Review first phase job realisation

MENTORED JOB PLACEMENTS: A MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, CDE REPORT MAY 2011

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MENTORED JOB PLACEMENTS:

A MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT OF

YOUNG PEOPLE

FINAL

Review of the First Phase of JOB REALISATION Programme

Conducted on behalf of the Centre for Development and Enterprise

Stephen Rule

Outsourced Insight

May 2011

MENTORED JOB PLACEMENTS: A MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE, CDE REPORT MAY 2011

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CONTENTS

BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................ 3 JOB REALISATION PROGRAMME ............................................................................... 4

LESSONS LEARNT .......................................................................................................... 7 SUSTAINABILITY ............................................................................................................ 7 SUMMARY POINTS ......................................................................................................... 9 SURVEY OF WORKERS ................................................................................................ 10

Respondent demographics ............................................................................................ 10

Current employment status ........................................................................................... 11 Income levels ................................................................................................................ 12 Social Capital ................................................................................................................ 12

Journey to work............................................................................................................. 13 Life Satisfaction ............................................................................................................ 13 Positive and negative perceptions ................................................................................. 13

SURVEY CONCLUSIONS.............................................................................................. 14 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 15 APPENDIX 1: WORKERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE............................................................ 16

List of Tables

Table 1: Components of GET Hygiene and Cleaning Certificate ...................................... 4 Table 2: Forms of guidance provided to learners ............................................................... 5

Table 3: Reasons for termination ........................................................................................ 6

Table 4: Respondents’ demographics ............................................................................... 10 Table 5: Respondents’ current work situations ................................................................. 11 Table 6: Respondents’ income levels ............................................................................... 12

Table 7: Respondents’ community involvement .............................................................. 12 Table 8: Respondents’ Life Satisfaction ........................................................................... 13 Table 9: “Most useful things” learned from JR by respondents ....................................... 14

Table 10: Things not liked about respondents’ current jobs ............................................. 14

List of Figures

Figure 1: Supercare’s Training Manager demonstrating training equipment ..................... 5

Figure 2: Three of the learners at their Cape Town employer’s premises ........................ 11 Figure 3: Respondents’ perceptions about Job Realisation programme ........................... 13

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BACKGROUND

With the intention of creating sustainable employment for young people in South Africa,

two welfare sector professionals in the Netherlands, Rob van Maanen and Henk Guise,

founded Job Realisation. Using funding from their Dutch companies, they established

partnerships with the Services SETA; Supercare, a professional cleaning company

employing 15000 people across South Africa; and Laphumilanga Youth Development

Association (LYDA), a Khayelitsha-based non-profit organisation that specialises in

skills development, empowering and capacitating youth in small businesses, creating jobs

and in doing so fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and economic independence (Job

Realisation SA, 2010). The Services SETA committed to fund 75 learnerships in the

cleaning industry, LYDA assisted with the recruitment of learners and Supercare

undertook to host and potentially employ the learners in their operations in Cape Town.

The Services SETA provided R1500 per month per learner for the duration of the

learnership. This was supplemented by a further R250 plus a quarterly performance

bonus from Supercare. Job Realisation formally began their pilot project on the 1st July

2009.

The intention of this research report is to assess the effectiveness of the programme by

asking questions pertinent to the goal of achieving sustainable employment. Specifically,

the programme managers were interviewed about their achievements; the 75 learners

were asked about their personal situations and progress in their careers; and the

employers were questioned about the positive and negative impact of the programme on

their business. The CDE terms of reference were to provide answers to the questions

listed below.

Questions for employees:

– Are they still employed at Supercare Services?

– Have they moved onto other jobs or are they now unemployed?

– Did participation in the programme and employment at Supercare make it

easier for them to find a job and/or remain employed?

– Do they still occupy the positions they were placed in or have they moved

up/on?

– Have they attained new, relevant job related skills

Questions for employers:

– The calibre of the employees from the programme

– The effectiveness/usefulness of the after-care programme

– Were there any negative consequences from utilising the Job Realisation

programme?

– What was useful about the programme?

– What do employers expect from such a programme and how could the

programme be strengthened?

