Launched in the Western Cape in January 2019, the School of Hard Knocks SA (SOHK) was established to address what President Cyril Ramaphosa has described as ‘South Africa’s biggest problem’, high youth unemployment. In the first quarter of 2018, 32% of South Africa’s 10.3 million youths aged 15-24 were classified as Not in Employment, Education or Training (‘NEET’). Worse still, 56% of the approximately one million young people entering the job market each year do not graduate from high school, giving them little hope of employment and leaving them vulnerable to a loss of dignity and succumbing to social ills (Stats SA 2018).
SOHK runs two programmes, one focused at school going learners, and one for young people trying to secure their first formal job.
For youth they deliver eight-week short courses that build life and employability skills such as goal setting, anger and fear management, CV-writing and interview preparation through rugby. This structure comes together with the ultimate aim of enabling participants to find employment and realise their potential.
For school children they use an in-depth intervention for those at risk of exclusion from mainstream education, offering weekly rugby coaching and mentoring. The whole philosophy is to develop learners’ inner resources so that they grow in their ability to self-assess, manage their emotions, and make better choices when it comes to education, risky behaviour and their career paths. Support is offered for up to three years to improve behaviour, attendance and attainment.
Director Scott Sloan comments, “We focus on getting learners to complete their matric, but it is not a silver bullet to solve youth unemployment. Employers are increasingly looking for soft skills, such as initiative, empathy, conflict management and we believe rugby acts as a laboratory for testing soft skills and we provide a safe and fun place to demonstrate, fail and improve on these. We currently work with 160 school children in Cape Town CBD’s low fee government schools, and in July we begin an 8-week program with 20 youth in Gugulethu in partnership with Ikamva Youth and sponsored by Cloudsmiths. Our goal for 2020 is to include new schools and reach hundreds of youth through five short courses delivered once again with the award-winning Ikamva Youth.
Head Coach Lionel Farao says, “We use rugby because mastering something physically challenging is an amazing tool. Not only does it help with self-esteem it also alters the brain chemistry to adapt to and adopt new behaviours. High impact, high intensity experiences have the potential to make lasting change and in addition it allows our youth to show job acquiring behaviours such as displaying discipline and reliability. Our kids come every week, rain or shine”
What makes SOHK different?
Their programmes are responsive
They listen to participants and do not prescribe solutions. This is done through participatory monitoring and evaluation and person-centered one on one counselling, with the understanding that clients know what’s best but need a safe space and a caring adult who is qualified to facilitate this process.
Sport For Good
Sport is an amazing tool to demonstrate and teach life skills. Rugby is particularly great for newcomers to the game because it’s inclusive – It’s open to all age groups, it’s fun and it’ takes all sizes of people, big, small, short and tall – there’s a position for everyone.
A Holistic Approach
Many youth development organisations offer just one service, SOHK offer three bundled into one amazing program: psycho-social support, life skills coaching, and career planning.
SOHK are currently running a campaign #160×160 where they are calling on 160 people to donate R160 per month which will assist in supporting 160 children on their journey to complete matric and find a positive post school pathway.
SOHK helps kids behave better, attend school more and have a plan for the future.
Watch the video here: https://www.schoolofhardknocks.co.za/sohk-for-schools
