Building Alliances, choosing allies: Taking sides in youth work, research and activism

1. Building Alliances, choosing allies: Taking sides in youth work, research and activism Commentary: LwaziMboyi 09/07/2014

2. Key Themes • What alliances and for whom • Funding as a determinant of alliances • Context of youth work: guiding doctrine to our youth work and the choices made • Our Allies -The burden of choice • Common Experiences • Entrepreneurship - SA example of emerging allies

3. What alliances and for whom • Funding, building capacity, strengthening social capital, support for youth initiatives • Young people our primary client as youth workers, guide for our allies of choice • Convergence of interests • Politics inform our choices • linkages to the public sector - dependency • Threshold of tolerance • If alliances are threatening to youth you work, what choices exist? Autonomy sacrosanct? • Not all alliances are favourable to the course of youth work ( Tania)

4. Funding - determinant of alliances • Does funding determine alliance choices? • Our principles, our fortress! • Funder interests • Alliances can be a threat to youth work (Lasse) • The phenomenon of being absolutely autonomous whilst completely dependable

5. Context of youth work • Limited synergy on conceptual clarity • Varying views on youth work, youth policy, youth workers • Tania places emphasis on informality, detachment, centrality of young people’s interests • Group or individual oriented approaches • Integrated Youth Policy - SA context • Detachment vs engagement (CPF example) • Balancing act- Integration of young people and preparing them for the future

6. Our Allies – The Burden of choice • Build critical alliances at all levels, starting at local, that are: • Young people centred • Pledge allegiance to young people and embrace their chosen paths • Allow them space to be vocal about issues of impact in their lives and their surroundings • Cognisant of who young people are

7. Common Experiences • Youth work remains peripheral • Society abdicating its responsibility towards youth – “ A problem for youth workers” • National Security interests – infringing on the rights of citizens especially the youth • Social media occupying a major space in young people’s conversations and their chocies • Youth sector is highly mobile – choices for the present and the future

8. Entrepreneurship – SA Example of emerging allies • Private sector players entering the youth space to build alliances • EXXARO and SAAYC • Old Mutual • Brimstone

9. END Thank You