NYDA LEADS LAUNCH OF YOUTH MONTH AT HECTOR PIETERSON MEMORIAL

•⁠ ⁠The focus of this year’s Youth Month commemorations is on empowering youth for meaningful economic participation.
•⁠ ⁠Youth Month serves as an essential reminder of the significance of investing in the future of the country’s young people, ensuring their inclusion in South Africa’s trajectory towards economic growth and renewal.
•⁠ ⁠June is a time for remembrance, reflection, and a renewed commitment to the empowerment and development of young individuals in South Africa.

Youth Month has officially been launched at Uncle Tom’s Hall at the Hector Pieterson Memorial in Soweto, at a time when the nation finds itself at a critical economic juncture.

Amid shifting global trends and persistently high youth unemployment rates, the government is intensifying efforts to equip young individuals with the skills and opportunities necessary for meaningful participation in the economy.

Youth Month serves as an essential reminder of the importance of investing in the future of the country’s young people, ensuring their inclusion in South Africa’s trajectory towards economic growth and renewal.

The launch on 3 June 2025 at the historic Kliptown site was a joint effort between the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

The Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, in collaboration with the National Youth Development Agency and various partners, used the launch to unveil a programme of action and kick off a nationwide series of engagements focused on youth development.

This year, the focus of Youth Month will be on key industries that play a vital role in advancing youth empowerment and economic transformation in South Africa, including transport, aerospace, and aviation – sectors well placed to unlock education, skills development, and economic opportunities.

Other sectors include the creative economy, which offers pathways for innovation and self-expression, and the mining sector, which supports youth-led small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) through both financial and non-financial interventions.

Thousands of young South Africans are gaining access to training, employment, internships, and business opportunities thanks to robust partnerships across public and private sectors, as well as programmes such as the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention and the Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator.

As important are the initiatives aimed at promoting physical and mental health by reducing risky behaviours among young people.

As South Africa heads towards 16 June, the country remembers the pivotal role played by the youth of 1976, who stood courageously against the injustices of the apartheid regime. Their bravery ignited South Africa’s journey towards democracy, and their legacy continues to inspire generations.

Youth Month is a time for remembrance, reflection, and a renewed commitment to the empowerment and development of young individuals in South Africa.

Youth Month will be commemorated under the theme “Skills for the changing world – empowering youth for meaningful economic participation”.

The theme reflects a shared national commitment to building a future-ready generation through education, skills training, entrepreneurship, and meaningful economic inclusion.

It also coincides with the celebration of 31 years of democracy in South Africa, offering an important moment to reflect on the progress made and the work still required to ensure that no young person is left behind.