Presidential Youth Employment Initiative Surpasses Milestones with New Opportunities

Since its inception in 2020, the Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) has emerged as one of South Africa’s most impactful responses to the persistent challenge of youth unemployment. Originally launched to create sustainable pathways into the labour market for the country’s young people, the initiative has already exceeded its initial target of reaching 5 million youth and has provided more than 1.5 million earning opportunities.

First Quarter 2025/26 Achievements

During a media briefing in Johannesburg, Deputy Minister in The Presidency Nonceba Mhlauli highlighted the initiative’s achievements in the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. Between April and June 2025, more than 234,000 opportunities were accessed by young people through the National Pathway Management Network (NPMN). This system connects job seekers to training, employment, and entrepreneurial pathways, representing the combined efforts of government, civil society, and the private sector.

A key highlight was the launch of Phase 4 of the Revitalised National Youth Service (NYS), which will deliver 40,000 paid service opportunities to young people nationwide. The NYS, implemented by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) under the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, promotes active citizenship while equipping participants with essential skills, work readiness, and a stronger sense of civic duty. Since its revitalisation, the NYS has already placed more than 84,000 young people into structured, paid community service roles.

Jobs Boost: Scaling Quality Employment

Another pillar of the PYEI is the innovative Jobs Boost Outcomes Fund, South Africa’s largest formal sector employment outcomes fund, supported by a R300 million financing mechanism. This fund uses a pay-for-performance model, partnering with skills providers to ensure that young people not only access jobs but sustain them over time.

By June 2025, over 8,100 young people had enrolled, with 5,436 placed into quality jobs. More than R115 million has been disbursed to 12 implementation partners for verified outcomes, ensuring accountability and measurable results. Notably, retention rates have been strong, with many participants maintaining employment beyond three and six months.

The fund’s success has drawn international recognition: in 2025, Jobs Boost was selected as one of ten global recipients of the Outcomes Finance Alliance’s Outcomes Accelerator from over 500 applicants. This prestigious award acknowledges the initiative as a pioneering model of outcomes-based financing. The grant provides both funding and technical support, enabling Jobs Boost to expand beyond its pilot phase and offer life-changing employment opportunities to thousands more young people.

Building a Future of Opportunity

Deputy Minister Mhlauli stressed that the PYEI is not only about creating temporary jobs but about transforming systems that connect young South Africans to long-term employment. She emphasized the importance of unlocking opportunities in priority growth sectors, scaling innovative interventions, and deepening partnerships across government and the private sector.

The Deputy Minister concluded by reaffirming government’s commitment to measurable impact:

“As we scale Jobs Boost and other innovative programmes, we will continue to unlock meaningful pathways for young people, linking funding directly to quality, sustained jobs that truly change lives.”

Outlook

Looking ahead, the PYEI is poised to expand its reach, strengthen institutional systems, and embed innovation into its interventions. With both local and global recognition, the initiative represents a bold model of how public-private collaboration, outcomes-based financing, and youth-driven programmes can reshape the employment landscape in South Africa.