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JOB REALISATION PROGRAMME

Learners were selected from a pool of more than 350 candidates recruited by LYDA in

Khayelitsha. Some of the selected learners indicated that they had heard about the

programme from friends (Mbontsi, 2011) or on local community radio (Radebe, 2011).

Selection criteria were a minimum of Grade 10, with literacy in English and some

mathematics (Jardien, 2011). Each one was required to pass a basic test provided by

Supercare, which assessed the extent to which their skills matched those needed for

success in the learnership. Those who passed were interviewed to test for English

language competence as the training would be conducted mainly in English. A

subsequent interview and employment aptitude test by Supercare resulted in the selection

of about 90% of those who successfully went through the first interview, and a total of 75

(49 female, 26 male) met the final selection criteria for a learnership.

After an initial week of theoretical training, learners were allocated to a workplace by

Supercare. Each one was then expected to complete the required unit standards for a

General Education and Training (GET) Certificate in Hygiene and Cleaning, Level 1.

This was achieved in classroom sessions and in their allocated workplaces, during the

learnership period. The curriculum comprised twelve sections, each with an expected

classroom (theoretical) and worksite (practical) component. The sections are listed in

Table 1. Learners were required to attend one week of theoretical lectures every 5 to 6

weeks. They were trained in groups of about 20 learners (Jardien, 2011).

Table 1: Components of GET Hygiene and Cleaning Certificate

Unit Standards (abbreviated) Classroom Worksite Introduction to Cleaning Principles; Chemicals; Numbers 80% 20%

Ablution Cleaning Toilets; bathrooms 25% 75%

Above the floor cleaning Above floor surfaces; windows 25% 75%

Textile surface cleaning Vacuum dry surfaces; carpets; upholstery 25% 75%

Hard and resilient floor

cleaning

Sweeping; mopping; single disc machines 25% 75%

Kitchen cleaning Cleaning 25% 75%

Professional service and

teamwork

Customer services; effective team participation;

professionalism 60% 40%

Environmental

awareness

Identify and process waste 60% 40%

Life skills- Health Good health and grooming habits; understanding

factors that affect health; understanding sexuality

and HIV/AIDS transmission

80% 20%

Life skills- Literacy Learning strategies; read and respond to different

text types; write and sign for different purposes;

engage in a range of speaking/signing and

listening interactions for different purposes

90% 10%

Life skills- Numeracy Analyse cultural products and processes as

representations of shape; space and time; collect,

analyse, use and communicate numerical data;

describe and represent objects and the

environment in terms of shape, space, time and

motion; use maps to access and communicate

information on routes, locations and directions

90% 10%

Life skills- Finance Manage personal finances; critically analyse how

maths is used in social, political and economic

relations.

90% 10%

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During their learnership, learners were exposed to three types of guidance. Much of this

was in response to issues arising in their workplaces. Regular individual meetings with

the Job Realisation job coach were held to deal with issues raised by the learner or the

coach in relation to the learnership. Group meetings were held to deal with questions or

problems of relevance to the whole group. Workshops were held to cover specific topics

in a systematic way. Additionally, regular contact was maintained with the Supercare

supervisors and managers under whom the learners were assigned to work. Learners

tended to approach management about personal issues and about their salary levels. Some

learners appeared to fear the management and to struggle through a transition from fear to

respect of the management (Reynolds & Rooos, 2011). Meetings were held with the

supervisors and managers to discuss these and other challenges and to share solutions in

respect of the new young and ambitious workforce, which differed from their regular

long-term staff.

Figure 1: Supercare’s Training Manager demonstrating training equipment

Table 2: Forms of guidance provided to learners Individual meetings Group meetings Workshops Feedback on performance and

work etiquette

Help learner receive and/or work

with feedback

Provide learner with explanation

if anything was unclear

Explain expectations of employer

(Supercare)

•Help learner to stay motivated

Assist learner to deal with

difficult issues and/or situations

Define personal goals and

compile an action plan to achieve

these

Receive feedback from learner

Deal with specific problems or

questions within the whole group

Basic meeting etiquette

Finding workable solutions to

problems

Personal finances (training

provided by Old Mutual)

Leave (rules)

Business etiquette (for learners

and their parents)

