Youth Job Creation through Community Tourism Supported by the Community Radio Sector

Two 2-day training programmes were conducted in March 2002. The specific aim of this component of the project was to initiate station managers from 12 community radio stations into the programme and begin to build their capacity to manage CBT programmes. As it turned out, however, only 7 people attended this first programme, 2 of whom were managers (other participants included programme managers, news editors, and administrators). At this session, trainers explained what CBT enterprises are and why they are beneficial, as well as how they can be promoted among young people. To address the fact that participants were not primarily station managers, a second course was carried out; 16 managers and senior staff attended.

The training methodology involved a combination of lectures, reading of handouts, individual and group work, and group presentations. Short lectures were given to introduce theoretical concepts and relationships, such as (i) how to resolve the conflict between the sustainability and the service aspect of a community radio station, and (ii) how to relate the CBT project to the general activities of the station. These concepts were demonstrated using simple examples, first from daily life and then from specific activities related to the project or community radio station. Using these examples, participants were asked to apply the principles to firm up their understanding of the concepts at issue (e.g., resource requirements necessary to manage a CBT project). At both trainings, reading materials and training notes (in printed format) were provided - after the first course, these materials were adjusted to reflect participants' feedback.

Specifically, the training programme was divided into 7 sections, as follows:

1. Introduction to the CBT project (its objectives, institutional framework, role of various institutions and of the community radio stations, and technical support available during implementation).
2. The planning process - the log frame as a planning tool was presented and its use in planning illustrated. Participants practiced log frame tool planning.
3. The concept of CBT - major areas of emphasis were (i) CBT involves the community, narrowly or broadly defined, and (ii) customers need to be identified (ABC Ulwazi has observed that many communities initiate and promote CBT based on skills rather than market opportunities).
4. The concept of an enterprise - discussion focussed on the elements - internal and external to the firm - that have to be in place for an enterprise to succeed. Internal factors include markets, skills, and resources; external factors highlighted were producers, support services, information providers, marketers, finance, and suppliers. Using examples from the community radio subsector, participants worked through the enterprise concept.
5. The elements of promotion - the emphasis was on initial steps and then in more specific terms. Unlike the promotion of a product like Coca Cola, where the objective is to get as many people as possible to buy it, the objective of promoting a CBT project is to provide information to as many people as possible while limiting participation to those who are truly interested. Ideas for instituting barriers to deter the merely curious were discussed.
6. Selection of programme participants and facilitators - the question of which qualities define a good participant and facilitator, and their proper roles, was addressed. Each community radio station was asked to prepare a log frame detailing their strategy in this regard.
7. Preparing a way forward (a process of thinking through the project, identifying what had to be done to get it started, setting up timelines for activities and accomplishments, and articulating expected outputs).

Development Issues

Community Media Sustainability, Youth, Economic Development.

Radio and Media Development

ABC Ulwazi holds that community radio stations can play a key role in local social and economic development. By providing a means through which community members can be heard, community radio can be an effective voice for articulating (and perhaps addressing) issues that directly impact the welfare of communities. The organisation is convinced that participation on the part of community radio stations in CBT may potentially have direct or indirect benefits. For instance, the stations could charge an application fee for those interested in joining the CBT programme, as well as for training and consultation. Furthermore, in effectively implementing these programmes, the stations can gain more credibility, increase their listenership, and widen their base of listeners by drawing in groups such as business people. With effective marketing, ABC Ulwazi claims, this situation could be translated into advertising revenue and push the stations toward sustainability.

In a wind-up session, participants were given the opportunity to raise some issues about the CBT programme in general, and the training process in particular. Some of the concerns raised included limited resources to support implementation, limited capacity to promote small business, limited personnel (staff), limited capacity to translate the training materials and tapes into local languages (a large percentage of listeners in rural areas do not speak English and hence would be unable to benefit fully), and limited potential (in some communities, infrastructure is not well developed; the broadcasting of the programme may create the false impression that young people can easily get into CBT businesses and immediately generate income).

According to an International Journalists' Network article "Practical 'sustainability' manual launched for community radio" dated September 5 2003, "ABC Ulwazi was established in 1993 to train rural, township, and poor people for community radio stations. It has, to date, provided internships, bursaries and other assistance to over 40 community radio stations and over 400 trainees in South Africa. The organisation also has helped raise the professional standards of community radio through its training programmes, with many of its graduates finding employment in national mainstream commercial radio".