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Our Approach

Lucha Lunako provides a ground-breaking model for shifting youth mindsets from surviving to thriving. Our holistic approach addresses the root causes of inequality by building solid foundational skills. Our foundational skills are built upon an iterative learning process that impacts the individual’s self worth, competence to be in the workforce and place in their community. Based on our key guiding principles, supported by our effective courses, and implemented according to global best practices in partnership with like-valued organisations, we help create pathways to decent work.

The Youth Have It™
Development Framework

A key finding in our research is that most youth lack well-formed healthy foundations, including an awareness of their own agency. This makes it almost impossible to absorb technical information and build strong technical skills because they are affected by factors such as a lack of confidence, limiting beliefs, trauma, and difficulty in processing emotions. That is why every youth learning intervention must first start with building the foundations of the person before and while building technical skill.

5 Cs Model

By identifying and engaging with how young people are affected by poverty and inequality at their root causes, Lucha Lunako developed its development framework, “I Have It, You Have It, Youth Have It” ™ as a holistic approach to youth development. The model aims to assist young people to develop the basic mental, emotional, psycho-social and competency tools needed to transcend the often traumatic conditions of their upbringings, build solid foundations and move towards employability and earning sustainable livelihoods. 

The framework draws from the 5C model of positive youth development (PYD), which positions youth as precious assets to society that should be nurtured, and not as problems to be addressed. Without a foundation of the 5Cs, none of the other training work in the long-term.
TO SEE HOW WE USE THIS MODEL IN REAL LIFE, SEE OUR PROGRAMMES

Key Guiding Principles

Through iteration and debate, based on internal expertise and the analysis of what seems to make programmes successful, we have formulated twelve core principles that underpin our opinion, attitude and approach to youth development. We believe that these should guide behaviour and engagement within any youth development framework, across all stakeholders, for maximum impact to be achieved.

It is for this reason that all of our programmes are modelled on and tested in accordance with our key guiding principles.

To learn more, please download the Key Guiding Principles document.

The Lucha Lunako Difference

The common approach to youth development generally includes:

  • A focus on technical skills rather than behaviour change
  • A lack of R&D, not taking into account the way young people learn & engage
  • The belief that work-readiness can be taught in a classroom in a day
  • The expectation that work experience results in employability
  • Short-term, low-touch interventions with a reliance on self study

Our approach is different. In our view young people need development programmes that provide holistic support, establishing strong foundations, in order to unlock their potential. These programmes must help them:

  • Embark on a journey of personal discovery and confidence building;
  • Develop critical foundational skills that will enable them to overcome difficult circumstances;
  • Make their own decisions and pursue the opportunities available to them; and
  • Have hope for a prosperous future.

Call to Action

Youth development demands an urgent response by all key stakeholders in South Africa, whether corporate, funders, government, or developmental organisations. It is our hope that readers of this website will be influenced by our findings, views and recommendations and moved to action to work together to achieve a deep impact and secure South Africa’s sustainability and future. In order to create a youth development sector that is a thoughtful, collaborative ecosystem, with youth programmes that are cost-efficient, impactful and holistic, we recommend that the following steps be taken:

Collaborate on best practices

Youth organisations and funders should collaborate, open source, share and implement best practices

Scale high touch interventions

Youth organisations and funders should find solutions to the issue of how to scale high touch interventions

Coordinate interventions

Youth organisations and funders should coordinate interventions based on best skills and capacity

Measure impact

Youth organisations and funders should support a standardised approach to measuring impact and use this to inform iterations to youth interventions

Leverage assets

Youth organisations and funders should stop building new infrastructure and instead leverage existing assets in their communities

For more detail, please download the Youth Development Re-imagined Report (pages 78-83)

Let’s Collaborate - together we are stronger
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Let’s Collaborate - together we are stronger
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Let’s Collaborate - together we are stronger
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Let’s Collaborate - together we are stronger
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Let’s Collaborate - together we are stronger
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Let’s Collaborate - together we are stronger
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Let’s Collaborate - together we are stronger
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Let’s Collaborate - together we are stronger
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