Source: adapted from Job Realisation SA, 2010, p. 5

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The learners were required to complete regular assignments and to undergo regular

assessments by their supervisors at their worksites. Each learner compiled a file recording

the assignments. The file was sent to the Services SETA for formal assessment at the end

of the one-year learnership. Similarly, the learners’ practical cleaning skills were

assessed. Most indicated that the assessments were difficult but that their training had

prepared them adequately. At the end of the learnership year, 55 of the learners (73%)

(43 female, 12 male) were still in the programme and graduated with certificates from

both the Services SETA and Supercare. Fifty-four of the learners were then offered long-

term positions by Supercare. By the end of August 2010, 48 were still employed by

Supercare. Six were assessed to be suitable as future team leaders or supervisors.

A clear finding of the pilot project is that keeping people in jobs is more difficult than

placing them in jobs. For various reasons (Table 3), 24 of the original 75 learners (32%)

terminated their relationship with Job Realisation. These comprised 10 who absconded, 7

dismissals, 6 transfers to other jobs and 1 who was not offered a long-term contract (Job

Realisation SA, 2010). Nevertheless, the retention rate of the learners is above average, in

the view of both Dave Reynolds (Supercare) and Ivor Blumenthal (Services SETA)

(Reynolds & Roos, 2011).

Table 3: Reasons for termination

Did not complete

learnership

Dismissed Absenteeism 2

Absent, late-coming, negative attitude 3

Dispute 1

Drug abuse 1

Absconded Pregnancy 2

Injury 1

Relocation 1

Other job offer 2

Dispute 2

Studying 1

Unknown 1

Contract not renewed

Contract not offered Disabled 1

Contract not accepted Other job offers 5

Other plans 1

Total 24 (32%) Source: Job Realisation SA, 2010, p.14

Job Realisation admitted that “During the first period of the programme, we lost quite a

few learners, some of whom we were able to get back into the programme and some we

didn’t. Through regular meetings, Job Realisation realised that at the start of the

programme the learners were not prepared enough for what they would experience during

the learnership. Even though they were informed about this during the interviews prior to

the learnership. They were still surprised and often shocked about where they were

working, what they were asked to do and the impact this learnership had on their lives.

For example some learners would say that they weren’t expecting people in the mall to

come to them and ask them: “Why are you working as a cleaner, you are so young”. They

felt embarrassed and disrespected and struggled to deal with the situation. One learner

even admitted enjoying being on the night-shift, because she would not have to deal with

people coming up to her. Through talking to the learners and them getting used to the

situation, most of the problems regarding being unprepared were solved. The learners

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learned to see the positive side of being in a learnership, see the respect that they got from

people around them which they never received before, the financial benefit, and the way

it often changed their moods from being depressed and bored to upbeat, full of hope and

busy” (Job Realisation SA, 2010, p.8).

LESSONS LEARNT

An obvious question is whether the resource requirements of this approach are cost-

effective and sustainable. Substantial personal commitment and funding was necessary to

ensure the success of the pilot project. The view of the founders is that it cannot be less

expensive but that the return on investment is high (van Maanen & Guise, 2011); a figure

of 1.46 Social Response on Investment (SRI) was mentioned. In comparison the

government’s EPWP achieves once-off jobs lasting an average of 70 days per contract.

Supercare has now moved away from ‘investing in people who disappear’.

Job Realisation has compiled a list of several lessons that were learnt during the course of

the learnership. Firstly, potential supervisors and managers were not fully informed about

the learnership programme and were not always prepared for the influx of learners into

their domains (Kruger, 2011; Reynolds & Roos, 2011). Job Realisation thus undertook to

visit the various Supercare client locations and to brief the managers and supervisors

accordingly.

Secondly, absenteeism and late arrival at work emerged as problems during the first

months of the programme. This was sometimes exacerbated by cable theft along railways

(Mbandlwa, 2011). A workshop was facilitated by Job Realisation to explain and discuss

employee obligations to an employer and employee rights in respect of leave. The

importance of adherence to regulations was pointed out. Job Realisation plans to place

greater emphasis on this aspect in future training.

