Micro-jobbing platform Money for Jam (M4JAM) and youth leadership programme Columba Leadership have partnered to help address youth unemployment and skills development.
Columba Leadership works closely with the Department of Education and runs programmes in partnership with schools located in economically disadvantaged areas around the country.
M4JAM is initially using Columba's young leaders to test its product and user experience, while Columba will make use of the micro-jobbing platform to provide the youth with the opportunity to earn a living while studying.
The partnership will see a group of youth given the opportunity to find an alternative source of income that is flexible enough for them to continue upskilling and seek further employment, or even delve into entrepreneurship, says Richard Dunn, CEO of M4JAM.
Dunn says the youth from Columba will help M4JAM get real insight into its target market to make the platform relevant.
"The calibre of the youth within Columba is exceptional, so it's valuable to us to have a group who have progressed through the programme, to test and provide feedback around our user experience."
Rob Taylor, Columba's founding chairman, says with M4JAM at the forefront of micro-jobbing, it offers opportunities for graduates to find alternative sources of income while still having time to make a social contribution.
"We don't believe the formal sector is going to provide the levels of employment we need to effectively address unemployment in this country."
This is because of the large percentage of unemployment in the country, as well as the large proportion of people who interact and transact almost solely in the informal sector, says Dunn.
Coupled with this, the formal sector requires certain skill sets, which often simply don't exist in those seeking employment, he adds.
"Columba and M4JAM are reaching many of these graduates right where they operate on a daily basis."
This is all part of an ongoing, mutually beneficial partnership, says Dunn. "We are both aligned in our efforts to create hope digitally, by engaging few to empower many, with the long-term goal to address unemployment and skills shortages."
Taylor says he strongly believes in the power of this partnership to magnify Columba's ability to provide future leaders with the means to provide a positive social contribution.
"From this pilot, we hope this engaged group of youth will provide feedback about what is most relevant and useful to them in using the M4JAM platform, and this in turn will help us reach a larger group of youth who will also be able to make some income, upskill and find meaningful employment in the future."
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