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  • Rethinking Strategies to Combat Unemployment: The Key Steps South Africa Must Take, Including AI.

    Rethinking Strategies to Combat Unemployment: The Key Steps South Africa Must Take Including AI

    South Africa has been grappling with high unemployment rates for years, and traditional approaches to address this issue have had limited success. In order to effectively combat unemployment, innovative and multifaceted strategies are needed. This article explores the key steps that need to be taken, including reevaluating the education system, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), fostering problem-solving skills, increasing AI knowledge across disciplines, bridging the digital divide, promoting entrepreneurship and SMMEs, capitalizing on the digital economy, increasing research and development (R&D) expenditure, and establishing private-public partnerships.

    Key Points to Combat Unemployment

    • The education system needs to align with market demands and integrate AI skills into the curriculum for better employability.
    • Fostering a problem-solving mindset and emphasizing practical experience through project-based learning is crucial.
    • AI literacy should be fostered across all disciplines, not just computer science, to expand employment opportunities in various industries.
    • Bridging the digital divide through investments in digital infrastructure and programs for digital literacy is essential for equal access to AI education and employment opportunities.
    • Promoting entrepreneurship and SMMEs growth requires accessible financing, mentorship, capacity development, and a favorable regulatory environment.
    • South Africa can capitalize on the digital economy through initiatives that promote digital literacy, e-commerce, digital entrepreneurship, and the growth of digital industries.
    • Increasing R&D expenditure stimulates innovation, job creation, and skills development in the short and long term.
    • Private-public partnerships can assist in skills development, entrepreneurship, and infrastructure development to combat unemployment.
    • Employment policies should be restructured to balance worker rights and job creation, and active labor market policies can facilitate the integration of disadvantaged groups.

    Conclusion

    In order to eradicate unemployment, South Africa needs to adopt a comprehensive approach that rethinks education, leverages AI and digital opportunities, promotes entrepreneurship, increases R&D expenditure, and establishes partnerships between the public and private sectors. By implementing these strategies, South Africa can create a fair and inclusive job market that provides opportunities for all its citizens.

    You can access the original article that inspired this blog post here.

  • Applications open: unemployed youth offered jobs at Shoprite Group

    The Shoprite Group invites unemployed and unskilled South African youth to apply for specialist training and educational programmes throughout the year.

    The Retail Readiness Programme invests in teaching unemployed youth the basic skills required for a retail environment or starting their own business. It has trained over 32,000 learners since 2016, with participants receiving NQF-level 3 part qualifications upon successful completion.

    The Group has created 7,387 work opportunities for youth since 2018 through the YES Initiative, where learners receive 12 months of on-the-job training in various in-store service departments.

    Upon completion of the Retail Readiness Programme or YES Initiative, learners may be offered the opportunity to join the Group, with 1,427 doing so in 2022.

    How to apply for a job

    Interested individuals can apply by sending a WhatsApp message, visiting the Shoprite Jobs website, or submitting their CV at a nearby Shoprite, Checkers or Usave supermarket.

    To apply for one of the Group’s youth development programmes:

    ·        Send a WhatsApp to 087 240 5709 and select Job Opportunities

    ·        Visit https://shoprite.jobs 

    ·        Submit your CV at the nearest Shoprite, Checkers or Usave supermarket.

    Visit the Shoprite Group’s Youth Opportunities web page for more information.

    You can read the original article here.

  • Why We Should Be Concerned About The Ability Of Public Healthcare To Deal With COVID-Related

    I just watched this video on mental health challenges in public healthcare and believe communities need to wake up to the perils ahead.

    Public health care under strain

    It is estimated that one in six people globally will experience a mental health disorder in their lifetime. In South Africa, it is estimated that close to one in three people live with a mental illness and the majority are unable to access suitable care. Given the high prevalence of mental illness in the country, it is unsurprising that mental health is one of the leading causes of disability. 

    The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on people’s mental health. The lockdown, loss of jobs, and social isolation have increased anxiety and depression. In addition, there has been a significant increase in the number of people experiencing domestic violence. 

    The mental health system in South Africa was already under immense strain before the pandemic hit. The added pressure of the pandemic has led to concerns about the ability of the public healthcare system to deal with the increased demand for mental health services.

    The COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on mental health

    Mental health challenges in public healthcare are very real.

    There is a growing concern that the public healthcare system will not be able to deal with the mental health demands related to COVID-19. The virus has already significantly impacted people’s mental health, and with the lockdown measures in place, many people are struggling to cope.

    The increased demand for mental health services will likely strain an already stretched healthcare system. This could lead to longer waiting times for mental health care and a general deterioration of mental health services.

    There are calls for the government to invest more in mental health services to improve the ability of the healthcare system to deal with the increased demand. However, it remains to be seen whether this will happen.

    The risks of not addressing the mental health needs of the population

    There is growing evidence that the population’s mental health needs are not adequately addressed. This is leading to increased risks for individuals, families and communities.

    The knock-on effect of the pandemic and mental health on entrepreneurs and small business owners, already under fiscal strain, could have a severe impact on the financial stability of communities.

    There are several reasons why the population’s mental health needs are not adequately addressed. One reason is that mental health is still taboo in many cultures. This means people are reluctant to talk about their mental health problems and seek help.

    Another reason is that mental health services are often underfunded and understaffed. This means there are not enough resources, and people with mental health problems often don’t get the help they need.

    The population’s mental health needs must be taken seriously and addressed properly. This will require a concerted effort from individuals, families, communities and governments.

    The potential solutions

    Mental health is a significant challenge in the public healthcare system. The potential solutions to address this challenge include:

    – Providing more resources for mental health services

    – Improving access to mental health care

    – Increasing awareness of mental health issues

    – improving the quality of mental health services

    The South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP) is urging the government health department to increase its investment in community-level mental healthcare. See link here.

    These solutions require a concerted effort from all healthcare system levels, from policy-makers to front-line workers. However, with the right support, the public healthcare system can significantly progress in addressing the mental health challenge.

    The Upside response

    Upside Community Services’ response to this pandemic rests on two fundamental pillars

    1. Early intervention
    2. Public-Private partnerships

    Research has shown that early intervention has a greater level of success but it also reduces the strain on public healthcare by reducing the numbers of severe mental health cases.

    Public-private partnerships allows for a more rapid deployment of mental healthcare services to the communities that need it.

    References

    https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2023-02-24-psychiatrists-call-for-government-to-invest-more-in-mental-healthcare/

    http://www.ci.uct.ac.za/ci/cg2021-2022-child-and-adolescent-mental-health

    Mental Health of Entrepreneurs in South Africa Takes a Toll #ThisIsUs