A Multi-Perspective Study of Transitions of Marginalised Youth to Employment in South African Contact Centres

Abstract

Youth unemployment is a critical challenge in South Africa (Statistics South Africa, 2023), with long-term scarring effects for marginalised youth (Egdell & Beck, 2020; Scarpetta et al., 2010). The United Nations (2015a) has called for enhanced support systems to help youth transition successfully to adulthood and employment. The primary aim of the study was to explore the youth-organisation interface dynamics and develop a potential practice model for occupational social workers in South African workplaces. The research examined the transition experiences of marginalised youth, perspectives of HR professionals and supervisors/managers, and BPO industry leaders' views on innovative social methods contributing to youth-to-work transitions. Grounded in systems (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) and structuration theory (Giddens, 1984), the study conceptualises the ‘youth-organisation interface’ as the dynamic interaction space where young people's agency encounters organisational structures, each shaping and being shaped by the other. The methodological approach employed an interpretive qualitative research design, integrating phenomenological techniques for youth data to prioritise lived experiences of youth and thematic analysis of organisational perspectives to identify patterns across different stakeholders. This methodological integration was explicitly chosen to honour the voices of marginalised youth while facilitating systematic comparison with organisational perspectives. The qualitative study included semi-structured interviews with 20 youth and 12 organisational professionals across five different organisations within the business process outsourcing sector. vi Key findings revealed that most youth (85%) maintained positive attitudes despite challenges. Peer relationships and team leader support were crucial for workplace integration, with 90% reporting that peers facilitated employment transition. Family support was especially vital for seven single mothers in the study. Despite limited income, 60% felt obligated to support families financially. Critically, 75% could not fund their studies with their current income, perpetuating the poverty cycle. Organisational findings revealed that 75% of participants (9 of 12) believed the BPO employee value proposition for youth workers requires improvement. Four participants identified a skills shortage and inadequate development for middle management roles in the BPO industry. While 25% viewed youth as stuck in their positions, 50% believed progression opportunities exist within contact centres. The study's significant contribution is its multi-level practice intervention model for occupational social workers. This innovative model reconceptualises occupational social work practice by shifting from individual-focused interventions to a systems-oriented approach that offers interventions to address both structural barriers and individual needs. It extends beyond existing occupational social work theories by integrating individual skill development, organisational interventions, and community engagement components within a coherent theoretical framework. The youth transition to work journey was mapped across four transition stages: recruitment and hiring, training and development, induction and onboarding, and the employment phase. Multi-level occupational social work practice interventions were mapped across these four transition stages to meet the needs of youth employees and organisations. The interventions were developed to be interrelated, each leading into and feeding off the other: vii micro↔meso↔macro. The model offers strategies that contribute to both theoretical advancement in occupational social work and practical applications for addressing youth unemployment at multiple levels.