Learning Forum 2015

The theme for the 2015 Learning Forum focused on the role that Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) can play in achieving innovative, inclusive and pro-poor solutions for sustainable job creation models.

They keynote address was delivered by the Chair of the Investment Committee, Deputy Minister of Finance Mcebisi Jonas.

The Hon. Minister spoke of the latest funding round and how the reinvigoration of the agriculture industry can not only create jobs at scale but can also create a newness, to enable our smallholder farmers to enter the formal market. Creating jobs is just one element to this innovation, investing in the agriculture sector can transform the landscape of South Africa. The Jobs Fund has allocated R850 million for the 17 agriculture projects.

In line with the Fund’s drive to support and profile breakthrough ideas and partnerships that contribute to tackling unemployment and create sustainable jobs, partner best performance awards will be presented. The Awards recognised projects that have opened new fields of employment models, advancing novel concepts or their implementation in a particular economic sector.

The projects that receive awards have shown a noteworthy contribution to decreasing unemployment in South Africa. Not only are they on track with regards to meeting their targets but have reported timeously and have shown overall good practice.

Akwandze, Tongaat Hulett and Harambee were the recipients of the awards.

JFP project partners joined the Forum to share their stories as to how the interventions have changed their lives. Remarkable stories from Thulani Ntshuntshe of Awethu, Happiness Makathini from The Clothing Bank and Benedict Ruele from Harambee. “The Jobs Fund project has not only given me the opportunity to make money, it has helped me build courage, be proud of myself and to congratulate myself for the work that I have done. I am a changed women.” said Happiness.

Many of the partners reported in their feedback to the Jobs Fund that they enjoyed networking with Jobs Fund staff and other partners. It is so important for our partners to liaise with one another and identify potential synergies between different projects currently being implemented. So often, organisations tend to work in silos, not always aware of the development ecosystem around them, and how potential partnerships could so easily develop to close gaps within the models and between models. We hope that the online platform will be used to further these discussions and partnerships and appreciate any feedback on the platform and how it could be improved.

Prior to the Learning Forum, the Jobs Fund Partners were asked about what discussion topics they would find useful in addressing some of the challenges they face in their organisations and in SMME development in general. From the feedback received, the Jobs Fund put together a series of workshops and training sessions designed specifically to address those challenges and questions. Four workshops and five training sessions were held on the second and third day respectively and overall positive evaluation feedback was received from the partners. One of the few criticisms was that the workshops were not long enough and further interrogation of the topics was needed. This is something that we, at the Jobs Fund, will take into account for the next Learning Forum and each year aim to ensure that the upcoming forum is better than the last.

Although the Jobs Fund and all our partners are all busy creating jobs, it is crucial that we all take some time to focus on reflection and learning and the Jobs Fund Learning Forum provided just that. It took many of us out of our day-to-day work frame of mind and exposed us to new ideas, theories, models and ways of thinking. It also exposed us to new people and opened up new connections and potential partnerships. We are all guilty of steering our focus to working in our organisations, and never allowing ourselves the chance to work on our organisations through focusing more on the strategic side of what we do. By allowing ourselves the time to strategise and innovate, we can begin to create again and make substantial improvements.