Abstract
South Africa has an significant youth unemployment problem with many young people who cannot make a successful transition from school into employment or further education and training. A mismatch between the supply and demand of skills, institutionalised inequality, spatial challenges and a whole host of complex issues contribute towards a persistent and growing youth unemployment issue. This is a crucial issue for government, civil society and business, and many organisations and institutions are working to address this challenge. Given the rapidly evolving world of technology and extent of the problem, one would expect that information and communication technologies would play a crucial role in supporting the work of these stakeholders to provide interventions at scale. This research sought to explore how non-governmental youth organisations have been able to integrate technology into their operations and programmes to improve the outcomes for youth in South Africa. A qualitative research approach was undertaken for the investigation, drawing responses from a purposive convenience sample to collect data through semi-structured interviews for inductive thematic analysis. The research was carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic, which meant that the lockdown conditions required that interviews be conducted virtually. These conditions also meant that results were influenced by increased awareness of the role of technology in our day to day lives as everyone adapted to social distancing and remote work. These considerations were factored into the evaluation. The outcomes of the study indicated that access and adoption barriers have led to a digital divide at an organisational level. The data further suggested that while there is a willingness to incorporate ICT into their operations, organisations face resource and capacity limitations that restrict their use of technology to support youth interventions. The research provides a foundation for better understanding youth organisations' challenges in leveraging technology to support their youth interventions. In addition, the results provide a basis for considering opportunities where NGOs, funders, and policymakers could reduce the digital divide that is constraining service delivery for youth.
M.A. (Social Policy and Development)