Thirdly, the Supercare managers and supervisors had been accustomed to working with

older cleaners and the advent of a cohort of energetic and enthusiastic young people was

a challenge to them. Meetings were organised for the managers and supervisors to discuss

and strategise methods for dealing with the new circumstances. Job Realisation

commented that the meetings were successful and that “the relationship between the

learners and their superiors became stronger and the joy with which everyone was doing

their job increased noticeably” (Job Realisation SA, 2010, p.9).

SUSTAINABILITY

Subsequent to the learnership programme, Job Realisation made contact with the

Department of Social Development and was requested to assist with a lapsed youth

employment project. This entails the compilation of a database of young people who are

looking for work; recruiting suitable candidates from the database; providing a week of

training to the candidates on basic life skills and business etiquette; and making contacts

that will result in job placements. This commenced on the 1st August 2010 in Mitchell’s

Plain and in Athlone. An important initial need was to train the staff of the Department of

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Social Development to conduct interviews and capture information on the data base. Job

Realisation has nurtured a good relationship with the Western Cape Chamber of

Commerce and has held meetings and attended conferences with a view to broadening its

network with potential employers. Work of a similar nature has also commenced in the

Eastern Cape.

Lessons learnt during the pilot project have been incorporated into current roll-out of the

programme (Job Realisation SA, 2011). For each potential employer, a five-phase

methodology is to be implemented as follows, depending on the specific requirements of

the employer:

1. Contact with Employer

2. Recruitment

3. Selection

4. Training

5. Job coaching and Aftercare

An agreement is signed with the potential employer, customized to its needs in terms of

number of employees; candidate criteria; existing selection procedure; assessments;

interviews; location; salaries; working hours; contract period; and post-contractual

intentions.

For recruitment, existing databases are consulted and where these are inadequate, Job

Realisation draws on its network of youth organisations, training providers, schools and

churches; as well as media such as the free-advertising website gumtree.co.za or

strategically placed posters.

Selection is based on an assessment provided by the employer or a customised instrument

designed by Job Realisation. The required number of appropriate candidates is called for

initial interviews by Job Realisation and subsequent interviews by the employer. Those

selected are provided with workshops (discussion, role-play, exercises) as follows:

o Job Readiness Workshop offered by Job Realisation. This includes motivation;

work attitude and etiquette; employer’s expectations; employee’s expectations;

problem-solving; basic information about labour law.

o HIV/AIDS presented by the Scarce Skills Academy, including a thorough

explanation of the virus; its transmission; personal choices; working with people

who are infected; and dealing with infection if personally infected.

o Personal Finance Presented by You and your Money and Old Mutual. These

workshops advise on budgeting and wise spending.

o Other customised workshops on leave; company rules and regulations; and

customer care.

After training, learners are allocated to a company. On the first day of duty they are

introduced to all rules and regulations, policies and procedures a manager or supervisor

on site. The Job Realisation job-coach is informed of these, to be able to explain this or

remind the participants of them at a later stage. During Week 1, a meeting is held with

the employee, the supervisor or manager and the case manager. In this meeting the

employee signs an agreement on the roles of the supervisor or manager; and the case

manager. The agreement specifies that daily management and disciplinary actions are

strictly and only performed by the employing company. Similarly, the job coach holds a

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meeting with the supervisor or manager at the employing company, to determine four

core competencies that are required for the job. The competencies are explained to the

participant in his/her first session with the case manager. He/she identifies which

competencies need to be developed and which are thought already to be mastered. An

action plan is compiled to start building the competencies. The plan is shared with and

approved by the employer. The job coach then has weekly contact the supervisor or

manager to obtain feedback about the employee, which includes attendance;

understanding of and adherence to policies and procedures; performance; attitude;

relations with colleagues; and relations with superiors. The job coach uses the feedback

in a monthly individual job-coaching session and as input for possible additional

workshops. The individual session includes discussion about the employee’s personal

situation; experience at work; questions about policies, procedures, rules, regulations;

relationships with colleagues; relationships with superiors; feedback from supervisor or

manager; and progress in skills and competency development. Coaching sessions are

confidential and details are shared with the employer only when necessary and jointly

decided. Ongoing work support is provided to the employee during the initial year. This

might include assistance with medical issues; childcare; transport costs during the first

month of employment; family problems or illness. Similarly, the employer has access to

assistance from Job Realisation in the form of mediation; team-building; sessions or job-

coaching for managers or supervisors; or workshops on positive management; policies

and procedures; or problem-solving. A programme of aftercare takes place on completion

of the initial year. The case manager remains in regular contact with the employee to

keep track of performance and wellbeing; and with the employer in respect of statistics

and further requirements from Job Realisation and possible new job opportunities.

