start in reaching our million youth,” says Tashmia Ismail-Saville, CEO of YES.“These Hubs are more than just a space. It is a symbol of opportunity and a means for our youth to develop and grow their skills where they live, and ultimately empower themselves to achieve a better future,” says Ismail-Saville.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: Department of Government Communication and Information