Executive summary

The Youth Charter: ‘South Africa 12’ Report
Executive summary
GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP
IN ACTION©
Introduction
From tragedy to opportunity,
Manchester to Soweto
The Youth Charter was born in 1993 in response to the tragic loss of 14 year old school
boy Benji Stanley, who was shot dead on the streets of Moss Side, Manchester and has
since attempted to provide alternative social and cultural activity benefits through sport,
arts and lifestyle choices. What is not known is how closely the respective fortunes of
young people in two separate continents, in two cities as remote in distance as
Moss Side and Soweto would, through their similar social and cultural barriers be
“provided with an opportunity through tragedy to develop in life through sport”.
As cities of sporting and musical power, their respective love of Soccer is also evident
with both cities the home of leading Premiership Clubs in Manchester City and United and
The Orlando Pirates and Keiser Chiefs in Johannesburg. Both Manchester and
Johannesburg aimed to regenerate their respective cities through the Olympic and
Commonwealth Bidding and hosting of Major Games.
The Youth Charter’s birth seemed almost inevitable, as the issue of youth exclusion and
social and cultural deprivation provided as many challenges as they did opportunities.
With social unrest and riots also identified within ‘the tale of two cities’, the cultural
divides have always explored the role of sports recreational and leisure potential to foster
greater social and cultural cohesion between people of different race, culture, religion
or gender.
As Manchester’s failed 2000 Olympic Bid became Manchester’s
successful Commonwealth 2002 Games, the Youth Charter began a
unique and ongoing journey with a number of visits to the new South
Africa. This saw many of the inspirational examples of social
development through Sport translated to the Moss Side experience.
Over the past twelve years, highlights reflected in so many of these
experiences include; The SASOL U23 Olympic Squads Soccer Exchanges against the
Moss Side Amateur Reserves. Prophets of Da Cities Performance at the Youth Charter
Presentation in Manchester, the Youth Charter Launch on Youth Day in South Africa, the
Bafana Bafana visit to the Streets of Moss Side and the BT Global link project which saw
Manchester and Johannesburg schools for the first time communicate through video
conferencing. There are so many other special moments, this report will attempt to do
justice and give recognition to the extraordinary South African and British Citizens who
have helped every step of this journey. To say thank you to them would not suffice, but for
those who have shared some or part of the journey - Enkosi, Ngiyathokoza, Ndiyabulela,
Ndi a livhuwa, Ngiyabonga kakhulu, Ngiyabonga, Ndzi khense ngopfu.
Whilst sport and the arts and other youthful attractions are not the solution to the ongoing
social and cultural challenges facing the Rainbow Nation, it has been our reality and
experience that by ‘thinking Globally and Acting locally’, local environments can
improve the life chances of the Young Citizens. It is therefore vital for sport to play a
continued role in engaging, motivating and inspiring responsibility and behaviours that
reflect our civil and social heritage whilst providing 21st Century South Africa with a
positive future. This report charts a twelve-year journey born out of a Moss Side tragedy
to the difficult growing pains of an Anglo-Southern African youth culture experience that
has now seen the spirit and symbol of the Youth Charter extend to all four corners
of the globe.
page 2
Millennium Development Goals
Social Exclusion: Causes & Effects
Young people today are global as they are local in
both their behaviour and lifestyle choices. Whether
they live and in most cases exist in the inner cities
and deprived communities of Moss-side, or the
post-apartheid Townships of Soweto, the social
inequalities and resulting disaffection can see
lifestyle choices that effect the lives of young
people and society as a whole.
In South Africa’s case there is a double effect and
impact of this ‘social cycle of despair’. Sport is,
in many cases, the only escape from the daily social
non-existence. Therefore the importance of the local
and national Soccer sides is critical in the ‘vaccine
effect’ it can have in providing an ‘antidote’ if only
momentarily. However, once the vaccine wears off,
the importance of the ‘bling’ culture and fashion
that influences the major brands social and cultural
trends are not earned but taken.
The uniformity that would not be found in schools
but are now the brand or militarism of Addidas three
stripes or the swoosh and tick of acceptance that is
Nike along with other fashion brand names as the
social accessories of status, wealth and title is seen
as a symbol that is geographic in its local and
national experience, but global in impact.
