Youth engagement

For Musa Kuzwayo, high school was a constant struggle to fit in – until he became a community radio youth reporter at Alex FM. Working on the UNICEF-supported mental health project, he found a platform where he could express himself, and help others to do the same. In the quiet corners of our minds, battles are waged daily, unseen by the world.  …

Being bullied at school can have a lasting, negative effect on a learner’s life. Youth reporter Sibusisiwe Khosa, from Emalahleni FM in Mpumalanga participated in the UNICEF-supported mental health dialogues and speaks out about her experience of bullying, and how she overcame its negative impact. My name is Sibusisiwe Khoza and I have suffered a…

PRETORIA, 06 December 2023 – Extra effort must be placed on ensuring that children and young people are better protected, more visible and empowered to actively respond to the climate and environmental crisis, according to the ‘ Climate, Energy and Environment Landscape Analysis for Children in South Africa Climate, Energy and Environment…

PRETORIA, 20 October 2023 – Young people across South Africa are stepping up to tackle the rising physical, mental, and economic costs of unhealthy lifestyles by launching the ‘ My body, my health: my wealth ’ campaign today at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Pietermaritzburg campus, to mark the end of National Obesity Week, 16 to 20…

My body my health my wealth banner with a healthy young woman smiling broadly, resting her face on her hands which are on top of a beautiful ripe apple South Africa’s youth are driving efforts to empower peers and create a more conducive environment to live healthier lifestyles and prevent NCDs Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are responsible for…, Urgent action is needed, A five-year strategic plan (2022 - 2027) to prevent and control NCDs has been developed and needs action. UNICEF Youth Volunteer Clubs are doing just that through the second phase of their campaign: ‘My body, my health: my wealth’. UNICEF produced  a study to better understand diet and physical activity trends among adolescents and youth. This…, Small changes are powerful, The local environment can make healthy living choices difficult but, there are ways in which we can improve our health to help prevent NCDs. Plan and pack: be prepared for the day with healthy snacks like fresh or dried fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and a bottle of water. This will help you make better food choices and save you money! Focus…

PRETORIA, 09 October 2023 – Some 60 per cent of children and youth felt they needed mental health support over the past year, according to the latest UNICEF South Africa U-Report poll. The findings show a 15 per cent reduction from a similar poll last year but little change among the 15-24-year-old age group, of whom 70 per cent still needed help…

PRETORIA, 03 October 2023 –A new photography project, ‘The Green Rising: Climate Impact & Response – Through a Fresh Lens’ , is calling for young people to articulate, through photography, how their lives are being affected by climate and environmental issues and how they are adapting and fighting back.  The project will bring what are often…, How to submit your photo entry, Children and young people aged 15 to 24-years can submit their photos (ideally from a digital camera but phone or other digital device will be accepted) and their text to: saf-photosubmission@unicef.org    Please share three photos with 3 to 5 lines of text that explain why your image/s reflect the impact of the climate crisis and / or…

I come from a broken family structure and my youngest years were lived in extreme poverty. Today, I call myself a humanitarian who focuses on improving social services for children and the fulfillment of their rights. I know how important access to child protection, health and other essential child services are because I struggled to receive them…

The ‘Basic Package of Support Programme’ (BPS) was set up to provide holistic services to improve the wellbeing and employability of young people. This work is urgent. In South Africa, more than 60% of the country’s youth are not in employment, education, or training. In response, the BPS aims to provide youth, aged 15-24-years, with the skills…, Firefighting into the future, Tyrece was born and bred in Atlantis, Western Cape. As a young boy he visited the local fire station and from that moment on dreamt of being a firefighter. But applying for his dream job was not easy with no practical training or experience on how to develop an application and with internet access hard to come. The Atlantis ‘Basic Package of…, Modelling into the future, Shastri was born and bred in Atlantis, Western Cape, a young life full of violence and obstacles. Today, he’s taking his dream of being a model to the next level, working with a team of Youth Coaches as a participant in the ‘Basic Package of Support’ programme that provides holistic services to youth to improve their wellbeing and employability.…, Designing into the future, Meagan was born and bred in Atlantis, Western Cape. She discovered her love and talent for art at a young age. Today, she’s turning her artistic dream into a business venture by selling her artwork and jewellery. The young artist has turned entrepreneur with support from a team of Youth Coaches as a participant in the ‘Basic Package of Support’…, More to explore

The Youth Emergency Guide was created by children and young people from across South Africa. A series of virtual training workshops and remote youth-led drafting sessions were held and written submissions were used to inform the overall structure and content of the Guide. The concept of the Guide was borne out of learnings from the response to…

PRETORIA, South Africa, 11 August 2023 – Twenty-three per cent of respondents to the latest UNICEF South Africa U-Report poll cited life skills as being the most useful to develop in helping them to find work. Vocational training and entrepreneurship development followed closely after, with 19 per cent and 18 per respectively. The poll, released…

Informational brochure on U-report, a free virtual platform where young people like you speak out and are heard – on issues they care about. Download and share or print the flyer.