The DGMT Learning Lunch

In the world of policy change, timing is everything. According to political science scholar John Kingdon, a significant policy shift happens when three things are in place. First, the problem must be well understood. Second, there must be a viable and feasible solution ready to address that problem. And third, there must be political will to deal with the problem.When these conditions are met, a policy window opens, sometimes unpredictably. Having solutions ready at the right time is key to taking advantage of these opportunities. This could mean working for several years, even decades, building a body of evidence for your solution before an opportunity reveals itself.For NGOs who have long been lobbying for systemic reforms to improve the accessibility and quality of early learning programmes in South Africa, a radical shift in the landscape presented itself in early 2024 when the minister of education called for an urgent push to register approximately 22 000 unregistered early learning programmes. Only registered programmes can access state subsidies for children in poorer communities.Today, the mass registration drive (as it’s known to those involved in its design and implementation) is a collaborative effort between government and its social partners.In this Nourish & Flourish conversation, we talk to Kayin Scholtz, process design lead for the mass registration drive about how social partners are rallying to support the Department of Basic Education’s efforts to expand access to early childhood development subsidies and the conditions that made all this possible.Visit  www.dgmt.co.za/what-are-policy-windows to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Civil society is a vibrant ecosystem of interest groups, activists, advocacy groups and organisations delivering a range of social services. These groups are often the first to design and test interventions, learning from their successes and failures, and staying closely connected to the communities they serve. They conduct research, gather evidence, and develop innovative solutions to pressing social issues. In many ways, civil society is the originator of powerful ideas that can lead to significant social impact.But how do these ideas get taken up by the state? Beyond the usual processes of public participation and opportunities to comment on policy and legislation, how are civil society organisations shaping public policy and perceptions?In this Deep Dive conversation, we explore the makings of powerful ideas and how they gain political traction and social support. Our guests are Zoe Postman, head of communications for social change at the Equality Collective, and Phylicia Oppelt, project lead of Change Ideas – a DGMT initiative.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/the-anatomy-of-a-powerful-idea to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Imagine if solving unemployment was as easy as creating more jobs or ending food poverty by producing more food. It's never that straightforward.In South Africa, around 3 million young people aged 15-24 are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), facing vulnerabilities that deepen when their situation remains unchanged for long periods. Wicked problems like youth unemployment are complex and require comprehensive approaches.Enter the Basic Package of Support (BPS) programme — a consortium project with the Centre for Social Development (CSDA) and the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit (SALDRU) designed to help young people who are NEET to reconnect with opportunities. Through personalised, face-to-face support and connections to support services, BPS aims to empower young people and improve their access to education and employment pathways.Data-driven insights play a crucial role in the success of this project – not only in terms of understanding the NEET population and their varied needs but also in the landscape of state-sponsored and NGO-driven support services and understanding what it’ll take to improve access to these services and the quality of these interventions.In this Best Bites podcast, we talk to Bridget Hannah, Innovation Director at DGMT. Bridget’s portfolio is all about supporting young people in our country to fully participate in society and the economy. In an unequal country like South Africa, there are many socio-economic reasons why young people drop out of school, struggle to find work and battle to build economic livelihoods for themselves. Bridget’s portfolio is focused on really understanding young people’s challenges and driving targeted interventions to support them to keep their grip on opportunities and build productive lives.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/what-does-tomorrows-workforce-look-like to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

In recent years, non-profit organisations (NPOs) have grappled with dwindling donor funding and reduced support from government departments, affecting their ability to provide crucial social welfare and development services to communities. These organisations are part of a care economy that supports children in places of safety, people living with disabilities and the elderly, to name just some of the beneficiaries of their work.During the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation worsened for many of these organisations due to delayed payments from government. Consequently, some had to sell off assets or retrench staff, affecting their operations.Join us as we delve into the critical role of NPOs in providing social welfare services for marginalised and vulnerable communities and how they are impacted by government budget cuts, fickle donors and societal apathy.In this Nourish & Flourish conversation, Nasiphi Zwakala, an Innovation Manager at DGMT, tells us why care is a good cornerstone of any economy. