Factors influencing throughput of learners in the Youth Focus Project 2017 to 2020

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dc.contributor.advisorBitzer, Elien_ZA
dc.contributor.authorVan der Westhuizen, Lanaen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Curriculum Studies.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2023-03-02T13:00:35Z
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-18T07:02:31Z
dc.date.available2023-03-02T13:00:35Z
dc.date.available2023-05-18T07:02:31Z
dc.date.issued2023-03
dc.descriptionThesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2023.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Youth employment is an important factor for social cohesion because unemployed youth tend to undermine societal trust in institutions, while under-employment can inflict serious scars on youth that could last for years. The unemployment level for low-skilled people in South Africa is consistently high as the National Senior Certificate has become the norm as a minimum entry requirement for most workplaces. Further to a Grade 12 certificate, job applicants also need cognitive and technical skills to successfully enter employment. Currently, unemployment is generally higher for youth, even though they are the most highly educated generation in history. For instance, youth who are not in employment or training numbered 40 million in Organisations for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries in 2015, while 28 million were inactive job seekers, which has led to the social and labour market integration of young people becoming a policy priority for OECD governments. As of 2019, 19 million South African adults (57% of the adult population) did not hold a Grade 12 school qualification. While there is a strong need for ‘second chance’ interventions for young people who did not complete Grade 12, these youth are often overlooked when such programmes are implemented. In 2013 however, the Western Cape Education Department introduced the Youth Focus Project (YFP) specifically for the cohort of learners who did not complete Grade 12. The present study aimed at finding out what influenced the throughput of second chance learners on learnership programmes such as the YFP. Through a phenomenological approach grounded in an interpretivist research paradigm study participants’ lived experiences were explored. Narrative data indicated that academic failure at school played an important role in entering the YFP learnership. Participants generally responded well to the (Boland) college environment, the workplace-based component included in the YFP and the academic content matter. Furthermore, they also indicated that stipends allowed them to become more financially independent. While bullying, challenging personal relationships and academic challenges influenced their learning at school negatively, aspects which were confirmed to provide positive YFP learner re-enforcement were a nurturing environment and respect, interesting and occupationally directed subject matter, clear career goals and learner grit. The overall findings of the present study support Tinto’s (1993) student integration framework and led to the conclusion that institutional support encouraged learners to persist while smaller class groups and one-on-one attention enhanced learner performance. In addition, a career focused curriculum provided them with the impetus to achieve, while participants reiterated that it was academic success and the prospect of entering a career that inspired them to complete.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Jeugindiensneming is 'n belangrike faktor in maatskaplike samehorigheid omdat werklose jeugdiges geneig is om vertroue in maatskaplike instellings te ondermyn en omdat werkloosheid die jeug ernstige letsels kan toedien wat jare kan neem om te herstel. Die werkloosheidsvlak vir laag geskoolde mense in Suid-Afrika is deurgaans hoog aangesien die Nasionale Senior Sertifikaat die minimum toelatingsvereiste vir die meeste werkplekke geword het. Benewens 'n graad 12-sertifikaat benodig aansoekers ook kognitiewe en tegniese vaardighede vir suksesvolle indiensneming. Tans is werkloosheid oor die algemeen hoër onder die jeug, al is hulle die hoogs opgeleide generasie in die geskiedenis. In 2015 was daar byvoorbeeld 40 miljoen jong mense in die Organisasie vir Ekonomiese Samewerking en Ontwikkeling- (OESO-) lande, wat nie in diens of opleiding was nie, terwyl 28 miljoen onaktiewe werksoekers was. Dit het daartoe gelei dat die maatskaplike en arbeidsmarkintegrasie van jongmense 'n beleidsprioriteit vir talle OESO-regerings geword het. In 2019 het 19 miljoen Suid-Afrikaanse volwassenes (57% van die volwasse bevolking) nie 'n graad 12-skoolkwalifikasie gehad nie. Alhoewel daar dus 'n sterk behoefte is aan tweedekans-intervensies vir jongmense wat nie graad 12 voltooi het nie, word hierdie jeugdiges dikwels oor die hoof gesien wanneer sulke programme geïmplementeer word. In 2013 het die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement egter die Jeugfokusprojek (JFP) ingestel spesifiek vir die groep leerders wat nie graad 12 voltooi het nie. Die huidige studie het ten doel gehad om uit te vind wat die sukses van tweedekans-leerders op leerderskapprogramme soos die JFP beïnvloed. Deur 'n fenomenologiese benadering gebaseer op 'n interpretivistiese navorsingsparadigma is deelnemers se beleefde ervarings ondersoek. Narratiewe data het aangedui dat akademiese mislukking op skool 'n belangrike rol gespeel het in hul keuse om aan die JFP-leerderskap deel te neem. Deelnemers het oor die algemeen goed gereageer op die (Boland-) kollege-omgewing, die werkplek-gebaseerde komponent wat deel was van die JFP en die akademiese inhoud. Verder het hulle ook aangedui dat toelaes hulle in staat gestel het om finansieel meer onafhanklik te word. Terwyl afknouery, uitdagende persoonlike verhoudings en akademiese uitdagings hul prestasies by die skool negatief beïnvloed het, was aspekte wat positiewe JFP-leerderervarings verseker het, 'n koesterende omgewing en respek, interessante en beroepsgerigte vakmateriaal, duidelike beroepsdoelwitte en uithouvermoë. Die algehele bevindinge van die huidige studie ondersteun Tinto (1993) se studente-integrasieraamwerk en het gelei tot die gevolgtrekking dat institusionele ondersteuning leerders aangemoedig het om te volhard terwyl kleiner klasgroepe en individuele aandag leerderprestasie verbeter het. Boonop het 'n loopbaangerigte kurrikulum aan hulle die stukrag gegee om sukses te bereik terwyl die deelnemers beklemtoon het dat dit akademiese sukses was en die vooruitsig om 'n loopbaan te betree wat hulle geïnspireer het om te volhard.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extentx, 124 pagesen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/127064
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshYouth -- Employment -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)en_ZA
dc.subject.lcshYouth Focus Projecten _ZA
dc.subject.lcshUbuntu (Philosophy)en_ZA
dc.subject.lcshYoung adults -- South Africa -- Social conditionsen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshUnemployed youth -- Education -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshYouth -- Academic achievement -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subject.lcshHigh school dropoutsen_ZA
dc.subject.nameUCTD
dc.titleFactors influencing throughput of learners in the Youth Focus Project 2017 to 2020en_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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