By Leila Moosajee, GCBR Youth Coordinator
In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day, to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.
To commemorate this day, GreenMatter and WILDTRUST invited youth representatives, youth coordinators, and various stakeholders from various provinces in South Africa to join for a dialogue on “Youth Green Skills Development” in Gauteng on July 15th.
On the evening of the 14th, we got to engage with the various youth representatives and youth coordinators from various institutions: Vhembe Biosphere Reserve, Great Cradle Nature Reserve, Magaliesberg Biosphere Reserve, K2C Biosphere Reserve, South African Resource Agency, DUCT, Greenpeace Africa, Nature Connect, Pamoja Conservation Solutions, Conservation South Africa, WILDTRUST, GreenMatter, Wildlands Conservation Trust, Owe2GreenEconomy, Environmental and Rural Solutions, Ocean Stewards, SANBI, EFTEON, Youth Basic Package of Support, Rhodes University, University of Johannesburg, University of the Witwatersrand, University of Limpopo and University of KwaZulu-Natal
We got to introduce our respective organisations, our roles, how we engage with youth, the importance of youth being involved in policy-making, and what inspires us within our workspace.
On the morning of the 15th, a dialogue on Youth Green Skills Development started at 9am which was opened by . Karen Vickers, CEO of GREENMATTER. Thereafter, Dimpo Lekgeu and Lindiwe Johnson delivered motivational speeches to encourage and inspire the youth in the green skills industry to own their space and continue to upskill themselves while upskilling others.
The panel discussion was about bridging the Green Skills Gap as leaders of the Green Transition. Some of the key points included the importance of meeting youth in their spaces, recognising their passion for the green industry, and ensuring they have support and mentorship, particularly from older leaders who have navigated this field. However, it was also emphasised that older leaders should not resist change but rather be open to listening to the youth. It was noted that communication barriers between national, provincial, and local government need urgent attention, and that youth voices must not only be heard in policy spaces but also translated into action. The panel stressed the need to stop working in silos and instead foster collaboration. To build a networking space between the different sectors and seeking to bridge the gap between unemployment and skills development.
After tea, we all had a chance to do a 5-minute presentation as part of a youth network showcase, which was amazing to see! The great work being done to upskill youth while advocating for various issues like climate change, land restoration, and protection of marine life, etc. The rest of the dialogue was about funding opportunities in the green space, planning of a Youth Indaba, and barriers and opportunities for youth.
Thank you to GreenMatter and WILDTRUST for this networking opportunity.
A key takeaway that struck me was that we must stop saying the youth is the future. They are the present, the now, and their voices need to be heard.