Access, barriers and successes of Educational pathways for out-of-school Youth. Applying the capability theory

Abstract

The study investigated the impact of BASIC College, a private, non-profit educational institution, on youth accessing alternative post-school pathways, and how new theoretical insights were generated about the relationship between the Capability Approach (CA) and Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) among youth at a post-school educational institution. The research investigated whether such provision enabled young people to access opportunities in South Africa’s post-school education and training (PSET) sector, while developing the skills, capabilities, and agency necessary for workplace participation and transition into adulthood. Using life histories and photovoice, the research captured the lived experiences of current learners and graduates, revealing both immediate educational impacts and longer-term trajectories. The findings showed that learners developed key capabilities such as practical reason, affiliation, and agency, moving from constrained life choices to imagining and pursuing valued pathways. Some graduates gained formal employment, while others-built hybrid livelihoods through informal work and entrepreneurship. From a CHAT perspective, these shifts were linked to transformations in activity systems through new mediating tools (vocational and soft skills, confidence), altered rules (personalised pedagogy, collaborative learning), and enabling communities. However, the study also highlighted the fragility of these gains, as structural barriers in the labour market, limited transitional services, and socio-economic instability constrained the sustainability of capability development. Theoretically, the study advances the integration of CA and CHAT for understanding post-school transitions; methodologically, it demonstrates the value of combining life histories with photovoice for generating fine-grained insights; and practically, it underscores the need to align educational initiatives with systemic reforms. Overall, the research contributes new knowledge by showing how a non-profit post-school institution can mediate capability growth, while emphasising that sustainable youth transitions require coordinated educational, labour market, and social policy responses.