Dr. Levael V. Davis

1. Holistic Youth Development A Three (3) Dimensional Approach that Works Dr. Levael V. Davis

2. Premises • Authentic human capital development rests in three components or dimensions namely: (1) Tools, (2) Opportunity, and (3) Support. • Each dimension is required for holistic, sustained youth human capital development. • Holistic Youth Development needs to possess a balanced approach of all three (3) components. • If one dimension is missing then the youth development process will not be effective.

3. 3 Dimensions TOOLS Self-Exploration Knowledge fit Occupationally directed OPPORTUNITY Analysis Management Creation SUPPORT Performance/Occupational Coaching Life Coaching/Character Development Mentoring/Tracking

4. Youth in S.A - 3 Categories • The Oblivious • The Wonderers • The Focused

5. The Oblivious • They walk through life blindly • They only care about today • Low work concerns • Mostly financially dependent on parents/guardians/others. • Both advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds. • Low work identity • High ‘sense of entitlement’.

6. The Wonderers • Low to Moderate career concerns • Low to moderate work identity • Moderate to high ‘sense of entitlement’ • Moderate to High dependence on parents/guardians. • Both advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds. • Have a desire, but no approach

7. The Focused • They know what they want • High career concerns • High identity with work • Low, Moderate and High sense of entitlement • Both advantaged and disadvantaged backgrounds • Self-motivated • Hard workers • Strategic • Moderately dependent on others

8. Why Youth Educational Interventions Fail? • Ineffective recruitment and selection processes • Vague work identity • Language and cultural Issues • Failure to Contextualize - Not understanding their life stories • Lack of Commitment • Lack of Ownership • Fear • Poor Career Pathing Strategy • Poor tracking system • Handout Mentality • Lack of adequate ‘parental’ support • Inability to identify and overcome ‘Sense of Entitlement’.

9. Youth Development in Context What are we assisting youth to develop? • Culture • Mentality • Experience • Potential • Personal Leadership • Healthy Work Identity

10. A. The Tools Dimension • The tools dimension emphasizes the necessity for youth to gain the appropriate tools to develop themselves. • Tools include specific knowledge, skills and education aligned to assessed youth potential. • This process includes: • A thorough assessment of past and present knowledge (2) Correcting misconceptions and distorted paradigms and expectations. • Linking of skill with realistic desires, expectation and abilities. (4) Providing Alternatives

11. B. The Opportunity Dimension • This dimension explores the various dynamics concerning the perception of youth regarding opportunities. • How young people view opportunities is critical in understanding their general response and attitude towards their development. • This process includes: 1. Assist with access to opportunity. 2. Correcting the defective mentalities concerning opportunity. 3. Promote healthy attitude and behaviour change concerning opportunities. 4. Teaching youth to be opportunity makers, finding opportunities themselves.

12. C. The Support Dimension • The support dimension includes all forms of support interventions, particularly including mentoring, coaching, guidance. • The support dimension involves both pre and post opportunity interventions. • This is a vital, often neglected component of youth capital development. This is because of a lack of desire, skills, knowledge or experience in consistently supporting the development of young people. • This process includes: (1) Guide youth along the path that they choose. (2) Coach youth towards intrinsic character development. (3) Provide a framework for future development, by assist them in eliminating personal limitations. (4) Linking young with appropriate mentors.