Monday 23rd July 2007, 00:28South AfricaWe are a team
I felt very privileged to receive an invitation from the APPETD group of private providers in South Africa to speak at their International Conference in June 2007. The conference was very well attended and discussed the issues faced in a country with an emerging sector focused on private education and training. Although our concept of Work First is not yet familiar in South Africa it did receive a very warm reception from the room and I was surrounded by interested parties at the end of the speech.
We have such different economies, life styles, public service issues and climate, but in fact the solutions to our unemployment, lack of skills, rising prison population, financial exclusion, childcare and enterprise/business growth revolve around the same core principles. We must put the customer at the centre of our offer, we value working in partnership with the voluntary and community sector, we understand the need to invest not spend tax payers money, we have to have a credible offer to employers and be prepared to offer a service within a time concept of “now”.
The jobs have to be real, sustainable and the offer of further skills once in work to climb the ladder.
The conference was filled with like minded organisations and although are offering is new and different the conference could quickly see the way in which this style of public service delivery could work wonders to the high levels of stagnant unemployed.
I look forward to developing partnership and a solid working relationship with the government of South Africa to bring our vision for reducing unemployment.
Thanks
Roy Newey
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