Jobs Fund Siyasebenza August issue out now
Youth at Work: Unlocking Opportunities in the Freelance and Creative Economy
The nature of work is changing. Technology, entrepreneurship, and new business models are creating new ways for young people to earn an income, build careers, and participate in the economy. This edition of the Jobs Fund’s Siyasebenza explores how skills development, enterprise support and innovative partnerships can help young South Africans access these emerging opportunities.
The “Our Partner Spotlight” feature follows Morena Mofokeng, who entered Sunshine Cinema’s Spark Impact Programme looking for a pathway into the film and media industry. Today, he is an Impact Facilitator, filmmaker and entrepreneur who has worked on SABC1’s Daily Thetha, partnered with organisations including the National Geographic Society and Disney, and uses storytelling to lead conversations on issues affecting his community. His experience reflects Sunshine Cinema’s wider impact: since 2021, the organisation has trained and supported 120 young people, delivered more than 1,128 community screenings, reached 44,795 audience members and generated R2.78 million in participant income.
The newsletter also explores how the National Arts Festival’s Festival Enterprise Catalyst is helping strengthen South Africa’s creative economy by connecting major arts festivals into a national circuit. This approach extends the life of productions and creates longer periods of work for artists, performers, technicians and creative entrepreneurs. Over the past two years, the initiative has supported 17 new theatre productions that have toured 39 times, supported 112 musical acts to stage 345 performances, facilitated 86 jam sessions and provided informal training to 342 participants.
Through these stories, Siyasebenza demonstrates that the future of work is not simply about choosing between traditional employment and the gig economy. It is about creating more pathways for young South Africans to develop market-relevant skills, access opportunities, build enterprises, and participate meaningfully in the economy.