RedCap Jumpstart Jobs Fund Project Network Empowering Unemployed Thekwini Municipality NGO Forum YEES (Youth Education and Employment Study) Thekwini Municipality Job/Opportunity Centre Durban Green Corridor Skills/Employment Initiatives MRP Foundation Jumpstart Jobs Fund Project Catalyx designed and is managing this project for the MRP Foundation. It s a national project to assist non-profit organisations across the country that are training the unemployed to scale up their programmes, improve job readiness components, and place them into work experience and employment opportunities in the retail industry and other sectors. 1 / 8
The project is funded jointly by the MRP Foundation and the Jobs Fund, a national government job creation initiative. Thirty training partners are participating across the country (Western Cape, Free State, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo). For more information, see the presentation at the link below. JumpStart Jobs Fund Project Summary Organisational Health/Labour Relations/Staff Development Catalyx offers a tailor made solution to companies to improve their organisational health. In each case, this solution includes some or all of the following elements: ' 1. Baseline study 2. Organisational strategy and direction facilitation 2 / 8
3. Business leadership support/coaching 4. Staff training 5. Staff coaching 6. Labour relations workshops/interventions These interventions bring results in improved staff morale, labour productivity and company growth. Network Empowering Unemployed (NEU) Joe White, one of the directors of Catalyx, has founded this national network of civil society, government and business organisations that are involved in empowering the unemployed. The goals of the network are to: 3 / 8
- Encourage collaboration - Link organisations through a common database tool called Joblinx, enabling tracking and placement of students into opportunities. - Develop a resources portal, where training materials and other resources can be shared across organisations. - Funding mobilisation on behalf of member organisations. - Coordinate research projects/impact studies among the organisations. - Run workshops and training for the organisations. - Drive advocacy efforts on behalf of sector. The network was established in mid 2011 and is a registered non profit company, and now has over a 150 active participants form over 100 different organisations in chapters in Gauteng, Western Cape and KZN, with plans to roll it out soon to the other provinces. In each chapter, there is a steering committee. Joe White is the interim national coordinator. The primary participants include: - Training organisations - Community based organisations - Employers/Job linkage initiatives - Government stakeholders (e.g. SETAs, Dept of Education) - Entrepreneurial Development Organisations 4 / 8
Catalyx provides support services to this network, which falls within its scope in managing the Jumpstart project. A summary document on the network can be downloaded here. Thekwini Municipality NGO Forums and Database Catalyx designed and built a database of 750 organisations in the ethekwini (Durban) Metro municipality that can be accessed through the city s website. In addition to this, several forums were created in the areas of training/employment, early childhood development, shelters and feeding schemes. In this effort, Catalyx was subcontracted and partnered with The Development House (TDH), who was subcontracted directly by the Thekwini Municipality. In line with Catalyx s vision to be a catalyst in its work, it handed over the ongoing management of this initiative to Info for Africa 5 / 8
with the desire for it to be a key programme of the city. Link to view existing organisations or register a new one YEES (Youth Education and Employment Study) for Ethekwini Municipality Catalyx was appointed by Ethekwini Municipality to do a study to find out who is doing what where and how in terms of job readiness and placement programmes in the metro. One Stop Job/Opportunity Centre for Durban Catalyx has collaborated with the Durban Chamber of Commerce, Ethekwini Municipality s Skills Unit, World Changers Academy and other stakeholders to develop a concept of a one stop job centre based in Durban. Catalyx did most of the development of a major proposal to the Jobs fund with the Durban Chamber of Commerce as the lead applicant. The application was not approved, but the stakeholders decided to pursue the project anyway. A 1500 sq mtr building has been earmarked by the Ethekwini municipality for this purpose. The main functions of the centre will be: 6 / 8
1. Info centre 2. Career guidance centre 3. Assessment centre (skills, education level, aptitude, etc.) 4. Core skills training (life skills/job readiness, computers, administration, math/literacy, possibly with driver s training) 5. Psycho-social support 6. Job, study, volunteer and entrepreneurial placement 7. Coaching/mentoring 8. Tracking See the diagram below which outlines the concept Durban Green Corridor (Adventure Sports, Cultural Tourism, Youth Development, Environmental Stewardship) Catalyx lead a consortium including The Ventures Group (TVG), South Africa s leading 7 / 8
adventure recreation company and Vuk Africa Tours, a cultural tourism company based in the Valley of 1000 Hills, to redesign Durban Green Corridor s strategy for their programmes along the Umgeni River. The Durban Green Corridor (DGC) is a Thekwini Municipality initiative in partnership with an environmental NGO called Duzi Umgeni Conservation Trust (DUCT), focusing on adventure sports, cultural tourism, youth development and environmental stewardship along the Umgeni River corridor. DGC operates several sites along this route, including Isithumba Adventure centre near Inchanga, Enanda Adventures on the north side of the Inanda Dam, and Blue Lagoon at the mouth of the river. Catalyx focused on the first two sites, looking at ways to make the site more self sustaining with cultural tourism and adventure sporting activities. Catalyx s interest in the project was the holistic focus linking business activities with developmental projects including youth development and environmental stewardship. The main project was concluded in August 2012, but Catalyx is still providing consultative input to the project. Skills/Employment Initiatives for Various Companies Built on Catalyx s success with the Mr Price Jumpstart project, Catalyx has been requested to assist various companies and organisations with setting up their own similar projects, tapping into the Jobs Fund, National Skills Fund or other partnerships. 8 / 8