The Social Employment Network (SEN) is a learning and support network which supports strategic implementing partners of the national Social Employment Fund (SEF) to share information with each other, document learnings and innovate around solutions to the fund’s challenges. The SEN also provides structured inputs back to government to guide future iterations of the fund.

SEN members meet at least once a month online, with in-person meetings taking place where possible. The network is convened by the EDP in partnership with the DG Murray Trust and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

About the Social Employment Fund (SEF)

The SEF, which is administered by the IDC was introduced in October 2021 as part of the Presidential Employment Stimulus to enable partnering between civil society organisations and their informal grassroots networks to promote ground-up employment opportunities that benefit communities and build social value across South Africa. In its initial first phase, the SEF intends to create 50,000 new jobs across rural and urban centres in South Africa.

To learn more about the SEF and SEN, read this FAQ.

What does the SEN aim to achieve?

The SEN facilitates regular meetings for the SEF’s implementing partners to collaborate with each other and share strategic knowledge that accelerates and increases the impact of social employment through the rollout of the SEF.

SEN resources

• EDP Opinion: How to get children reading by Andrew Boraine, Brian Adams (IOL)
• EDP Article: An innovative public employment initiative creates employment opportunities that help communities (November 2022)
• Impact Case Study: Violence Prevention Through Urban Upgrading (VPUU) 
• Impact Case Study: ASSITEJ SA 
• DGMT Podcast: Scaling up with Social Employment – with Katie Huston, Sibongile Khumalo, Andrew Boraine (January 2023)

For enquiries about the Social Employment Network (SEN), email senedp@wcedp.co.za