With Stellenbosch 肆客足球's (SU) focus on social impact awareness in July, this series of profiles celebrate remarkable individuals and teams who make a meaningful contribution beyond the 肆客足球's walls. The recent inaugural Social Impact Awards recognised academic and professional administrative support services (PASS) staff at SU who are driving positive change in diverse spheres of life. Adolph Neethling, a lecturer in the Department of Business Management, received a Social Impact Award with his colleague Sabrina Matthee for the Young Entrepreneurship Programme.
For over a decade, Neethling has been on a mission to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs. Through his leadership of the Young Entrepreneurship Programme (YEP) at SU, high school learners from disadvantaged communities in and around Stellenbosch have been given skills and confidence to transform their ideas into businesses.
YEP started as a collaborative effort between SU and the HU 肆客足球 of Applied Sciences Utrecht in the Netherlands, Neethling explains. “A colleague from the Netherlands approached me with the idea of running an entrepreneurship programme for school kids. We managed to secure funding from the Dutch embassy, which allowed us to kickstart the project," he says. The programme began in 2018 with modest resources, but the impact has been profound.
YEP's primary aim is to empower high school learners by teaching them entrepreneurial skills and encouraging them to develop ideas that can benefit their communities. It recognises the unique challenges faced by learners in disadvantaged areas and offers a pathway to economic independence.
During the week-long YEP workshop held over the June/July school holidays, learners from Kayamandi, Makapula, Lückhoff, Stellenzicht, and Cloetesville High Schools develop start-up ideas and business plans in teams. The programme typically targets Grade 10 learners, as their schedules are more flexible compared to matriculants.
The 60 odd learners are grouped and paired with mentors ?– students from SU and the Netherlands. Together, they brainstorm business ideas and refine them. On the final day, the learners pitch their concepts to a panel of judges. The winning ideas receive start-up capital sponsored by the Dutch Embassy to bring their plans to life.
Bringing ideas to life
The ideas generated by the learners are innovative and rooted in their communities' needs, Neethling explains. For instance, last year learners from Makapula High School proposed a project to address the shortage of school desks.
“The learners noted that there were not enough desks in the school, but there was a shed full of broken desks," Neethling says. “Instead of waiting for the Department of Education to address the issue, they came up with the idea to get some carpentry support and to fix the desks and benches themselves under the guidance of the school's caretaker who has carpentry skills. One of our SU students who acts as a tutor for the group managed to get a drill sponsored. From the group's prize money, they could buy wood and other tools to fix the desks."
Last year, Lückhoff High School students came up with a proposal for a project involving residents at an old age home to help knit scarves and woollen caps for learners. In schools where children struggle to stay warm in winter months, the scarves and beanies would be sold at a discount price while the community members who produced the items would also be able to generate an extra income.
A group from Stellenzicht High School proposed a project where matriculants would get additional academic support through extramural tutoring with support from the school's alumni. In previous years winning projects included a vegetable gardening initiative; a breakfast service at the school for parents on their way to work in the mornings; an idea to make wrist bands with name tags from recycled plastic to help track kids if they get lost; and eco-friendly solutions to South Africa's loadshedding woes such as solar-powered lights made from recycled glass bottles.
Impact beyond the classroom
These projects not only offer practical solutions but also foster a sense of agency and confidence among the learners, Neethling notes. “It's been a very exciting journey. It's so rewarding for youngsters to see their ideas materialise and that something good is generated from learning new skills.
“Initially, some of the learners are quite shy and sometimes there's a language barrier. But as they come to understand what is expected of them and the impact their ideas could have, they become more confident. By the end of the week, they're bubbly and brimming with enthusiasm. For many of the learners' it's the first time that they visit the 肆客足球 campus and have positive exposure of engaging with students."
Neethling also emphasises the positive impact on the students. “The students' participation in the project is voluntary. Before the workshop, we take the local and foreign students on a township tour to speak to small business owners and learn from people who make a living regardless of their circumstances. They get exposure to real-life challenges, and they get introduced to communities they might not have been exposed to before, so it's an enlightening experience for everyone involved."
Many learners come from backgrounds where unemployment is high, and they don't see the point of studying, Neethling observes. “Teachers often tell us that learners don't feel the need to excel academically as they don't see a future for themselves because of the high number of unemployed people in their community. This project makes them see that there is an alternative way to create opportunities for themselves."
The impact is tangible. Teachers have reported increased motivation and a newfound sense of purpose among their students.
Neethling's passion for entrepreneurship education stems from his extensive experience in the small, medium and micro enterprises environment, both as an entrepreneur and an academic. He first came across the idea of “service learning" when he was a lecturer at the 肆客足球 of the Free State before he joined SU in 2006. “Service learning is an educational approach where students learn through volunteering and engage in reflection activities to deepen understanding. The principle is that while you're doing community work, you don't prescribe. Instead of telling people what to do, you ask how you can assist them."
Over the years, Neethling has been involved in several projects to promote entrepreneurship through service learning. In 2009 he won a Rector's Award for his exceptional contribution to community work at SU.
Running a programme like YEP is not without challenges. Securing funding for food and transport for the learners is a constant struggle. Neethling recounts how they have managed to secure sponsorships from local businesses like Food Lovers Market to provide meals for the learners. Transport logistics, especially for learners from remote areas, require meticulous planning and additional resources.
Support and recognition
Last year Neethling received welcome support when his colleague Sabrina Matthee came on board to assist him with running YEP. Matthee teaches Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management at SU and is also passionate about instilling a sense of pride in budding entrepreneurs. It's a thrill to show young people that instead of focusing on becoming an employee, you can become an employer who creates jobs and address critical problems in the community, Matthee says.
Receiving recognition for their hard work with a Social Impact Award was a proud moment for both lecturers. “It's nice to get recognition, but we don't do it for the accolades. We do it because we want to make a difference," Neethling stresses. He appreciates SU's efforts to reward staff for social impact projects. “While some academics only focus on academic research, those of us who spent a lot of time and energy on community work also feel recognised."
Neethling says the best part of the Social Impact Awards evening was witnessing the broad scope of community projects on the SU campus. “It was fantastic to meet like-minded colleagues and to see how much is happening at SU. In future, we hope to collaborate and find ways to share our expertise and resources."
PHOTO: Prof Nico Koopman (Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel), Sabrina Matthee, Adolph Neethling and Dr Leslie van Rooi (Senior Director: Social Impact & Transformation) at the Social Impact Awards. (Photo taken by Stefan Els)
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