The NYDA was formed as a result of a merger between Umsobomvu Youth Fund and the National Youth Commission. The move creates a single, consolidated structure that is responsible for all aspects of youth development.

The NYDA is a national public entity; the organisation is owned and funded by government. It also reports to government through The Presidency.

The primary beneficiaries of NYDA products and services will be young people between the ages of 14 and 35 years. This is aligned to the beneficiary age criterion set out in the National Youth Policy and the National Youth Development Agency Act. However projects that also benefit people above the age of 35 years will only be supported if majority of their beneficiaries are young people between ages 14 and 35 years.

No, the NYDA will only be focussing on young people between ages 14 and 35 years. You will recall that government has created a new Ministry (Ministry of Women, Children and People with Disabilities) which is focussing on the needs of women.

Yes, the NYDA will provide assistance to youth of all colours. Priority will be given to people from low-income groups.

The NYDA Act requires the NYDA to promote the interest of youth with disabilities. The NYDA will mainstream the youth with disabilities into its programmes and will, with resources allowing, implement stand alone projects focussing on youth with disabilities.

The NYDA is developing an NYDA Rural Development Strategy and once available this will be shared with the public. We will be utilising its offices and other government offices to reach young people in rural areas. We will also intensify outreach going into these areas using our Mobile Youth Advisory Centres. Provincial Advisory Boards are also being appointed to assist in this regard.

The NYDA will continue using NYC and UYF infrastructure as it is by law the NYDA infrastructure now. The plan is to open new offices in future.

It is the NYDA’s intention to make the NYDA widely accessible to all youth of South Africa. The plan is to have offices in all municipalities.

In July 2009 the NYDA Board of Directors adopted a three-year strategic plan that is underpinned by eight key performance areas:

Economic Participation: Aimed at enhancing the participation of young people in the economy through targeted and integrated programmes. The NYDA will support both for-profit businesses as well as social enterprises that promote job placement, self employment and income generating activities.

Education and Skills Development: Aimed at promoting access to quality education and skills to both in-school and out of school youth through second chance interventions for school drop-outs and School to Work programmes.

National Youth Service: Aimed at providing young people with meaningful and accredited skills and activities that benefit their communities through national service and patriotism.

Social Cohesion: Aimed at engaging young people in activities that build their social capital, networks and strengthen the relationships that bind people and communities together. These activities will propel young people to reach their personal goals and develop their full capacity. Furthermore, young people will be aware of themselves and their rights and responsibilities

Information Services and Communications: Aimed at providing young people with information about various opportunities aimed at improving their living conditions. Through this area of work, the NYDA will also be able to provide information and career guidance services to young people.

Policy, Lobby and Advocacy: Aimed at creating platforms and other social dialogue forums to engage the state, civil society and other social partners for purpose of mainstreaming youth development.

Research, Monitoring and Evaluation: Aimed at generating a body of research, knowledge and best practice in the youth development sector. It will inform various ways through which government, business and other social partners can contribute towards youth development.

Effective and Efficient Resources Management: The NYDA aims to set efficient and effective management processes that will ensure that resources are managed optimally. This will be done through effective financial management process, risk management, legal, improved business processes and the development of controls.

The NYDA has come up with eight (8) Key Performance Areas, which are, Social Cohesion, National Youth Service, Information Service and Communication, Economic Participation, Education and Skills Development, Research, Monitoring and Evaluation, Policy, Lobby and Advocacy and Effective and Efficient Management Resources. It is anticipated that the products which were available at both the NYC and UYF will be available in the NYDA. Proposed changes to date have been on supporting women over 35 years.

The voucher programme will continue under the NYDA albeit with improvements in terms of how it is offered. The changes to the voucher programme will include emphasis on product quality and less use of Service Providers, especially those that offer shoddy services. The Business Development Services Division is reviewing the programme and will soon be tabling its recommendations to management.

In terms of the NYDA Act the NYDA is the successor in title to the UYF and the NYC. In other words the assets, liabilities, rights and obligations of the two merged institutions will be passed on to the NYDA by virtue of the NYDA Act. Moreover the NYDA Act makes a provision for the management of the Umsobomvu Fund. The intention is therefore to keep the UYF Section 21 Company as a shell/ vehicle (without any employees) to ensure loan repayments, etc.

The grant aspect of the support to small and emerging businesses (SMMEs) and social enterprises will largely be in the form of non-financial services/ business development services such as the entrepreneurial training, the voucher and mentorship programmes.

The NYDA’s budget for 2009/10 consists of allocations made to the two merged institutions i.e. National Youth Commission and Umsobomvu Youth Fund which are not adequate to implement some but not all planned programmes. For the 2010/11 financial year we have made a request for a budget of over R930 million; we think this will be an adequate level at which the NYDA ought to be funded. We continue to lobby government to increase our budget allocation so we can meet the needs of young people.

No, you will not need to re-register on the NYDA Supplier Database as the UYF and NYC Supplier Databases have been consolidated to create the NYDA Supplier Database. The NYDA will however invite more suppliers in the near future.