The greatest challenge facing modern day South
African Society is how the traditional African values
of ‘Umbuntu’ (meaning community) which thrived in
the pre-Apartheid era, can be re-established as the
Rainbow Nation becomes a member of the Global
Economies.
Sport and the Arts will be invaluable tools in helping
shape as well as reinstall the traditions of African
life and how society introduces a set of socially and
culturally acceptable behaviours and disciplines that
will see the value of life improved in the areas of
‘education, health, social order and the
environment’.
Hosted Junior Ramova and Leon
Beech of the S.A. National Sports
Council as part of Manchester 2002
Commonwealth Games Bid.
Trustee and cricket legend Clive
Lloyed launches ‘Race for Peace’
Event. Youth Charter provides
support and advice to initiative.
1993
The Youth Charter proposals
presented to Vison for Sport
conference in Johannesburg in S.A.
1994
The Youth Charter proposals
adopted by NSC of S.A.
S.A represented at UN Criminal
Tribunal in the Hague. The Youth
Charter joins MUFC at England U21
squads as part of Youth Day
goodwill exchange. Assist the
development of social/grass root
soccer programmes to SASOL
mining community.
The Youth Charter launched as part
of June 16th Youth Day Celebrations.
The Youth Charter ‘Teaming up to
Tackle Crime’ advised on youth
culture legacy to Cape Town 2000
Olympic Bid.
Bfana Bfana visit Moss Side
Manchester prior to historic England
v South Africa international at Old
Trafford U.K. South African High
Commissioner, His Excellency,
Mr Mendi Msimang, SAFA President
Mr Molephi Oliphant and U.K. Sports
Minister Tony Banks endorse the
Youth Charter’s Anglo South Africa
Youth Culture Initiative.
Vision for Sport II - The Youth Charter
presents its Youthwise© Programme.
The Youth Charter Scroll signed by
FIFA and African World 11 at
Mandela farewell game as part of
pre-match ceremony in partnership
with SOS children’s villages.
The Youth Charter assists and
supports cricket World Cup
nationwide tour exhibition on social
development in South Africa.
Youth sport, arts and social
development day at Orlando Stadium
and Selekelela High School as part
of June 16th Youth day celebrations.
Leeukwop Prison Youth Inclusion
Programme established.
‘Spirit of the Streets’ Tour of S.A.
delivered as part of on-going Anglo
South African Youth Culture
initiative.
The Youth Charter hosts Yoliswa
Makashi, (former Vice Chair of the
National Youth Commission) as
part of its International Student
Programme. Presents at Magglingen
- Citizenship in Action© to
International delegates with specific
representation and consultation with
Southern African countries.
Provided advice and support in the
establishment of Phulmele Tours the
first commercial enterprise to have
resulted from the Youth Charter
Citizenship in Action programme.
Joined Phulmele Tours at the World
Travel Fair with further consultation
of African nations and need
assessments summarised in
attendance at social development
seminar in Mozambique and
presentation of proposals at the
2nd Magglingen Conference
'The Next Step'.
Secured funding and support from
the Swiss Development Agency to
provide social coach training for 100
young people in Southern Africa
as part of Citizenship in Action
future international programme
of work.
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
page 3
Case Studies
Youthwise©
The Youthwise© Programme was launched in 1997 at the Charity Fair Conference in
Islington, London with the support of all three major UK political parties as well as the
South African Goverment. The programme was inspired by the Youth Charter’s work to
date with young people in schools, the wider community, Young Offenders Institutions
and the unemployed. Youthwise© aims to provide a generic programme that develops
personal and social life skills through sport and the arts.
Youthwise© has three main aims - the ‘prevention, intervention and rehabilitation’
of young people caught up in the negative cycle of social and cultural exclusion and
deprivation. The Youthwise© Programme also recognises the decline in family values and
the detrimental effect of losing the wider family support network. The programme sets
out to redress this imbalance by creating a greater sense of community through helping
establish the expertise by funding, ‘social coaches’ and programmes to assist young
people and the wider community.
Youthwise© has been designed to work in partnership complementing and enhancing
existing initiatives with an experience gained from over forty years of working with
young people and numerous case studies into anti-social youth culture.
page 4
The Youthwise© Programme has been adapted and reflects the many Youth Charter
experiences and township visits and consultations with the young people and the wider
community. This programme provides social and personal development with modular
learning programmes designed for each of the key areas of identified social policy focus.