By February 2011, Job Realisation had scaled-up operations to five projects and an

additional 212 learners. Each project has between 5 and 75 participants each, at twelve

locations. The Royal Netherlands Embassy provided funding to the tune of R10-million.

The projects involve cleaning, welding, bus driving, grocery packing, motor winding,

boilermaking, fitting, painting, tiling, plumbing, fire-fighting, first aid, business

entrepreneurship and the development of rural business chains:

1. Khayelitsha (Supercare; Samsong School of Welding)

2. Mitchell’s Plain (Social Development; Pick ‘n Pay; Zulaka Consulting;

Freshmark)

3. Khayaplain (Armature Winders; Sibanye Transport; Imvusa Trading; SA Oil &

Gas Alliance)

4. Athlone (Social Development; Construction)

5. Alice (Entrepreneurship; Placement)

SUMMARY POINTS

o From a pool of 350 unemployed young people, 75 were recruited in Khayelitsha

by Job Realisation with the help of Liphumalanga Youth Development

Association.

o The learnership was for 12-months and would result in a certificate in Hygiene

and Cleaning.

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o They received theoretical training from Job Realisation every 6 weeks and

practical on-the-job training by Supercare, a large cleaning company, at clients’

premises in Cape Town.

o Job Realisation provided ongoing guidance and support to the learners

individually and in groups, and to their supervisors.

o Learners were required to complete regular assignments and on-site assessments

and to compile a file thereof.

o At the end of the learnership, the files were assessed by the Services SETA.

o Almost three-quarters (55) of the learners graduated and 54 were offered long-

term positions by Supercare.

o By the end of August 2010, 48 were still employed by Supercare. Six were

assessed to be suitable as future team leaders or supervisors.

o Reasons for dropping out were dismissals (7), absconding (10), transfers to other

work (6) and not being offered a long-term contract (1).

o The second phase of the programme involves five projects, each with between 5

and 75 learners, totaling 212 in addition to the 75 original learners at Supercare.

SURVEY OF WORKERS

In order to determine the perceptions of the 75 workers from Phase 1 of Job Realisation,

a two-page questionnaire was designed and distributed to each of them. In most cases, the

workers completed the questionnaires personally and in a few instances, they were

contacted telephonically and interviewed by an employee of Job Realisation. Several

weeks after the distribution of the questionnaire, a total of 57 responses had been

received.

Respondent demographics

Respondents were predominantly female (77%), somewhat higher than the original

recruitment proportion (65% female) and their ages ranged from 19 to 36 years old. They

belong to households with a mean size of 4.5 people; they are mainly home language

speakers of isiXhosa, the predominant language in Khayelitsha. Almost two-thirds (65%)

completed Grade 12 and most of the rest had completed Grade 11.

Table 4: Respondents’ demographics GENDER Female 77%; Male 23%

AGE Range 19 to 36; Mean 25.6 years

HOUSEHOLD SIZE Mean 4.5 (2.9 adults and 1.6 children)

HOME LANGUAGE isiXhosa 88%; isiXhosa & isiZulu 5%

LEVEL OF EDUCATION Grade 12 65%; Grade 11 33%; Primary 2%

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Figure 2: Three of the learners at their Cape Town employer’s premises

Current employment status

More than half (58%) are still in the employ of Supercare, while 17% have moved to

other jobs and 25% are no longer employed. Those in other jobs have mainly diversified

into other occupations (cashier, extension officer, security guard, usher, self-employed

musician, hotel housekeeping, own fishing business, waitressing). New employers

include government departments, hotels and a retail goods store. More than half of those

who are no longer employed are now full-time students (including business management,

nursing, engineering, environmental management and education). Six of the unemployed,

whose contracts with Supercare were not renewed, still regard themselves as cleaners.

