SayPro A brief description (max 2 pages) of a current or past multi-stakeholder initiative that you have participated in or are planning: The goals and outcomes of the initiative

Certainly! Below is a detailed template and example for preparing a brief description (maximum 2 pages) of a current or past multi-stakeholder initiative, focusing on the goals and outcomes of the initiative. This format is ideal for submission to SayPro as part of an application or participation requirement.

SayPro: Description of a Multi-Stakeholder Initiative

Title: Empowering Youth Through Digital Literacy – A Multi-Stakeholder Pilot Initiative
Location: Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa
Duration: June 2022 – March 2023
Participants: NGO (YouthTech Africa), Corporate Partner (TechRise Solutions), Local Government (City of Cape Town – Department of Education), Community Leaders

1. Background and Context

In Khayelitsha, a densely populated township near Cape Town, youth unemployment remains critically high, compounded by limited access to digital tools and training. Recognizing this challenge, a coalition of stakeholders came together in 2022 to launch a pilot program focused on equipping young people with essential digital skills to improve their employability and enable entrepreneurship.

2. Stakeholders Involved

• YouthTech Africa (NGO): Project lead and implementer; responsible for community engagement, training delivery, and monitoring.
• TechRise Solutions (Corporate Partner): Provided laptops, software licenses, digital literacy curriculum, and volunteer instructors.
• City of Cape Town – Department of Education (Local Government): Supported access to training venues (community libraries and schools), coordinated with local educators, and endorsed the program through public outreach.
• Community Leaders and Youth Networks: Helped identify eligible youth, promoted the program at the grassroots level, and ensured accountability.

3. Goals of the Initiative

• Primary Goal:
  To equip 100 unemployed youth (aged 18–30) in Khayelitsha with practical digital literacy skills to improve job readiness and foster digital entrepreneurship.
• Specific Objectives:
  • Increase youth access to digital tools and online platforms.
  • Provide training in basic and intermediate computer skills, online safety, CV creation, and job searching.
  • Foster a network of digitally enabled young leaders who can train others in their community.
  • Strengthen collaboration between public, private, and civil society actors to scale the initiative.

4. Key Activities Implemented

• Community outreach and youth registration through local NGOs and schools.
• 10-week digital skills bootcamp covering:
  • Computer fundamentals
  • Internet use and digital safety
  • Productivity software (MS Word, Excel, etc.)
  • Introduction to remote work platforms and freelancing
• Mentorship sessions from TechRise employees.
• Graduation ceremony and presentation of digital certificates.
• Baseline and endline assessments to measure knowledge gain.

5. Outcomes and Achievements

• Participation and Completion:
  • 112 youth enrolled; 96 completed the program (86% retention rate).
  • 58% of participants were women; 10% had disabilities.
• Skills Improvement:
  • 87% of graduates showed significant improvement in digital literacy scores.
  • 40% created professional CVs and online job profiles by the end of the program.
• Employment and Engagement:
  • Within 3 months post-graduation, 23 participants secured internships or entry-level jobs.
  • 5 launched micro freelance services (e.g., CV writing, typing, data entry).
• Stakeholder Collaboration Impact:
  • Strengthened working relationship between government departments and NGOs.
  • TechRise committed to extending the program to two other townships in 2024.

6. Lessons Learned

• Strong community involvement ensured higher attendance and retention.
• Public-private partnerships were crucial for resource mobilization.
• Real-time feedback from participants improved training relevance.
• More support was needed for participants with limited literacy.

7. Future Plans

• SayPro’s upcoming training on stakeholder engagement would enhance our ability to scale this initiative.
• We aim to formalize the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and establish a Youth Digital Empowerment Hub in the Western Cape.

Conclusion

This initiative demonstrated the power of multi-stakeholder collaboration to tackle youth unemployment and digital exclusion. It created measurable outcomes for individuals and laid a strong foundation for scalable impact. SayPro’s platform would be instrumental in helping us refine our approach and expand this model to new communities.