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of how we can strengthen our social fabric, support our care economy, and champion those who are providing care services to vulnerable and marginalised people.Visit  www.dgmt.co.za/caring-about-the-care-economy to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Social and economic incentives are powerful tools to motivate and influence behaviour in individuals, communities and organisations. Social incentives often involve recognition, belonging, or social approval, while economic incentives typically involve financial rewards, discounts, or tangible benefits. They have the potential to drive positive actions and encourage participation in activities that contribute to societal goals such as environmental conservation, community development, or public health initiatives.So, how should we be using social and economic incentives to address South Africa’s waste problem? Much of our country’s solid waste is in landfills, including organic waste, such as food scraps, which could be composted instead. Addressing South Africa’s waste problem requires a joint effort from all of us, including everyday consumers, big producers, policymakers, municipalities, and waste treatment facilities.Recycling larger volumes of waste relies on more people sorting their waste at home. Social and economic incentives linked to the things that are most important to people can encourage their buy-in, especially for those who don’t have regular waste collection and are dealing with other pressing service delivery challenges. But we also need infrastructure to support recycling, composting, and divert large volumes of waste away from landfills. Behaviour change and systemic change go hand in hand.In this Deep Dive conversation, we talk to Chad Robertson, CEO and co-founder of Regenize, and Andrew Hartnack, anthropologist and researcher about innovative solutions and incentives to change social norms around dumping, littering and sorting your waste at home. This is part of DGMT’s Create Change campaign aimed at inspiring individual and collective action to reduce waste.Visit  www.dgmt.co.za/using-incentives-for-change to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Civil society organisations are a catalyst for innovation and positive social change in communities – filling gaps in service delivery. To be effective, these organisations must be agile and able to adjust their programmes and products to meet the needs of their communities.Sometimes this means going back to the drawing board, rethinking programme delivery, and iterating to achieve desired outcomes. But in pressure-cooker environments, many organisations don’t have the time, financial resources or capacity to stop, rethink and start again. After all, they rely on grants, donations and fundraising to keep their operations going. So, when a project is not going according to plan, the pathway to achieving the organisation’s objectives can become less clear and staff morale takes a dip. How do some organisations find their way while others struggle to get back on course? In this podcast, we talk to Nomfundo Calana, the project lead of JobStarter – a tech-based initiative that supports young people to get ready for the world of work. The latest version of the JobStarter website and app launched in 2023 after years of refinement. Although this is not unusual for a tech-based product, JobStarter is a non-profit facing similar challenges that others in civil society face, such as capacity constraints and keeping donors onside.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/when-projects-dont-go-according-to-plan to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Imagine a world where every child is loved, nourished, and protected—where they are read to, and encouraged to be curious. In this world, children don't just learn well, but they thrive, and so does the entire country. Nobel Prize Winner for Economic Sciences, James Heckman said: "Early childhood development is the most powerful investment in human capital that a country can make."  This is because early childhood development lays the foundation for a lifetime of success. But countries require synergy and accelerated delivery of services to ensure every child’s development needs are met, especially when poverty and inequality are high. In South Africa, essential services for young children are scattered across various state departments. They lack effective synergy and accelerated delivery. We are not the first country to recognise that collaboration and coordination are hurdles to overcome. In their effort to promote early childhood development and break cycles of poverty, a number of countries have established autonomous agencies specifically designed to manage key functions of early childhood development. Others have integrated ECD service delivery under a single government ministry. There are pros and cons to any approach.In this podcast, we ask the question: What are other countries doing to put children first and what can South Africa learn from them? We speak to Kentse Radebe (Innovation Director in the All Children on Track by Grade 4 portfolio and incoming Deputy CEO), Senzo Hlophe (Director of Partnerships & Impact) and Shazly Savahl (Department of Psychology at the University of the Western Cape and Board Member of the International Society for Child Indicators).Visit  www.dgmt.co.za/putting-children-first to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Community-based organisations (CBOs) are non-profits operating at the local level, albeit with limited resources at their disposal. They tend to be reliant on volunteers, responsive to the unique needs of their community and best placed to diagnose problems and identify solutions with residents. Many are financially excluded from donor funding because they operate in rural and far-flung areas with limited visibility and recognition; they don’t have established track records; and they don’t have the administrative capacity or know-how to provide the financial, monitoring and compliance documents that donors expect. But despite these constraints, they play a crucial role in grassroots development, community empowerment, and social change. To help CBOs overcome these funding challenges, DGMT is exploring a trust-based grant-making model that improves access to cash streams while also placing more decision-making power in the hands of the grantees themselves and the communities they serve. The trust-based funding model acknowledges that communities and organisations often have the best understanding of their needs and are better positioned to determine how resources can be most effectively utilised to achieve positive outcomes. This is why DGMT, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project have partnered to launch the Sukuthula! Unmute & Act initiative supporting community-based organisations that respond to gender-based violence in four districts in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo. Ultimately, this initiative aims to demonstrate that South Africa needs a coordinated funding approach at the community level to adequately respond to gender-based violence.  