About BPS - Basic Package of Support (BPS

About BPS

What The BPS Is

The Basic Package of Support (BPS) for youth who are not in employment, education or training is a programme to promote the social and economic inclusion of the large cohort of young people who are currently disconnected from labour market and training opportunities.

By placing young people at the centre, and making them part of their own solutions, the BPS recognises the individual’s challenges and strengths, draws in community-based and government services, and provides a guiding hand, resources, referrals, and a sense of possibility. It offers youth-facing, individualised support.

It has two components:

A youth-facing component in which young people can access:

In-person, customised guidance and support based on a comprehensive understanding of their current situation and their own goals;
Referral to a range of appropriate services and opportunities in their local community (informed by a comprehensive, audited, and user-friendly database);
Follow up and the opportunity to loop back into the BPS for further support regarding their next steps

A service system approach that:

Encourages collaboration and integration of services and opportunities at the local level;
Supports a learning network of service partners committed to making their services better and more youth-friendly.

What The BPS Is Not

The BPS is not just another youth programme. Rather, it works to ensure that existing services and opportunities become more accessible to young people and are working better for young people. At the same time it provides youth with support to navigate these existing opportunities and services, so they are able to overcome the barriers they face.

Importantly, the BPS is not a job placement intervention.

Rather, it works to support young people to access the services and opportunities they need to achieve their goals.

How It Works

The BPS programme youth mobilisers will proactively reach out to young people who are NEET.

Youth coaches (specially trained Child and Youth Care Workers) will conduct a comprehensive assessment process with the young person.

Based on the assessment youth coaches will provide comprehensive, long-term and tailored support.

The programme will work with community services to improve service delivery and promote young people’s inclusion.

Young people will be actively referred to available services and opportunities that can help them achieve their goals.

Young people will have the opportunity to loop back and reconnect with the programme and its coaches as long as they need support for the duration of the pilot.

Want to know More?

See the information sheet below.

Policy Briefs and Fact Sheets

Towards A Basic Package Of Support For Young People Who Are Not In Employment, Education Or Training (Neet) In South Africa

See the summary of the Project Report below.