Over 1,550+ businesses have joined YES’s national movement – they’re standing together as a business led coalition to co-create a future that works. Why? Because YES benefits country, company and youth. Driving meaningful transformation and capacitating the country’s future-facing and under-resourced sectors, YES realises the critical role that the youth play in shaping our economy and our country. Rooted in the principle of shared value, the YES programme ensures that businesses can derive real benefit through their social impact.
Here are the top five reasons leading businesses are signing on to YES.
1. No consumer, no country, no company
The value of young people contributing economically will have lasting effects into the future. Youth are the workforce, leaders and consumers of both today and tomorrow. A strong economy can be determined by three factors: the stability of prices, an employable and employed nation, and progressive economic growth.[1] This ecosystem is dependent on the ability of companies to produce goods and services at prices that consumers can afford. Two in three youth are unemployed according to the expanded definition. Without a stable income, two thirds of our young people, and future consumer base, cannot afford to purchase your products/services.
Should this crisis prevail, the risk of lifetime unemployment increases, meaning over time, your consumer market, and the economy, will shrink: no consumer, no country, no company.
Investment in young people is equivalent to investment in our economy. Creating work opportunities allows young people to meaningfully participate in the economy, grows communities, and increases overall buying power.
Our corporate clients are participating in YES because they understand that when you lead the youth, you lead your consumer market.
2. Measurable, broad-based impact
The YES programme is a national programme that benefits company and country while creating maximum social impact through youth job creation. YES and its partners’ shared vision is to identify and develop an employable group of young people who, despite their educational and/or professional background, will go on to create more jobs and opportunities in sectors that will help leapfrog the South African economy.
We call this the multiplier effect, where one job creates ten more.
40% of YES Alumni are currently employed post their YES programme, which is double the national average. Youth are working in high-impact, future-facing sectors that are preparing them for fast-paced environments, and most importantly for a better chance at remaining employed and growing in their careers.
3. The level up benefit
One of the most obvious business benefits is the B-BBEE level up. By sponsoring 12-month work experiences for youth, businesses gain up to two levels on their B-BBEE scorecard while affecting broad-based transformation. YES in collaboration with the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) published a specialised gazette that allows this incentive for businesses. This policy is unique to YES.
The level up is outside of the B-BBEE scorecard, however, participation in YES and receipt of level up(s) is dependent on points on the scorecard. So, if you’re already operating within the B-BBEE space, YES is an effective way to gain levels over and above your standard B-BBEE strategy.
4. Integration of ESG/SDG
Your business is able to integrate youth job creation with your environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies, helping you increase impact in spaces where it’s needed most and that mean the most to your company. Not only does this create broad-based impact in communities, in your business and within your stakeholder groups, but aligning your job creation and business strategies with ESG goals plays a great role in how it stands up next to its competitors.
5. Community upliftment
The YES turnkey solution allows corporates to place youth externally through a YES host partner. This allows sustainable impact by placing youth where it matters most to your business and its social/environmental impact strategy.
This is achieved through working with YES-vetted host partners across South Africa to place youth. These partners are generally NPOs or small businesses working in high-impact sectors such as digital, health care, education, conservation, early childhood development, agriculture and processing, and digital.
One of the biggest draw cards about the turnkey solution is that businesses can place youth in communities, which means they do not have to travel far for work, combatting spatial inequality. Young people working in the areas in which they live helps build local economies, and allows them to reinvest their time, effort and financial resources back into their communities.
Partner with YES for a better tomorrow
Our trusted implementation and corporate partners form part of an ecosystem that continues to drive impact that ripples through families, businesses, communities and the country. Tackling the youth unemployment crisis today will lead to a growing and prosperous economy tomorrow.
Because it’s simply good for business.
How to sign on
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STEP 1: CALCULATE YOUR YES TARGET
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STEP 2: SIGN UP & REGISTER PROGRAMME
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STEP 3: SELECT YOUR PLACEMENT MODEL
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STEP 4: UPLOAD YOUR YOUTH INFORMATION
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STEP 5: CHANGE LIVES
Join the movement
Over 1,550+ corporates have already signed up to co-create a future that works for all. Take responsibility for the future today. Calculate your target now.
[1] https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/american-government/economic-policy/the-goals-of-economic-policy
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Amendment to the Gazette