In a proactive move to create a sustainable future for South Africa, the 9th edition of South Africa’s largest youth entrepreneurship programme , Step Up 2A Green Start-Up, launched on the 5th of September at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The aim of the programme is driven by the symbiotic fusion of technology and entrepreneurship and aims to equip young individuals with the skills needed to thrive in the green sector.
The programme encourages entrepreneurship and addresses the pressing issue of youth unemployment. Since its establishment in 2014, the initiative has engaged with more than 90,000 high school students and 3000 teachers. In 2022, 63% of the program’s recipients were African and female. On an annual basis, the program attracts an average of over 500 business submissions from high school students.
As the green economy continues to expand globally, the potential for innovation, job creation, and positive environmental impact is immense. However, these opportunities often remain untapped due to a lack of awareness, training, and resources among young individuals. As such, the theme for this year’s Step Up 2 a Start Up programme is #GreenLeads2Green.
To assist the youth of South Africa in recognising prospects within the green economy through the integration of technology and entrepreneurship, it is imperative to transition from the traditional job-seeking mentality to an entrepreneurial one with a key focus on sustainability. This entails viewing environmental challenges as avenues for new business ventures, which includes transitioning from creating disposable goods to manufacturing reusable products and utilising technology to facilitate eco-friendly enterprises.
Adopting this view requires an application of vital skills such as critical and creative thinking, effective communication, and innovative problem-solving. Students are required to cultivate resilience to confront obstacles with a willingness to learn from failures while engaging in collaborative co-creation within teams. This encourages them to prioritise both people and the planet over singular profit motives which enables them to achieve more while utilising fewer resources.
Programme outline
Since inception in 2014, the Step Up 2 A Start Up National Youth Entrepreneurship programme has successfully utilized a unique edutainment model to activate the culture and mindset of entrepreneurship in over 90 000 high school learners, 3 000 teachers, participating from over 1 500 under-resourced high schools across South Africa.
This ground-breaking initiative targets thousands of high school learners across the country from urban, peri-urban, township and rural areas.
- The programme kicked off in August with learners being transported to various cinemas to watch an edutainment film, produced by Primestars and other key partners, called Karabo’s Kitchen. This is supplemented with a practical handbook that gives students the tools needed to succeed as social entrepreneurs. The programme then moves into its “competition phase”, featuring a national entrepreneurship boot camp and the coveted National Youth Awards ceremony which will be held in December with prizes valued at over 4-million rand.
2023 marks 9 years of Step Up 2 A Start Up and will see a variety of new additions such as:
- The much-anticipated launch of the #StepUpAlumni network. Our vision is to facilitate a greater and ongoing connection with new and previous beneficiaries, offer free access to valuable entrepreneurial content and support, strengthen long term tracking and facilitate engagement through mentorship, live and online connections, peer-to-peer learning, and free masterclasses.
- Secondly, the expansion of the programme to new areas particularly rural communities in outlying areas, leveraging our sought-after mobile cinema model.
- And thirdly, new strategic collaborations with partner organisations to advocate for Entrepreneurship in all schools as we continue our mission to have Entrepreneurship integrated into the South African CAPS curriculum.
- Expansion support from stakeholders including Nedbank, Sappi, EOH, Omnia, Allan and Gill Gray Philanthropies, SEDA, AECI, 3M, SAFRIPOL, BTE, Richfield, JBS, Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, Seed Academy, WDB Investment Holdings, Zutari, Sizwe, BCW, Proudly South African, Mulilo, Uber, JSE, TTS, Protea Hotels, Versapak, Afrika Tikkun, Buhle Waste, Airlink, Raizcorp, Entrepreneurship Employability Education.
As part of the launch, we will collaborate with various stakeholders including. Through a combination of workshops, training sessions, mentorship programs, and access to cutting-edge resources, participants will be guided through the process of identifying green business opportunities, developing business plans, and launching successful enterprises. By leveraging the power of technology and entrepreneurship, the initiative seeks to catalyse the growth of vital entrepreneurial skills, fostering a generation that is both environmentally conscious and economically self-sufficient.
A key focus of this program is to address the pressing issue of youth unemployment that plagues South Africa. With elevated levels of unemployment among young people, the program aims to channel their energy and potential into meaningful and sustainable ventures within the green sector. By nurturing a culture of innovation and sustainable business practices, the initiative envisions a future where South African youth play an active role in shaping a greener, more prosperous nation.
Martin Sweet, founder of Primestars affirms that “Step Up 2A Start Up is committed to propelling South Africa towards a future characterised by sustainability, innovation, and economic empowerment for its youth. The initiative invites all concerned parties, from governmental bodies to corporate entities and individuals, to support this noble cause and invest in the nation’s young minds.”
For more information and to get involved, please visit: https://www.primestarsdigital.co.za/step-up-2a-start-up/