Table 5: Respondents’ current work situations

Occupation Employed

(Supercare)

Employed or

self-employed

(elsewhere)

Unemployed

Cleaner 32 1 6

Trainer 1

Cashier 1

Extension Officer 1

Security Guard 1

Usher 1

Musician 1

Hotel housekeeping 1

Fishing 1

Waitress 1

Full-time student 1 8

Total (n) 33 10 14

Percentage 58% 17% 25%

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Income levels

Monthly personal income levels were mainly in the R1001 to R3000 range. The

unemployed had incomes of less than this amount, while 7% had incomes above R3000.

There was a similar pattern in respect of household income levels owing to the fact that

60% of respondents were the only working person in their households.

Table 6: Respondents’ income levels

Monthly Income Personal Household No income 19% 2%

R1-R1000 12% 10%

R1001-R2000 46% 35%

R2001-R3000 14% 18%

R3001-R5000 5% 12%

R5001 or more 2% 7%

Refusal/DK 2% 16%

Social Capital

The questionnaire explored levels of social capital and found that the majority (86%)

claim to participate regularly in some sort of church or religious activity. Just over a

quarter (26%) regularly play sport and 11% participate in regular musical or singing

activities. Other community participation took the form of charitable work (7%) such as

providing meals for poor members of the community or supporting orphans; or working

with youth (5%). Overall, 93% are involved in a community organisation and 0nly 7%

are not. A high proportion were involved in two or more community groups or

organisation (12% in three; 30% in two; 51% in one), suggesting that some importance

could be attached to such networks in the job search process.

Table 7: Respondents’ community involvement

Group or activity Regular participant Church or religious activity 86%

Playing sport 26%

Choir/Music 11%

Charitable work (poverty relief) 7%

Youth work 5%

Unspecified 12%

Responding to a range of statements about their work, the vast majority (90%+) said that

the training by Job Realisation had helped them to get on with their supervisors and

colleagues; had helped them to work well with the clients of their employers; and had

helped them to understand how a business works. This suggests a high success rate in the

training that was provided by Job Realisation. Additionally, most (92%) indicated that

their family situations had improved since they started working, which is not at all

surprising given the circumstances from which the learners came.

Seven percent had been promoted since starting to work for Supercare. Sixty percent said

that they were totally satisfied with their current jobs. Nevertheless, only about one-third

(35%) would like to stay with their current employer for many years; and 47% indicated

that they were contemplating looking for another job. This should be seen as an inherent

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desire for upward mobility amongst young people, rather than as a negative reflection on

their current employers.

65

70

51

63

28

16

19

46

4

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

M y training by JR helped me to work

well with my supervisor

M y training by JR helped me to get

on well with my colleagues

M y training by JR helped me to

understand how a business works

M y training by JR helped me to work

well with our clients

I am totally satisfied with my current

job

I would like to stay with my current

employer for many years

I am thinking about looking for

another job

M y family situation has improved

since I started working for Supercare

I have been promoted since I started

working for Supercare

Strongly Agree Agree Not sure Disagree Strongly Disagree No response

Figure 3: Respondents’ perceptions about Job Realisation programme

Journey to work

Most (86%) respondents live in Khayelitsha and the rest in close proximity thereto.

Dominant modes of transport to work were taxi or train. Taxi trips lasted a mean of 20 to

30 minutes while train journeys took closer to an hour.

Life Satisfaction

More than two-thirds (70%) of respondents indicated that they were either very satisfied

or satisfied with their lives as a whole. Multivariate analysis shows that level of life

satisfaction did not correlate strongly with any of the variety of issues included in the

questionnaire.

Table 8: Respondents’ Life Satisfaction Very satisfied Satisfied Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied No response

23% 47% 18% 9% 0% 3%

Positive and negative perceptions

Asked ‘what was the most useful thing that you learnt from Job Realisation?’ the

responses varied widely. Two-fifth (40%) said that it had been useful to learn how to

work and communicate with people, including customers, colleagues and managers.