In this podcast, we talk to Zandile Mqwathi, the project manager for gender-based violence initiatives at DGMT.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/trust-based-funding-for-ngos to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

If you work in civil society or the socioeconomic development sector, you have probably heard, or used, the term “community ownership” because it aligns with broader goals of promoting social equity, empowering local communities and sustainable development.Community ownership goes beyond passive involvement or consultation and aims to empower communities to actively participate in decision-making and take responsibility for outcomes. In principle, civil society organisations and development experts use this term to describe communities with a significant degree of control and influence over projects, initiatives, or resources that directly affect them.The principle underpinning “community ownership” is that people from within a community are more adept at articulating the barriers and enablers to their own development than technical experts from outside.In this Nourish & Flourish podcast, we talk about barriers and enablers of community ownership. We speak to Sinazo Nkwelo, Director of DGMT’s Place-based Synergies portfolio.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/community-ownership-is-not-a-means-to-an-end to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Civil society organisations, in their form and function, are distinct from corporations and the state. But this doesn’t preclude them from using programmes and strategies that are also used by governments and businesses to shape societal outcomes. Running a fellowship programme is an example of this. Generally speaking, fellowships are funded, short-term opportunities, focused on professional, academic or personal development. Fellowships facilitate interpersonal connections and provide individuals with the opportunity for self-reflection, experiential learning, cultural immersion and community-building. These experiences can lead to the development of mutual understanding, trust, and shared values.Through fellowships, civil society organisations can build energetic communities or networks that have a creative life of their own. However, the scaling properties of fellowships are notoriously difficult to define and measure.In this Deep Dive podcast, we speak to Carol-Ann Foulis from DGMT’s Innovation Fellowship; Rumbi Görgens from the Mamandla Fellowship, and Andisiwe Hlungwane from Teachers Can about how they are using fellowships for social change.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/fellowships-for-social-change to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Many civil society organisations (CSOs) have placed promoting active citizenry at the core of their strategies. Generally speaking, active citizenry refers to individuals participating in the social and political affairs of their communities to promote equity and inclusion, improve living conditions and hold elected officials accountable.The role of civil society organisations in building an engaged citizenry should not be understated. They play a crucial role by creating platforms, providing resources, and fostering an enabling environment for individuals to engage in civic and social activities. By harnessing the power of communications tools, active citizenry can be promoted effectively by increasing awareness, facilitating dialogue, mobilising individuals, and fostering a sense of collective responsibility and participation.In this Best Bites podcast, we are talking about communications tools for promoting active citizenry. We speak to two people who are involved in digital advocacy and network building in civil society: Zamayirha Peter, Communications Manager atACTIVATE! Change Drivers, and Emma O’Shaughnessy, Project Lead of Amplify, Mobilise, Change.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/communications-tools-active-citizenry to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Gender norms are shared beliefs, ideas and expectations about how men and women are supposed to be and act, according to a classification system that categorises people as either male or female, known as a gender binary. These social principles are internalised from a young age and can shape people’s livelihoods and life chances by giving boys and men the advantage over girls, women and other genders. Gender norms are not static; they vary according to culture and can change over time. But harmful norms that perpetuate inequality and discrimination persist, impacting people’s access to healthcare, education, employment and other economic opportunities. Harmful gender norms also perpetuate power asymmetries between men and women, manifesting in different forms of gender-based violence (GBV). In South Africa, and the rest of the world, harmful gender norms and discrimination are considered to be key drivers of gender-based violence. This is why comprehensive strategies aimed at preventing GBV also seek to reshape gender norms in a positive way. Disrupting harmful gender norms requires strategies and programmes that challenge inequalities. It involves rethinking gender hierarchies, roles and binaries while questioning the root causes of inequality and systems of oppression. It must start early in homes, schools and communities. Although parents play a big role in enforcing or disrupting gender norms, adolescents are also heavily influenced by their peers. This is why we need to embed positive norms early in a child’s life in educational spaces. Outside the home, schools are spaces for socialisation and personal growth where young people are exposed to role models. In this Deep Dive podcast, we look at ways to entrench positive norms from a young age, starting from children attending creches to young adolescents in school. We speak to Lindokuhle Msele, Project Lead at Bumb’Ingomso; Kwanda Ndoda, innovation manager at DGMT, AND Wessel Van Der Berg, MenCare Officer at Equimundo.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/disrupting-harmful-gender-norms-with-role-models to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Civil society organisations and innovators are rightly concerned with scaling their interventions to reach more people. In the socioeconomic development sector, terms like scaling up, out and deep are commonplace. But depending on who you speak to you may get a nuanced interpretation of each term. For instance, ‘scaling up’ typically refers to output, but it could also mean impacting laws and policies. ‘Scaling out’ generally refers to replicating projects in different settings, in so doing impacting a greater number of people. And, the term ‘scaling deep’ refers to the quality of the intervention or its rootedness in culture and practices. Clearly, experts have varying opinions on the topic. Lately, researchers supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) are questioning our inherent assumptions about scaling, and are forcing us to think about whether ‘bigger is always better’. Their approach known as ‘Scaling Science’ is understood as a justified and coordinated focus on impact at optimal scale, and it may already be part of your work in one way or another. There are different ways to think about scale and it’s useful to think about the topic with a specific real-world challenge in mind. The food system is an ideal example. We all need nutritious food to live healthy lives so it stands to reason that the topic of scale and food are inextricably linked. But the global network of diverse businesses, growers and suppliers has scaled in such a way that it’s had negative consequences for people and the environment. More than a third of global greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to the way we produce, process and package foods, according to a study backed by the United Nations.In this Best Bites podcast, we explore different ways to scale by looking at interventions to promote sustainable food systems. We speak to Scott Drimie who has been part of the leadership collective of the Southern Africa Food Lab since its inception and is also an adjunct professor at Stellenbosch University’s Department of Global Health.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/what-does-it-mean-to-scale to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Mobile technology has the potential to transcend structural divides and enhance access to services that could accelerate socioeconomic development. However, apps and digital offerings that could link marginalised groups to much-needed resources are not being used effectively because prepaid data is unaffordable to most South Africans. Yet, if they had access to the information and services offered online by public benefit organisations, it would improve their quality of life and grow our economy. Amid persistent lobbying from organisations like DGMT for zero-rating, new regulations began to take effect in 2020. The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic made zero-rating all the more urgent. The forced closure of schools and early learning centres across the country meant that teaching and learning had to move online.The National State of Disaster and provisional spectrum regulations forced mobile operators to zero-rate a wide range of websites. Although these obligations ended in April 2022, there have been positive developments since. The biggest breakthrough coincided with a multibillion-rand broadband auction. One of the conditions of new spectrum licences is that all mobile content provided by registered public benefit organisations (PBOs) must be zero-rated, with the operational costs borne by the network operators.However, the mechanism to facilitate this is not yet in place. So, DGMT has offered to set up and maintain a single registry for PBOs (to register PBOs and monitor digital content) or to provide funding for ICASA to do so.In this Nourish & Flourish podcast, we talk about why mobile network operators have a legal obligation to zero-rate the content of public benefit organisations, and how civil society can make sure this obligation is met. We speak to Mignon Hardie, Managing Director at Life Choices and the former executive director of FunDza Literacy Trust – an organisation that offers free reading resources to young people online; and David Harrison, CEO of the DG Murray Trust, which has long been lobbying for zero-rating.