CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This study examines the challenges among organs of civil society in Tsakane Township, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality. One way of promoting development in townships is through building the capacities and skills of members of the community. The organs of civil society have a critical role to play in such capacity building and development. However, they experience challenges that make them ineffective. Although both the government and the organs of civil society have put a lot of effort and finances into capacity building and skill development of previously disadvantaged people in Tsakane, with the aim of alleviating poverty, not many of the beneficiaries have been able to become self-employed. The purpose of this study is to identify and document the challenges of the organs of civil society involved in training the beneficiaries of entrepreneurial skill development in alleviating poverty and reducing unemployment in the Ekurhuleni region. This study focused on AFMOLED, a non-profit organization based in Ekurhuleni and involved in entrepreneurial skills development, and is exploratory, descriptive and qualitative in nature. Results indicated that the most common challenges of organs of civil society include risk propensity; opportunity identification; and role models. The study recommends that government should improve the effectiveness of its support mechanisms and the model of training by the organs of civil society should be contextualized. These recommendations, if applied properly, will reduce the challenges faced by sectors of civil society and make capacity building interventions more effective.