More than one-third (35%) referred to their changed motivation to achievement or

success, with comments such as “my dreams came true”; “anything is possible if you

believe”; “it changed my life”; “success comes with patience”; and “with hope you can

do anything”. About one-fifth (19%) mentioned some aspect of the cleaning profession

such as the importance of cleaning or how to handle chemicals safely.

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Table 9: “Most useful things” learned from JR by respondents Working with people 40%

Motivation/ Achievement 35%

Technicalities of cleaning 19%

No response 9% [Some respondents gave more than one response]

An aspect that respondents liked best about their work was being with and interacting

with colleagues or clients (“interaction with many people”; “working with people”;

“good relationship with my management”; “taught me to respect different cultures”)

(33%). Others mentioned the work itself (cleaning, chemicals), the responsibility, the

challenge and one liked “everything”.

Conversely, a few made comments about things they did not like in their jobs. These

were related to insufficient payment, either for salaries or for transport (16%); poor work

relationships (7%) with management, old staff or customers; poor work conditions (6%)

such as night shifts, inadequate expectations and workload pressure. More than half

(53%) made no comments, while 10% explicitly said there was nothing they disliked and

2% liked “everything”.

Table 10: Things not liked about respondents’ current jobs Payment insufficient 19%

Poor work conditions 9%

Poor work relationships 7%

Likes everything 2%

No dislikes 10%

No comments made 53%

SURVEY CONCLUSIONS

o Responses to the questionnaire survey were received from 57 of 75 learners

(76%) included in Job Realisation’s piloting phase. Three-quarters are females;

average age is 25.6 years; mean household size is 4.5; most are isiXhosa-speakers and

have passed Grade 12 (65%) or Grade 11 (33%).

o More than half (58%) of the respondents are still employed by Supercare; 17%

now have new employers; 25% are not employed.

o The latter were in that situation in order to study; because their contracts were not

renewed for health or other reasons.

o Sixty percent have personal incomes ranging from R1000 to R3000; 31% earn

less; and 7% more, with 2% not disclosing their income levels.

o A high proportion are involved in community groups or organisations (51% in

one; 30% in two; 12% in three), suggesting the importance of networks in the job

search process.

o The majority (90%+) said that the training by Job Realisation had helped them to

get on with their supervisors and colleagues; to work well clients; and to understand

how a business works.

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o Most (81%) also indicated that their family situations had improved since they

started working.

o Seven percent had been promoted since starting to work for Supercare.

o Almost 60% were totally satisfied with their current jobs but just over one-third

(35%) would like to stay with their current employer for many years and 47% said

they were thinking about looking for another job.

o More than two-thirds (70%) of respondents are satisfied with their lives.

o Two out of five (40%) said that it had been useful to learn how to work with

people or get along with colleagues or managers.

o Just over one-third (35%) said the experience had changed their motivation in

respect of achievement or making a success of their working careers.

o Almost one in five (19%) specifically mentioned that they valued the training in

professional cleaning and/ or the handling of chemicals.

o Small proportions were irritated about payment levels (19%), or work conditions

(9%) or relationships with management, colleagues or customers (7%).

The project thus appears to have achieved a high level of success. Extrapolating the

survey results to the full 75 contingent, at least 56 young people who were previously

unemployed are now in possession of a new set of skills and are in permanent jobs. The

efforts of the Job Realisation team to achieve this, appear to have been extraordinary.

They have facilitated training and placement as well as ongoing follow-up in the

workplace in respect of work-related as well as other more personal issues. The costs in

terms of funding and time have not been examined in detailed, but the outcomes have

been highly satisfactory. The second phase comprising learnerships for an additional 212

learners placed at a further twelve employers, is testimony to the sustainability of the

efforts being made.

REFERENCES Gameeda Jardien, 2011. Training Manager, Supercare, Discussion, Cape Town, 12.4.2011.

Juliann Kruger, 2011. Contracts Manager. Canal Walk Shopping Centre, Cape Town, 12.4.2011.

Job Realisation SA, 2010, First Report, 31.8.2010.

Job Realisation SA, 2011, Progress Report, 28.2.2011.

Bongani Mbandlwa, 2011. Graduate learner, Supercare, Discussion. Cape Town, 12.4.2011.

