Abstract
The unemployment rate amongst youth in South Africa is alarming and requires urgent attention. No single intervention could possibly resolve the problem and the general consensus is that an integrated approach made up of several youth employability interventions, across various sectors, is the only way to effectively manage this crisis in South Africa. In this spectrum of youth employability interventions there is a glaring gap in the research literature pertaining to the role of churches in the employability discourse. Churches are not seen to be contributing within this spectrum of interventions. It is the aim of this research study to address this gap in literature by considering the role of churches in youth employability. Another gap in employability research is the limited focus on the young peoples’ voice, therefore, this study gives priority to the perceptions of youth as it relates to their employability. This research provides support for churches to be considered as a role player amongst the many partners in youth employability interventions. Positive Youth Development (PYD) is the primary theoretical framing for this study and it serves the aim of this research by providing a bridge to link the skills of youth development with elements of employability. Liberation theology serves as a secondary theoretical lens which supports the uplifting of the youth voice and, thus, influences the methodological approach and design of this research. This study takes a qualitative approach using the group interview method with sixteen young participants between the ages of 18 and 25 years-old, all attending various churches in the Newclare area, Johannesburg. The inductive analysis of the data collection revealed the following key findings for this research study: (i) the church facilitates skill development opportunities for youth, (ii) The church offers youth access to connections with resourceful adult church members, (iii) Spirituality and the practice of prayer builds resilience in the job-search process for young people. Considering these factors which influence youth employability in the church setting, awareness campaigns and training can help church leaders better understand the role they play and how they can play more of a role in developing youth employability. The youth can also become aware of the skills they are developing in this setting and include these on their CVs. This study provides literature to help address the gap in research mentioned above.
Keywords: Youth, Perceived Employability, Church, Positive Youth Development