Youth empowerment
YES: Youth Employment Service
Empowering the youth and creating employment opportunities
At SPAR, we believe young people need more than encouragement. They need access, guidance, real workplace experience, and a fair chance to take their next step.
Through the national YES programme, SPAR helps equip unemployed youth with practical skills, paid work experience, and the confidence to build a more secure future.
What is YES?
The future starts now
The Youth Employment Service, known as YES, is a national programme that helps address youth unemployment by creating paid work opportunities for young South Africans.
For SPAR, YES is about more than placement. It’s a practical pathway into the world of work, where young people can gain experience, build confidence, and develop skills that support long-term employability.
SPAR’s role in the YES Programme
SPAR supports YES as part of our commitment to youth empowerment, skills development, and inclusive growth. By opening up real retail workplace and paid opportunities across our business, we help young people move from potential to progress.
We help create paid work opportunities that give unemployed youth a meaningful first step into the workplace
Learners gain practical, on-the-job exposure that helps them understand the rhythms, responsibilities, and expectations of work.
By supporting youth employment, SPAR helps build confidence, dignity, and opportunity in the communities we serve.
01
Paid work experience
Young people are placed in structured, paid work opportunities for a defined period. These placements provide real-world exposure to the workplace, helping participants gain practical experience and develop professional confidence.
02
On-the-job skills development
During their placement, participants gain hands-on experience across various business functions, supported by workplace mentorship and supervision. This enables them to build transferable skills relevant to future employment.
03
Improved employment outcomes
By completing the programme, participants enhance their employability through practical work experience, increased confidence and exposure to professional environments, improving their chances of securing long-term employment.
From placement to progress
How the YES programme works
Why YES matters
Addressing youth unemployment
Youth unemployment is not only a statistic. It affects families, communities, and the future of South Africa.
Through YES, SPAR helps young people gain the experience many employers ask for, but few first-time job seekers have. It’s one way we can help turn potential into progress and open doors where they are needed most.
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