Yoleka Mbontsi, 2011. Graduate learner, Supercare, Discussion. Cape Town, 12.4.2011.

Zanele Radebe, 2011. Graduate learner, Supercare, Discussion. Cape Town, 12.4.2011.

Dave Reynolds & Doreen Roos, 2011. Human Resources Manager & Group Training Manager,

Supercare, Discussion. Johannesburg, 11.4.2011.

Rob van Maanen & Henk Guise, Job Realisation founders, Discussion. Cape Town, 12.4.2011.

16

APPENDIX 1: WORKERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE

Name Questionnaire Number

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR JOB REALISATION PARTICIPANTS, APRIL. 2011

Dear Worker

We are conducting a survey of people who have been participants in the Job Realisation programme. We would like

you to answer the following questions honestly. The reason for this survey is to help future participants in the

programme to progress in their careers. There are no right or wrong answers. Please simply circle the number

corresponding to your answer in each case. Your answers will not be linked to your name in the project report. Please

complete and return your questionnaire to the person from whom you received it.

Best wishes, Dr Stephen Rule [cell number 0834529030]

CIRCLE THE NUMBER OF YOUR CHOICE FOR EACH ANSWER

1. Are you currently employed? Yes 1 No 2

2. What type of work do you do?

3. How and where were you

recruited by Job Realisation?

4. What was the most useful thing

that you learnt from Job Realisation?

Please indicate if you agree or disagree with these statements: Strongly

agree Agree

Not

sure

Dis-

agree

Strongly

disagree

5. My training by Job Realisation helped me to work well with my supervisor 1 2 3 4 5

6.My training by Job Realisation helped me to get on well with my colleagues 1 2 3 4 5

7.My training by Job Realisation helped me to understand how a business works 1 2 3 4 5

8. My training by Job Realisation helped me to work well with our clients 1 2 3 4 5

9. I am totally satisfied with my current job 1 2 3 4 5

10.I would like to stay with my current employer for many years 1 2 3 4 5

11. I am thinking about looking for another job 1 2 3 4 5

12. My family situation has improved since I started working for Supercare 1 2 3 4 5

13. I have been promoted since I started working for Supercare 1 2 3 4 5

14. Thinking about your life and personal circumstances, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole?

Very satisfied Satisfied Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied

1 2 3 4 5

15. If you are currently employed, when did you start working for your present employer? Month Year

16. If you are currently employed, are you employed by Supercare? Yes 1 No 2

17. If employed, but not by Supercare, for which company do you now work?

18. If you are no longer working for Supercare,

what was your reason for leaving Supercare?

19. What do you like best about your current job?

17

20. Is there anything that you do not like about

your current job? If so, what don’t you like?

21. Male or Female? Male 1 Female 2 22. What is your age?

23. In which area

do you live?

24. How many people live

permanently in your household?

Adults Children

If you are currently working, how many minutes (one-way) does it take to reach your current place of work?

Walking Waiting Taxi Bus Train Car

Minutes 25. 26. 27 28. 29. 30

Cost ------------ ------------ 31. 32. 33. 34

35. Which language do you speak mostly at home?

Sesotho Setswana Sepedi isiXhosa isiZulu Xitsonga Tshivenda Afrikaans English Other 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

36. What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

Primary school Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 1 2 3 4 5 6

Do you currently participate regularly in any of the following groups or activities? Yes No

37. Church or religious activities 1 2

38. Playing sport 1 2

39. Other community group or organisation (specify): 1 2

40. Are you the only person in your household who is working? Yes 1 No 2

41. If there are other people in your household who are working, how many are there?

42. Does anyone in your household receive a government social grant?

(Old Age, Child Support, Disability, etc)

Yes 1 No 2

What would you say is the average total income of your household per month? And your personal income?

43. Household 44. Personal

No income 1 1

R1 – R1 000 2 2

R1 001-R2 000 3 3

R2 001 – R3 000 4 4

R3 001 – R5 000 5 5

R5 001 – R7 500 6 6

R7 501 – R10 000 7 7

R10 001 or more 8 8

(Refuse to answer) 97 97

(Uncertain/Don’t know) 98 98

47. Any other comments

you would like to make?

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS SURVEY.