The Youthwise© Programme is as structured as it is flexible and was designed to provide
social and cultural tools through sport and the arts that provide a common language and
culture that is required to ‘engage, motivate and inspire’ young people failed by the
education system and society as a whole. The generic, social and cultural skill sets
developed, provide a language and culture of ongoing life long learning benefits that
can re-engage all young people from all walks of life.
The Youthwise© Programme uses any or all of the engaging activities of interest to young
people whilst linking them to the key social areas of benefit and awareness - education,
health, social order and the environment.
Additional modular programmes have been designed with Youthwise© in Schools,
Youthwise© in the Community, Youthwise© in Institutions and Youthwise© to Work, providing
considerable insight and ability to map, track and chart the progress of young people
caught in the negative cycle of the youth justice system.
Youthwise© in Schools - ‘Prevention’
The June 16, 1976 student uprisings that started in Soweto and spread all over
the country, ensured increased international awareness and massive youth
participation in the liberation struggle.
Selekelela High School was the culmination of the Youth Charter’s work in attempting to
provide an integrated approach within its work in South Africa. The aim was to develop a
community project, similar to our work in Moss Side, Manchester, placing secondary
schools at the focus of our work with young people and the wider community.
The project was implemented in 3 phases:
Phase 1 - The Youth Charter delivered a Youthwise Education Programme with a health,
HIV Aids prevention module. The Programme was delivered to 30 school based and
wider community citizens as part of a one day seminar. 30 social coaches were trained
with Youthwise© toolkit materials provided to each participant. The trainees continue to
receive support as they are expected to coach, support and nurture young people in and
out of school.
Phase 2 - With the support of Express Link Up, a U.K. based charity, computers were
donated from U.K. based companies and contributed with the support of DHL who
shipped 30 computers to Selekelela High School. A multi sport tournament was also
developed by the Youth Charter with the support of the National Youth Commission and
YFM as part of the 2001 Youth Day celebrations.
Phase 3 - As part of Vodacom’s community empowerment programme, a mobile call
centre was purchased with a view to being linked to the Selekelela High School. The
benefits of this overall approach has had a number of direct and indirect benefits, not only
to Soweto, but other Township communities within the Southern African region.
page 5
South Africa Map
page 9
Acknowledgements
The Youth Charter would like to thank all Government Agencies, Local Authorities,
Charities, Sporting Codes, Public and Private Sector Agencies and individuals who have
invested, contributed and / or supported the work of the Youth Charter over the past
twelve years. A special thank you is also extended to those remarkable South African
Citizens who continue to sacrifice much for the Rainbow Nation.
This report is dedicated to the Youth of South Africa, past, present and future...
The Youth Charter would also like to thank the following in the production of this report:
Phuleme Tours
Youth Charter South Africa
Xerox
Alligator Art & Design Studios
AMEC Developments Limited
Also the unique individuals who continue to provide the social, cultural and spiritual
strength in all that we continue to do.
Contacting Youth Charter
For further copies of the Executive Summary and the full report please contact:
Youth Charter UK
The Atrium
Anchorage 2
Anchorage Quay,
Salford Quays,
Manchester M50 3YW
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)161 877 8405
Fax: +44 (0)161 877 8406
E-mail: youthcharter@btinternet.com
www.youthcharter.co.uk
Youth Charter SA
6876 Vilakazi Street
Orlando West Ext
P. O. Orlando 1804
South Africa
Tel: +27 (0)11 936 7423/32
Fax: +27 (0)11 936 7509
page 10
our philosophy...
our philosophy
"Sport is an order of chivalry, a code of ethics and
aesthetics, recruiting its members from all classes
and all peoples. Sport is a truce. In an era of
antagonisms and conflicts, it is the respite of the
Gods in which fair competition ends in respect
and friendship (Olympism). Sport is education,
the truest form of education, that of character.
Sport is culture because it enhances life and,
most importantly, does so for those who usually
have the least opportunity to feast on it."
RENE MAHEU
former Director of UNESCO
our mission...
our mision
“To provide young people through sport and the
arts with the opportunity to develop in life...
GEOFF THOMPSON MBE ILAM(Hons) FRSA
Executive Chairman the Youth Charter
our inspiration...
our inspiration
“Vision without action is but a dream.
