Young Africa was founded in the Netherlands in 1998. They are a confederation of independently and locally registered affiliated organisations. Each affiliate runs skills centres, youth (self-) employment programmes and community activities in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. The founding organisation of Young Africa is Young Africa International, based in the Netherlands.
Their mission is to empower young people through skills training for employability and entrepreneurship. Young Africa offers an innovative high impact solution to youth unemployment. It's uniqueness lays in the two innovative concepts: the Franchise Method and the Integral Approach to youth development.
Structure
Young Africa is a confederation of independently and locally registered affiliated organisations. They all operate under the name Young Africa. Each affiliate runs skills centres, youth (self-) employment programmes and community activities in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia and Botswana. The founding organisation of Young Africa is Young Africa International (YA), based in the Netherlands. The board of YA International sets up the framework in which the different Young Africa affiliates work and guides the policy of the local Young Africa branches so that they operate within the mission and vision of Young Africa. The board of Young Africa International is advised by the founders of Young Africa. They are the Executive Directors who shape the strategy and uphold the spirit of Young Africa.
Young Africa International works with a small team in the Netherlands and in Zimbabwe, supported by a large network of volunteers. Therefore, they keep their organisational costs low and at least 90% of all donations go directly towards their projects.
Theory of Change
Youth
Young Africa is convinced that young people naturally embrace change and development, have a longing to belong to a force or cause, have a deep need for information and knowledge, look for happiness and fulfilment. This is why they believe that harnessing the abundant energy and playfulness of youth, to be constructive, is the most sensible investment for a better world. Invest in the youth, and they become Ambassadors for Change in their own societies.
Integral Youth Development
Young Africa understands that for a young person to reach their full potential, all aspects of their personality and talents need to be nurtured. That is why Young Africa aims to empower young people with skills of the hands to make them self-reliant, skills of the heart and mind to live with dignity, skills of the soul to live with purpose.
Taking Responsibility
“If it is to be, it is up to me” These ten two letter words highlight their belief in each one of them taking responsibility for the change they’d like to see. This is at the core of their model and is reinforced through daily assembly pep talks and participation in student and staff fora, so that this value reaches students and staff at all levels. It results in their training centres being financially, organizationally and institutionally independent after 5 years.
Innovative Franchise Model
Their training centres are the heart of what they do. Taking responsibility at organisational level, is ensuring the financial independence of their centres. Self-sustainability is achievable through their Franchise Model. Franchisees are not merely teachers or business people, but active role-models in the development of the students.
Local Management
From inception, each YA branch is registered in the country it works as a local organisation and legal owner of the centres. Young Africa prepares every centre for handover to local management through capacity building of local managers. As Young Africa scales up to reach new people and places in Southern Africa, the end goal is local training centres run by local management, owned by local bodies. All YA branches form a confederation and are affiliated to founding organisation Young Africa International.
Embedded in Society
All Young Africa centres and programmes are embedded in the society they aim to serve. Through that space, the needs, opportunities and markets that contribute to development are identified and met. Reaching out to the local community through services, activities and events ensures that every Young Africa centre is a familiar hub of resources available to everyone.
