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Skills 4 Life – Expanding Youth Economic Opportunity in the Limpopo Province
Guided by a meticulous ecosystem assessment, extensive research, and stakeholder consultations, the Skills for Life (S4L) initiative in Limpopo Province, a collaboration between IYF, De Beers Group, and DHET, is designed to address the specific needs of young individuals, TVET colleges, and employers. At its core, the S4L programme aims to fortify South Africa’s public TVET college system, equipping students with the essential skills for academic success and prosperous careers.
This collaborative effort focuses on Vhembe and Capricorn districts in Limpopo, striving to empower disadvantaged youth by imparting vital life skills and technical knowledge. The ultimate goal is to amplify academic achievements and career prospects for these individuals, contributing to a stronger and more resilient workforce.
The S4L programme is designed to suit the unique landscape of South African TVET colleges. It actively promotes dynamic teaching methodologies by nationally capacitating lecturers, with a deeper focus on the 11 campuses within Vhembe and Capricorn TVET colleges in Limpopo.
Through a combination of in-person and online facilitation, the program delivers IYF’s flagship life skills training content, Passport To Success®, alongside Effective Teaching (ET) and Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodologies. This approach not only empowers learners but also boosts employability, bridging identified skills gaps and motivating lecturers. The applied experiential learning solutions are specifically designed to elevate lecturer pedagogy.
Curious to see these approaches in action? Explore firsthand examples of our Effective Teaching content, by clicking the link below.
Who is it for?
The core beneficiaries of the Skills for Life (S4L) project are young women and men enrolled within the South African Public Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college system. Public TVET college campuses are most often located in low-income communities and the system is designed as an alternative secondary education pathway, particularly for students who only completed up to Grade 9 of the mainstream academic secondary schooling system. For these reasons, the system primarily serves students from historically disadvantaged communities in South Africa, with black African students comprising 90% of enrolments, and 40% of students receiving need-based financial aid.
S4L’s Holistic Approach to Building Sustainable Futures
At IYF, we believe in a holistic approach to education that goes beyond textbooks and classrooms. The S4L initiative is dedicated to enhancing the life skills and technical expertise of young men and women enrolled in the TVET college system. By integrating IYF’s Passport to Success® (PTS) life skills program and our dynamic teaching pedagogy (Effective Teaching) into the existing Life Orientation and technical course curricula, we are laying the foundation for improved academic and workforce outcomes.
In our pursuit of sustainable impact, S4L is pioneering innovative digitised lecturer support and training aids. These tools, accessible system-wide, are designed to ensure that the enhancements made within the TVET College system are not only scalable but also contribute to the long-term success of our program goals. With a focus on a comprehensive learning experience, we are shaping sustainable futures for the students we serve.
IYF’s Impactful Partnerships: Strengthening Teaching and Learning
IYF, the Embassy of Ireland (EI), PepsiCo Foundation (PFN), the De Beers Group, and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) have partnered to implement the Skills for Life (S4L) initiative, which aims to strengthen teaching and learning in public TVET colleges, including in life skills, technical skills, and other fundamental courses.
Through ongoing work with IYF, the value of S4L has been recognised by the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). This is formalised through a landmark, Letter of Cooperation entered into between IYF and DHET and forms the central axis of the work we carry out in the TVET college system. Through such cooperation with this important South African government department which oversees universities and other post-secondary education in South Africa, we have been able to Integrate PTS into the LO Curriculum.
Empowering Futures Through Education and Industry Integration
At the core of S4L’s mission is the commitment to empower futures through the seamless integration of education and industry. Our initiative, a collaborative effort between IYF, De Beers Group, and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), aims to bridge the skills gap for young men and women in the TVET college system.