DSD PARTNERS WITH ACADEMIA AND DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS TO LINK YOUTH AND GRANT RECIPIENTS TO SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

By Sandi Mbatsha

• The Department of Social Development is determined to break down siloed approaches across the social security sectors to accelerate progress in eradicating poverty, inequality and unemployment.
• The department is working with partners including FinMark Trust and BRAC International to pilot the Generating Better Livelihoods for grant recipients project – a complementary intervention to existing active labour market programmes.
• The Generating Better Livelihoods programme, along with the Basic Package of Support programme, seeks to connect social grant recipients and youth who are not in employment, education or training to economic opportunities.

The Department of Social Development is strengthening partnerships with development organisations and academic institutions to explore innovative ways to connect unemployed youth and social grant beneficiaries to sustainable livelihood opportunities.

This is part of the government’s broader efforts to combat poverty, inequality and unemployment.

The department is working with partners, including FinMark Trust and BRAC International, to pilot the Generating Better Livelihoods for grant recipients project.

The initiative, together with the Basic Package of Support programme, is being positioned as a complementary intervention to existing active labour market programmes.

Academic support from the University of Johannesburg and the University of Cape Town is helping ensure that the programmes are evidence-based and informed by research.

The Department of Social Development administers R293-billion, representing 96.7% of its total budget allocation of R302-billion, to support 25 million social grant beneficiaries annually.

According to the General Household Survey 2025, released by Statistics South Africa in May 2026, social grants continue to serve as a critical safety net for vulnerable households across the country.

The survey found that:

• 50.6% of South African households had at least one member receiving a social grant;
• 39.5% of individuals benefited directly from social grants;
•  Nearly half (45.9%) of children lived with their mothers only, while 31.4% lived with both biological parents; and
• Female-headed households accounted for 42.6% of all households nationally.

The survey also showed that social grants remain the main source of income for 23.4% of households.

The Generating Better Livelihoods and Basic Package of Support programmes seek to connect social grant recipients and youth who are not in employment, education or training to economic opportunities and livelihood support mechanisms that can improve their long-term socio-economic outcomes.

Using a human-centred and integrated approach, the programmes aim to equip participants with the skills, knowledge, confidence and support needed to improve their circumstances and build sustainable livelihoods.

The interventions focus on strengthening resilience, enhancing capabilities, and creating pathways to economic participation through coordinated support across multiple sectors.

The department said it remains committed to exploring opportunities to scale the approach and expand its reach.

The Generating Better Livelihoods programme specifically targets grant recipients, particularly beneficiaries of the Child Support Grant and the Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress package.

The programme seeks to help participants overcome barriers to economic participation, improve financial inclusion and access livelihood opportunities.

Implemented as a pilot within the government system under the leadership of the Department Social Development, the programme is built on four pillars: social protection, livelihood promotion, social empowerment and financial inclusion.

The Generating Better Livelihoods team is working with three pilot provinces to develop an integrated support model that can be expanded nationally over time.

The programme seeks to reposition social grants as a foundation for economic empowerment by linking beneficiaries to entrepreneurship opportunities, skills development programmes and employment pathways.

FinMark Trust and BRAC International have played a key role in bringing together stakeholders from government, the private sector, civil society, development partners and academia to support the implementation of the pilot programme.

The initiative places coaching, mentorship and integrated service delivery at the centre of its approach.

The department also welcomed the contribution of higher education institutions, particularly the Centre for Social Development in Africa at the University of Johannesburg, and the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit at the University of Cape Town through the Basic Package of Support programme.

Their involvement is helping to shape coordinated, people-centred interventions to address poverty and promote sustainable development outcomes.

The department has encouraged other universities and research institutions to join the initiative and help find innovative solutions to South Africa’s persistent socio-economic challenges.

Speaking at the engagement, the department’s acting Director-General, Advocate Gugulethu Thimane, welcomed the growing partnership between government, academia and development organisations, stressing the importance of breaking down silo approaches across sectors to accelerate progress in eradicating poverty, inequality and unemployment.