More than 300 Hout Bay residents turned out for a youth dialogue on unemployment. Organisers called it a powerful message to those who question whether unemployed people want to work.

CVs to opportunities

The 790 Youth Rec Club, a recreation centred organisation that supports programmes for youth in Hout Bay hosted the Hout Bay Youth Dialogue on Unemployment and Opportunity at Hout Bay High School Hall. The programme ran from 10:00 to 14:00 under the theme “From CVs to Opportunities: Confronting Youth Unemployment in Hout Bay”. Young people, graduates and jobseekers from Hangberg, Imizamo Yethu and the broader Hout Bay community filled the hall.

Roscoe Jacobs, managing director of the 790 Youth Rec Club, said the turnout spoke for itself.

“Yesterday was not just a dialogue. It was a statement from the people of Hout Bay. More than 300 people came out because they want to work, they want opportunities, and they want access to platforms that can help them build a better future,” Jacobs said.

“We must stop blaming unemployed people for unemployment. The problem is not that our people do not want to work. The problem is that there are not enough opportunities being made available to them.”

Registrations and support on the day

The team assisted participants with registering on the City of Cape Town Jobseeker Database. They also signed residents up on the Harambee/SA Youth.mobi platform and registered voters through the Independent Electoral Commission. The National Youth Development Agency shared information on its youth support programmes.

The strong turnout exposed a critical gap. For many residents, the barrier is not a lack of will. It is a lack of access to information and systems that connect people to opportunities.

Club calls on City to streamline platforms

Following the dialogue, the club called on the City of Cape Town to streamline its employment-related platforms.

Residents often had to register across several separate systems. These include the City Jobseeker Database, the Expanded Public Works Programme opportunity system and the Jobs Connect platform. Many did not understand how these systems connect or differ.

“The purpose must be simple: one resident, one accessible pathway, multiple opportunities,” Jacobs said.

Local businesses urged to hire locally

The club also called on Hout Bay businesses to prioritise employing local residents.

“Employing local people is not charity. It is an investment in community stability, local economic growth and shared prosperity,” Jacobs said.

The club confirmed it would engage partners and stakeholders to host similar programmes in Hout Bay. Monday’s event, it said, could not be a once-off.

The club thanked the City of Cape Town Expanded Public Works Programme team, Harambee/SA Youth.mobi, the National Youth Development Agency and the Independent Electoral Commission for their support on the day.

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