Action without vision is merely passsing time.
Vision with action can change the world.”
NELSON MANDELA
page 11
Sporting
Sporting
Prince Naseem MBE
Martin Offiah MBE
Wayne Otto OBE
John Parrot MBE
Alan Pascoe MBE
Lenny Paul
Stuart Pearce
Mary Peters CBE
Karen Pickering MBE
Sir Mathew Pinsett MBE
Nicky Piper
Sir Steven Redgrave CBE
Derek Redmond
Annika Reeder
Sir Craig Reedie
Cyrille Regis MBE
Mark Rowland
Tessa Sanderson OBE
Greg Searle MBE
Jon Searle MBE
Teddy Sherringham
Judy Simpson OBE
Lynn Simpson
Jane Sixsmith MBE
Phyllis Smith
Sarah Springman OBE
Ian Stark
Ray Stevens
Athole Still
Iwan Thomas MBE
Neil Thomas MBE
Dennis Tueart
Terry Venables
Lee Westwood
Fatima Whitbread MBE
David Wilkie MBE
James Williams
Paul Zetter CBE
Dutch Soccer Squad
England Rugby Squad
England Soccer Squad
Ghanaian Under 17 Soccer Squad
South African Soccer Squad
South African Rugby Squad
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Manchester United Football Club
Ambassadors’ honours correct
at date of publishing.
Other international signatories
available on request.
Youth Charter
The Atrium, Ground Floor, Anchorage 2, Anchorage Quay, Salford Quays, Manchester M5 2EL, United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 (0)161 877 8405
Fax: +44 (0)161 877 8406
E-mail:youthcharter@btinternet.com
www.youthcharter.co.uk
Design by Alligator: +44 (0)161 228 1811
© All images, logos and material content contained within this report is protected by copyright under International Law. It is expressly forbidden to copy,
plagiarise or reproduce in any form either in whole or in part without prior consent from the Youth Charter.
Ambassadors
Marcus Adam
Neil Adams MBE
Ben Ainslie
Rob Andrew MBE
Mike Atherton OBE
Kriss Akabussi MBE
Lord Archer
Sarah Bailey MBE
Chris Ballieu MBE
Jeremy Bates
Jamie Baulch
Bill Beaumont OBE
David Beckham OBE
Chris Boardman MBE
Lorna Boothe
Toby Box
Julia Bracewell OBE
Kevin Cadle
Darren Campbell MBE
Pat Cash
Gill Clark MBE
Ben Challenger
Sir Bobby Charlton CBE
Linford Christie OBE
David Coleman OBE
Gary Connolly
Sir Henry Cooper MBE
Lord Cowdrey
John Crawley
Mark Croasdale
Sharron Davies MBE
Anita Defrantz
Phil De Glanville
Rob Denmark
Lisa Dermott
Karen Dixon
Tony Dobbin
Sandra Douglas
Tony Doyle MBE
Paula Dunn Thomas
Richard Dunwoody
Tracy Edwards MBE
Mike England
Faroukh Engineer
Chris Eubank
Nicola Fairbrother
Nick Faldo MBE
John Fashanu
Alex Ferguson CBE
Janice Francis
Richard Fox MBE
Kristina Gifford
Ryan Giggs
Eugene Gilkes
Dame Mary Glen Haig CBE
Duncan Goodhew MBE
Tanni Grey MBE
Sally Gunnell MBE
Jane Hall
Susan Hampshire OBE
Gary Hardinges
Eddie Hemmings
Tim Henman CBE
Kate Hoey MP
Dame Kelly Holmes
Robert Howley
Paul Ince
Colin Jackson MBE
David Johnson
Simon Jackson MBE
Mary King
Sir Robin Knox Johnston
Sir Eddie Kulukundis OBE
Sonia Lawrence
Rob Lee
Denise Lewis OBE
Lennox Lewis CBE
Clive Lloyd CBE
Lisa Lomas
Helen Lonsdale
Devon Malcolm
Gary Mason
Dianne Modhal
Adrian Moorhouse MBE
Nathan Morgan
Dewi Morris
Fiona Murtagh
Ally McCoist MBE
Mark McCoy
John McEnroe
Mike McFarlane OBE
Barry McGuigan MBE
Mick McManus
Ambassadors...
Signatories to the
Youth Charter include: