Established in 1989, Learn to Earn (LtE) is a skills development organisation, working with unemployed people from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. With its motto of ‘a hand up – not a hand out,’ LtE seeks to develop people, especially unemployed people, socially, economically, emotionally and spiritually. The vision is ‘to eradicate unemployment and other legacies of injustice in South Africa and Africa’. Through providing a programme that recognises human dignity and the human right to live a meaningful life, the organisation aims to assist individuals to regain their self-respect. It does this by empowering them to provide for themselves and for their families.
The philosophy upon which LtE’s interventions are founded are based on an analysis of the anthropological, philosophical and theological ramifications of apartheid. In addressing the legacy of apartheid, training interventions provided by LtE aim to be circumstantial, practical and market-related. The approach in method and ethos that LtE takes towards its training is innovative. The culture of the organisation is to rebuild the self-esteem, dignity and self-respect of its trainees. LtE is an establishment that focuses on building relationships and practically bridging the educational, social and economic divides in the society.
The methodology used to develop unemployed people, is seen in the ‘a hand up – not a hand out’ philosophy of LtE. By paying a part of the fees for their training, individuals become contributing partners in their own development and have a greater sense of ownership in the process. In adopting a holistic approach to development LtE facilitates the whole person so as to specifically redress the injustices of apartheid.
The 2011-2012 annual figures point to a significant 49 percent increase in overall numbers of people trained by LtE. A total of 432 unemployed people completed their training at LtE, resulting in an overall course completion rate of 87 percent. Having an additional 125 graduates that needed connecting with income generating or further educational opportunities did lower the organisation’s overall success rate from 76 percent in the previous year to 72 percent this year. However, despite the four percent drop in percentage, this represents 81 more people that have either become economically active or entered tertiary studies (some as a result of the organisation’s bridging course in Graphic Design). Among the economically active graduates, 16 percent (or 68 individuals) have started their own businesses or are self-employed. This is almost three times as many as five years ago – emphasising, once again, the need for the E’s (Enterprise Enabling Environment programme).
Main Activities
Skills Development and Training
LtE’s vision and mission are applied through offering skills training and job creation activities to the unemployed. LtE’s skills training programme offers training in relevant skills, based on community analysis and market analysis research conducted by LtE. The waiting lists LtE has for its courses and the number of graduates who are able to subsequently earn an income, testify to the relevance of its programmes.
The skills courses offered at Khayelitsha and Hermanus branches include:
- Bake for Profit;
- Cater Care;
- Graphic Design Bridging course;
- Office Administration;
- Sewing;
- Basic Computers;
- Call Centre;
- Home Management;
- Point of Sale; and
- Woodwork.
All LtE courses include Life Skills, which further prepares the graduates for the work place as well as a Money Management component and an optional Discipleship course.
The Feel Good Project
Established in 2008, The Feel Good Project (tfgP) is an innovative civil society project between Learn to Earn (LtE) and JSE listed company and South African retail giant, The Foschini Group. The aim of the project is to fight poverty by training unemployed people in skills relevant to the retail supply chain. The project trainees are chosen from students who have completed one or more of LtE's market-related skills development training courses for further training in the retail, supply and warehousing sectors. The Project’s retail stores are situated in the suburbs of Claremont and Khayelitsha in the Western Cape.
Learn to Earn CoCT Training Project
In June 2012, LtE entered into a partnership with the City of Cape Town's (CoCT) Economic and Human Development Department. Since then, LtE has been implementing a 3-Phase Skills Training Programme within six Sub-Councils across the peninsula.
Each phase of the programme is aimed at increasing the market-related skills of unemployed residents that will allow access to available employment opportunities in their local community and surrounding areas. The end goal of the programme is to:
- Create job readiness;
- Increase the employability of participants;
- Link programme graduates to potential employment; and
- Cultivate an environment for successful entrepreneurship.
Learn to Earn Association
Because of LtE’s reputation as an organisation that makes life changing interventions in unemployed people through skills training, job creation and enterprise development it receives many requests to start an LtE Branch in various areas of South Africa. These requests have resulted largely due to its focused approach of effectively applying and living out development principles within LtE. As a result, the organisation formed the Learn to Earn Association.
The association creates a vehicle for accountability within the nonprofit sector that has real significance and impact, ensuring that a high standard of implementation and outcomes is maintained. The association model guarantees that the initiative remains with the member organisations and groups in the communities they serve, as they remain autonomous but receive wider support from the association on implementation and delivery.
Job Creation
The Job Creation programme is run by the Business Resource Centre. The programme endeavours to assist all the graduate students to become economically independent. It recognises that people need to be given access to resources and they need support to become self-sustaining (this is achieved through the Zakhele project). Through the Business Resource Centre, the programme completes the circle of LtE’s objective of developing unemployed people, by facilitating business opportunities, job creation and access to economic ponds.
Project outcomes
It is always extremely rewarding to see lives being changed from being in an unemployed state to an economically viable lifestyle. People’s lives and the restoration of their dignity are dramatically affected when they are able to care for their families. Many of these stories are told in the organisation’s newsletters, which are available on its website, and with regular updates on its Facebook page.
Some of the specific outcomes of LtE training include:
- Local economic growth through entrepreneurship development;
- Increased employability of people within the community, by increasing their level of marketable skills;
- The establishment of a business culture and work-related environment;
- The ability to help more unemployed people, from a state of financial dependence to financial independence;
- To facilitate, within a controlled environment, the integration of different race and cultural groups, where people learn to treat each other with respect and dignity;
- Impact the community spiritually through weekly church services and a discipleship course (participation in these activities is optional).
To view Learn to Earn in the Prodder NGO Directory, click here.