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/zero-rating-a-bridge-across-the-digital-divide to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, social employment emerged as one of the levers that could stimulate the country’s economic recovery. As part of a host of publicly funded interventions, the South African government sought to centre and support the work already being done by civil society organisations to enable community-driven solutions to local problems through a Social Employment Fund (SEF). This kind of work includes health and caregiving work, food security and nutrition, youth support and recreation, community safety and interventions to stem gender-based violence, among others. Typically, these are activities that contribute to the “common good” rather than private goods and services.In November 2021, civil society organisations applied to be part of the SEF. By 2022, 28 ‘Strategic Implementing Partners’ (also known as SIPs) were chosen from various parts of the country. In its pilot phase, the Social Employment Fund sought to create 50 000 jobs in a range of sectors as diverse as education support and infrastructure development. The jobs created by the stimulus package must contribute to work for the common good and should be accessible to unemployed people without formal education or prior work experience.In this podcast, we explore the concept of social employment, what civil society organisations have learned about driving social employment, and what it will take for greater public investment in social employment initiatives. We are joined by Katie Huston, Head of Research, Innovation and Impact at Nal’ibali, Sibongile Khumalo Executive Director of the Learning Trust and Andrew Boraine, CEO of the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/scaling-up-with-social-employment to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Young people make up a third of South Africa’s population and are a key demographic for social, economic and political change. According to South Africa’s National Youth Policy, as well as its National Youth Commission Act (1996), the demographic of ‘youth’ is anybody between the ages of 14 and 35 years. As a category of analysis, this demographic is far from homogenous, yet young people are often perceived in the public imagination as an idle, unruly, and terrifying group of people who threaten the stability of the country.It’s not surprising that many young people are distrustful of the government, because of a breakdown in service delivery, corruption at different levels of government, and the scarcity of opportunities for upward income and social mobility for young people in low-resource communities.When the government is considered to be out of touch and untrustworthy, young people aren’t likely to respond favourably to state-sponsored information, even if it’s in the public interest and for the common good. Instead, they tend to rely on information from their peers and professionals or influencers their own age. However, too often, older people, or those far removed from the reality of young people, are the ones making decisions on their behalf.So, what does this mean for civil society organisations trying to motivate healthcare-seeking behaviour, active citizenry and agency among the youth?The #keready campaign was confronted with this question when it launched in February 2022 with the objective of encouraging youth participation in the rollout of COVID-19 vaccinations. Initially, #keready positioned itself as a ‘youth COVID-19 vaccination movement’ with its #keready2flex Challenge, but it has since evolved into a movement that seeks to enhance healthcare-seeking behaviour among young people.#keready aimed to put young people in control of the message, creating incentives for their participation in vaccination programmes and public health activities, as well as offering unfiltered health information.No jargon and no judgement – these are some of the #keready principles for communication and mobilisation. The creative minds running #keready are part of DGMT’s Demand Acceleration Task Team, who were tasked with driving public communication and awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine programme. These creatives worked with the National Department of Health, but they were determined to make sure that #keready was branded as an initiative for young people, by young people – not a government-branded project. The initiative’s frank, unfiltered approach of providing health information from young doctors for young people, bolstered its credibility. The initiative’s use of ‘kasi’ lingo made the communication palatable and relatable to its target audience.In this Best Bites podcast, we hear from Lebo Motshegoa, youth mobiliser and content lead for the Demand Acceleration Task Team about #keready's strategy for driving positive behaviour change among young people. We also talk to Dr Saira Carim, a young doctor who is part of the #keready team.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/keeping-it-real-with-keready to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Inequality of opportunity means that every child does not start their life with the same chances. Inherited circumstances such as race, gender, socioeconomic status and place of birth affect their likelihood for upward income and social mobility. A growing body of research is telling us that people’s social connections predict mobility. Harvard researchers have mapped the childhood roots of upward social mobility, demonstrating how neighbourhood factors shape human capital development. Pathways to social mobility are weakest in fractured communities with high levels of poverty. In South Africa where 10% of the population owns 80% of the wealth, the bottom half of the population is socially and economic disconnected from the rest, setting them up for life-long underachievement and exclusion.The economic value of social connections is not a new concept; but two new studies out of the United States are reigniting public interest in the topic. Building on their previous work, Harvard economist Raj Chetty and a team of researchers found that cross-class social connections are among the strongest predictors of upward income mobility. They call this economic connectedness.For many people, exclusion from influential and powerful social circles are shaped by factors outside their control, including their race, gender, level of education, class and geography. However, connecting to people you would not otherwise interact with has the potential to spark innovation and create new economic value.Social connections have economic value but they also have the potential to shape the political and social fabric of the country. Experience has shown us that social networks of unlikely people have the potential to spark positive change. The bigger the network, the more energy they have – because they draw on a growing diversity of ideas and expertise.In this podcast, we explore strategies to promote social and economic connectedness in all its forms with Rejane Woodroffe – Director at Bulungla Incubator, Adam Cooper – Senior Researcher at Human Sciences Research Council and Lihle Mbikwana, programme manager at the Vibrant Village initiative.