Age
16
Country of Residence
South Africa
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
My idea started from watching students around me push themselves extremely hard to become doctors, engineers or enter other respected careers, without always knowing if those careers were actually right for them. I saw students studying late into the night and chasing marks, only to later realise that what they were working towards did not resonate with them or that getting into those university programmes was much harder than they expected. That made me question the gap between high school and university. Universities visit schools and host open days, but showing students a list of courses is not the same as helping them understand what those careers actually involve, what the real world needs, and what fits their strengths and interests. My “aha!” moment was realising that students don't only need more information; they need a bridge. That sparked Youth Opportunity Network: a way to connect high-school students with universities, companies, organisations and real opportunities so they can explore different paths, understand themselves better and make informed decisions about their futures
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
Since Youth Opportunity Network is still being developed, I have not formally engaged participants yet. My plan is to grow YON by first sharing the vision with schools, universities, businesses and young people who believe in the problem we are trying to solve. As the project develops, I want to build a youth-led team and separate responsibilities into different areas, such as school outreach, university and business partnerships, opportunities, events and student support. This will allow other young people to bring their own strengths and ideas into YON instead of everything depending on one person. We will also use social media, school networks, webinars and events to make students and parents aware of both the problem and the opportunities available to them. I don't want people to join YON just to fill a position. I want people who genuinely believe that young people deserve better direction, exposure and opportunities, and who want to help build that change with me.
How many people are on your team?
1
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
Although our network is just being developed, my vision for the organization is to impact the lives of at least 50-100 students within my first year by helping them actualize their potential. To me, success would be measured by helping a confused young person to discover their talents and subsequently, take action towards their goals. I envision YON developing internship opportunities, small job placements, mentoring programs, and other platforms for the students to help them create a better future for themselves. My other hope is that YON provides academic support to average students to ensure they do not lag behind their more intelligent counterparts. Therefore, my main evaluation criteria for success will focus on the number of students reached out to, the number of opportunities provided, and the overall improvement recorded. However, if things do not work as planned, then I still have a clear idea of how to handle the situation without feeling defeated or demoralized. My vision is to scale up the organization countrywide and even globally to impact more lives of these young people who are the future leaders of the world. And since every individual must contribute to their success, I want to help them create their own success stories. I believe that every child must be empowered to become a productive member of the society instead of being a burden.
Project Category
My project is a brand new / emerging idea
Project Stage
Pilot-Stage (We’ve tried an activity or two)
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
Youth Opportunity Network bridges the gap between high school, university and the real world by helping students understand what careers actually require, discover what suits them, choose the right study paths and connect with opportunities that prepare them for their future.
Project title
Youth Opportunity Network
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
I am trying to solve the problem of high school students making major decisions about their futures without enough guidance to find the right path. South Africa’s youth unemployment rate for ages 15–34 is 47.4%, showing how serious the challenge facing young people is. While unemployment has many causes, I believe we are missing a proper system that connects high schools, universities, companies and opportunities before students enter the working world. This matters to me because I want to see young people succeed, not become dependent on grants or struggle from meal to meal because they cannot find opportunities. When more young people find meaningful education and employment, families and communities benefit too. Most importantly, this is personal. One day, I could become part of that unemployment statistic too. I don’t want to wait until then to care about the problem. Change has to start earlier, while we are still in school, and I want to be part of building that bridge now.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
During the next three months, my focus will be turning Youth Opportunity Network from an idea into a project that is ready to launch. During the fourth term, while learners are preparing for exams, I will use the time to develop the programme, research what students need and create a clear plan for how YON will operate. I will begin reaching out to schools, universities, businesses and organisations to introduce the idea, get feedback and identify possible partnerships. I also want to run a small demo or pilot session to test the concept and learn what works before expanding it. During this period, I will also work on building a team of young people who believe in the vision, developing the YON questions and student experience, and creating a system for connecting students with opportunities. By the end of the three months, I want YON to have a clear structure, its first partnerships and a practical plan to begin working directly with students.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
What makes Youth Opportunity Network different is that we are not simply telling students what careers or universities exist. Most students already hear that. We want to bring the unasked questions to light; Will I actually enjoy this career? Does it fit who I am? Will it still be viable in 5–10 years? Am I choosing it because I want it, or because others expect it from me? What opportunities can I start taking now? YON will be built with young people, including teenagers who have the same drive and ambition to see others thrive. It is not summer school or another compulsory career programme. It is a choice and a chance for students to seriously think, brainstorm and take action towards their future. We also want to involve parents through schools, email and platforms they already use, because they can play an important role in the decisions young people make. Most importantly, YON does not define success as university. Whether someone wants to study, start a business, learn a trade or enter employment, we want to connect them with the right people, information and opportunities for their path. We are not telling young people what they already know. We are helping them find what they have been looking for.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
Youth Opportunity Network is not meant to be another traditional career programme where students are given a list of courses and expected to choose their future. I want to create a space where young people can stop, reflect and understand themselves before making those decisions. I plan to start by contacting high schools and meeting online with principals, teachers and interested students to introduce YON and understand what students actually need. During school holidays, YON will host voluntary webinars, seminars and events where students can ask deeper questions: Where do I see myself in five years? What am I good at? Is the career I am considering still going to be viable? Will I be successful and, importantly, will I be happy doing it? YON will connect students with universities, companies, professionals, entrepreneurs and university students who can give them real insight into different careers and study paths. As the network grows, I want to introduce mentorship, workplace visits and job shadowing so students can experience fields before committing to them. Through surveys and conversations, YON will also listen to students instead of assuming what they need, then connect them with relevant scholarships, competitions and programmes. The goal is not to choose a future for students, but to give them the exposure, connections and understanding to choose one for themselves
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
Youth Opportunity Network is currently led by me. As the founder, I am developing the idea, building the structure and reaching out to schools and potential partners. As YON grows, I want to build a team of driven young people who share the vision. Leadership will be shared based on each person's strengths, ideas and responsibilities.
