Evangelische Bank eG
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South Africa: Future Prospects
South Africa: Future Prospects for Young Unemployed Adults
South Africa is regarded as a pioneer on the African continent. However, the country is struggling with extremely high unemployment rates. Youth unemployment in South Africa is among the highest in the world. The Moravian Church in South Africa (MCSA) has therefore launched a project with the aim of offering future prospects in particular to young adults between the ages of 17 and 35.
Young adults in South Africa are mostly well educated and have school or university qualifications. Despite this, youth unemployment in South Africa is higher than in any other country in the world. As a result, many are becoming resigned to their plight, resulting in mental illness, alcohol abuse, drug use and violence.
The Moravian Church in South Africa (MCSA) is responding to this challenge and taking action. It is setting up a nationwide youth ministry and equipping it with seven full-time positions: four programme coordinators and three district coordinators will support the work of the existing central youth office. Volunteers support the work at grass roots level. The aim is to ensure that all young people in the country have reliable points of contact when they need them.
The tasks of youth ministers include producing appealing worship services and spiritual programmes that are in line with the lives of young people in South Africa. More and more young people are turning away from the church because they feel the church does not take them and their needs seriously enough. This needs to change.
South Africa
Around half of all young people under 34 are unemployed.
Broad support for young people: jobs, coaching and counselling
But the MCSA's help goes much further: it organises career advice in schools and universities. It also offers coaching for job interviews as well as advice and support for those wanting to start their own business.
The MCSA's youth office also acts as a counselling centre for issues such as drug abuse, sexual health or gender identity. There is a network of mental health institutions and hospitals so that help is quickly available when needed.
Project goals
The MCSA aims to offer future prospects to young adults aged between 17 and 35. The church intends to set up a nationwide network of full-time and volunteer staff and a youth ministry to ensure that every young person in the country has a point of contact. The youth ministry will offer help and counselling. In some individual cases, the church can use its lands and its network to become a business partner for ecological start-ups. The church also hopes to become more attractive to young adults through its youth ministry work.
Project work
The MCSA is setting up a nationwide youth ministry in the form of a network consisting of full-time staff and volunteers. They advise young adults on topics such as drug abuse and sexual health. They offer career counselling and job application coaching at schools and universities. They are also devising new and contemporary forms of worship that will appeal to young adults.
Project partner
With 80.000 members in 90 congregations, the Moravian Church in South Africa (MCSA) is one of the largest provinces within the Worldwide Moravian Unity. The MCSA is committed to overcoming racism and tackling social challenges. The church lives from the associations organised throughout the church for men’s and women's work, Sunday school and youth. Important diaconal institutions and programmes of the church are the Elim Home in the Western Cape and the Masangane AIDS programme in the Eastern Cape in Matatiele.
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