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/social-connections to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Doing voluntary work carries several benefits for the volunteers themselves, for the organisation hosting them, and for prospective employers. Volunteer work can help young people to gain work experience and explore their passions and strengths. If they volunteer in civil society, they learn about some of the country’s most pressing social issues. There is also a business case to be made for companies to support youth volunteerism.With more than 250 thousand non-profit organisations registered with the Department of Social Development (DSD), these organisations have the national footprint to upskill young people by making them central to the delivery of programmes. Volunteers working in civil society participate in programme delivery, marketing and even fundraising. So, to meet the social service needs of beneficiaries, it’s important for civil society organisations to understand the needs and motivations of their volunteers to allow for effective knowledge sharing, transfer of skills, and of course, retention of their volunteer complement.However, keeping volunteers committed and engaged can be a challenge for capacity-strapped NPOs. If they are not paid, what makes volunteers sustain their work? What keeps them motivated?Researchers have attempted to understand the factors that influence motivation, with most organisational theories beginning with the idea that the key to continued volunteer involvement lies in matching individuals with organisations that can make it possible for them to meet their goals.In this podcast, we speak to Tiffany Schouw, Programmes Assistant at Action Volunteers Africa (AVA). We also hear from Romy Heldsinger CEO at forgood.co.za – an online platform that connects people to causes. Lastly, we hear from Bulelani Futshane, Programmes National Coordinator at Nal’ibali. We also speak to volunteers about their personal experiences. Each contributor brings a valuable angle to the discussion.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/keeping-volunteers-motivated-and-engaged to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Civil society is made up of thousands of different actors with varying degrees of formality. These actors play different roles in society; some look long term at broader structural issues, others are focused on short-term goals, such as ensuring access to food relief.These organisations have different strategies for engaging with government depending on their objective. Some focus on holding government accountable and transforming the state by rattling the status quo. Others play more of a collaborative role to boost government’s capacity.Given the composition and size of the sector, civil society can be relatively quick in responding in times of crisis with a nuanced understanding of community needs. Whereas governments are large and slow bureaucratic entities with onerous legal and administrative obligations. The ongoing challenge in the working relationship between government and civil society is that too often government prefers to treat civil society exclusively as a service provider instead of a partner for innovation.In this podcast, we explore whether there is a ‘sweet spot’ to working with government, particularly for those organisations supporting government’s capacity. Our guests, DGMT’s Senzo Hlophe and Professor Shafika Isaacs, Associate Professor of Practice at the University of Johannesburg, talk about their experiences of dealing with government during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/is-there-a-sweet-spot-to-working-with-government to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

In South Africa, young people continue to be disadvantaged in a labour market where the youth unemployment rate is higher than the national average. In increasingly tough times, unemployment statistics paint a bleak picture. Unfortunately, and counter-productively, young people are often blamed for their own predicament. There is a prevailing perception of them as lacking drive, optimism and motivation. But this could not be further from the truth.Many organisations in the youth development sector are working to change these perceptions and unlock opportunities for young people. The sector is no short of innovation, but it lacks a unifying strategy to get behind. It needs a high-level plan of action modelling the key levers that will unlock possibility for young people from the individual level to systemic change.This is where Youth Capital is making a difference by seizing an opportunity to build momentum around an ‘Action Plan’ for the sector. Youth Capital is a campaign that advocates for youth-centred and evidence-based responses to youth unemployment.The ‘Action Plan’ combines data with young people’s lived experiences, and identifies the 10 key levers that have the potential to shift gears on youth unemployment. Youth Capital has the objective of framing youth unemployment from the perspective of young people, elevating their voices and experiences to shift gears on policies that can have large-scale impact.In this podcast, we speak to Kristal Duncan-Williams, Project Lead for Youth Capital about their work to address youth unemployment through building coalitions in the sector. We will also hear from Sharmi Surianarain, Chief Impact Officer for Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, and Sandiswa Gwele from the Ukhanyo Foundation. Both Harambee and Ukhanyo have signed the Action Plan.Visit www.dgmt.co.za/stronger-together-building-strategic-coalitions-in-civil-society to read more and access the takeaway instructions.The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcastThe Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za