Training programme aims to tackle youth unemployment
JOHANNESBURG - As Youth Month draws to a close, the focus shifts from remembering 1976 to addressing the harsh realities faced by young people.
With rising unemployment, gender-based violence and digital exclusion on the rise experts say South Africa must invest in more than just hard skills.
A groundbreaking programme launched by Higher Health is doing just that, arming young people with civic values and the soft skills needed to succeed in the modern world.
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2 days ago
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Training programme aims to tackle youth unemployment
JOHANNESBURG - As Youth Month draws to a close, the focus shifts from remembering 1976 to addressing the harsh realities faced by young people. With rising unemployment, gender-based violence and digital exclusion on the rise experts say South Africa must invest in more than just hard skills. A groundbreaking programme launched by Higher Health is doing just that, arming young people with civic values and the soft skills needed to succeed in the modern world.
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Joburg residents are worried about air pollution
New data from Breathe Cities reveals that 92% of surveyed Johannesburg residents expressed concern about air pollution. 78% of surveyed residents who experience one or more health symptoms believe they suffer from these symptoms as a result of air pollution. However, despite these concerns, only 5% of the 3,000 respondents are aware of the existing local air quality initiatives. As part of Youth Month, residents will also be able to #PauseAndBreathe together in-person during the Hike for the Environment event at Kloofendal Nature Reserve in Roodepoort. The hike is organised by the City of Johannesburg and it will feature a guided nature walk, youth exhibits and interactive activities for the attendees to show their support for a cleaner, healthier Johannesburg. In response, the City of Johannesburg, in collaboration with Breathe Cities, an initiative that supports 14 cities to reduce air pollution, is launching #PauseAndBreathe, an activation that aims to inspire public support and bridge the gap between concern and awareness. To increase levels of awareness around air quality solutions, the City of Johannesburg is calling on all residents, wherever they are, to pause and breathe in a powerful city-led moment of unity on Saturday, 28 June 2025, at 12 midday, to show support for action on air pollution. Residents are encouraged to take part in #PauseAndBreathe by: Taking a personal moment of reflection at 12 pm on 28 June. Residents can post their picture wherever they are, whether it's with family or friends at home or enjoying Joburg's open spaces and great outdoors. Joining the in-person event against pollution at Kloofendal Nature Reserve in Roodepoort on 28 June where many joburgers will be gathering for #PauseAndBreathe. This gathering will serve as a visually striking centrepiece for the day, bringing together people committed to clean air in a natural setting. RSVP link . Posting your message of support and advocacy on social media using the hashtags #CleanAirJozi #PauseAndBreathe #Jozicares Head to the city's social channels to learn more about the action being taken in Joburg and how you can get involved. Whether you join in on June 28 at the nature reserve or simply pause wherever you are, at 12 midday on the 28th of June, Joburg is taking a moment to pause and reflect on the air quality of our beloved city. 'Youth month honours the power of unity among Johannesburg's youth - a force that continues to inspire real change. The challenge of air pollution demands innovative action, that's why I'm excited to present this new call to action for a healthier and more equitable Joburg. I urge everyone to join this collective #PauseAndBreathe moment as we each reflect on how we can make a meaningful difference together in our communities,' the campaign statement read. 'Nelson Mandela focused on human rights, but he pushed for environmental justice and sustainable action. He understood that the environment has a direct impact on people. The right to good air quality is included in our constitution. We have the right to an environment that is not harmful to our health and well being. Our air quality is currently 3.8 times more [harmful] than the standard stipulated by WHO. As active citizens we must stand together and campaign for cleaner air,' said Catherine Constantinides, Environmental Activist & Human Rights Defender.
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Urgency is needed to invest in adolescent health and well-being
In investing in the health and well-being of South African adolescents, our first step should be to have nationally representative and contextually relevant data to guide policies and interventions. Image: Supplied by Shutterstock As we celebrate Youth Month, we are reminded that the choices we make today play a role in shaping the future of our nation, and this begins with investing in our adolescents. Africa is expected to be home to more than 45% of adolescents globally by the year 2100. In South Africa, it is estimated that adolescents account for 18.5% of the population, which is about 10 million young people between 10 and 19 years old. If we want to prepare our youth for the future, we need to invest in their health and well-being today. On Youth Day, we celebrated the brave young people of the 1976 Soweto Uprising and honoured the role they played in fighting to empower youth. Yet today, the health and well-being of South African adolescents, shaped by the unique challenges they face, including socio-economic pressures, continue to be overlooked. Data from recent studies paint a deeply concerning picture of the developmental period of adolescence in South Africa: those between 10 and 19 years of age are reporting higher depression and anxiety symptoms, particularly older adolescents from low-income settings; while 45% of adolescents from rural environments report having used substances in the past 12 months, with alcohol being the most prevalent, followed by tobacco and cannabis. A more recent trend has seen just over 16% of school-going adolescents engaging in vaping. The median age of sexual debut is 16 years, with reported incidence of sexually transmitted infections being higher among female adolescents. Video Player is loading. 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Next Stay Close ✕ Prof Eugene Lee Davids, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pretoria Image: Supplied In addition, female adolescents from socio-economically challenged areas have a higher prevalence of non-communicable disease risk factors, which include being overweight or obese and having elevated cholesterol, when compared to male adolescents. This worrying state is expected to be exacerbated by trends such as climate change and the rapid changes associated with the digital world, as reported in the recent Lancet Commission on adolescent health and well-being. While existing studies provide some insight into the state of adolescent health in South Africa, it is worth noting that many were conducted with small samples or geographically concentrated areas, highlighting a critical need for nationally representative data. In investing in the health and well-being of South African adolescents, our first step should be to have nationally representative and contextually relevant data to guide policies and interventions. In an attempt to do just this, the Healthy Adolescent Behaviours: Investigating Trajectories in South Africa (HABITS) study by the University of Pretoria's Department of Psychology is exploring the health and well-being of adolescents and the factors that influence it. HABITS is a three-phased, mixed-methods study funded by the National Research Foundation that aims to assess the overall health and well-being of adolescents in two provinces in South Africa. It seeks to address the gap in nationally and contextually relevant data, as much of it is either out of date or has been discontinued. The study would yield data on a range of adolescent experiences, including their mental well-being, lifestyle behaviours, school experiences, relationships, safety, how climate change affects them and their decision-making abilities. The data would help us to better understand the needs and concerns of adolescents, and can be used to work with young people, schools and relevant stakeholders to plan and implement targeted interventions. Another pathway to shaping health and well-being is by encouraging decision-making that promotes healthy alternatives. This involves adolescents evaluating all the available options and choosing one that yields the best result, in this case, the happier and healthier outcome. When engaging in decision-making, adolescents should remember that rushing a decision or putting it off can lead to detrimental outcomes. Young people generally engage in one of the following types of decision-making: Evaluating all the available options and choosing the one that would lead to the best outcome; Making a rushed decision because of time constraints, which often leads to less desirable outcomes; and Putting off making a decision or shifting the responsibility of deciding to someone else is often associated with less desirable outcomes. Adolescents make up a large proportion of the South African population, and investing in their health would yield a triple dividend on investment. In celebrating Youth Day, let us start investing in the health and well-being of adolescents in South Africa and around the world to create pathways for young people to thrive. Prof Eugene Lee Davids, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Pretoria and study lead of the Healthy Adolescent Behaviours: Investigating Trajectories in South Africa (HABITS) study
