**1. Introduction**

This chapter presents an analysis from a Posthumanist perspective on possible ways of tackling the vexed problem of the unemployment of youth. There is a need for this study because South Africa a country, and the world can learn how to address the problem of unemployment as presented through the strategy formulated in this chapter. The chapter presents the strategy couched in relatively new theoretical framing of Posthumanism which is only recently finding expression in education research discourses. There is a need for this study because it shows how participatory action research can be used to operationalise the theoretical and practical intents as well as purposes of Posthumanism. The study contributes to knowledge by detailing how the voices of all can be included in enhancing employability of youth towards a

more egalitarian and socially just society. It also highlights the value of inclusivity in entangled relationalities.

This analysis, while grounded on theory, it at the same time uses empirical data from the Employability Study that we conducted with 129 unemployed youth in the Mpumalanga province of South Africa1 . This study, hence this chapter, shows how better levels of employment might be achieved among these youth by being inclusive in approaching the problem. Inclusivity as argued herein, involves focusing on all human modalities of being, as a starting point towards enhancement of their employability [1]. Van den Bergh and Dooyeweerd's theory of metabletics assumes that there are 15 such modalities which can be categorised into four groups of the physical, the physiological, the psychological and the socio-cultural dimensions [2]. These imply that for enhanced levels of employability to be achieved, heightened performance therein is required. There is also recognition that all these modes of being exist in relationship among themselves and with those of other human beings outside the self [3]. This relationality is also with non-human entities, some of which are animate as in animals and others inanimate as in objects in the universe. For example, the inspiring role that the presence of animals and conducive infrastructure play in motivating heightened academic performance has been recorded in research [4]. Barren ghetto settings, without the presence of animals in one's life, rarely inspire such. This recognition also extends to the roles that machines like computers play in employability, with their potential for enhanced abilities that are more-than-human as in the use of Artificial Intelligence—AI [4]. Inclusivity seen from this perspective is an all-encompassing process as it regards humans, for example the youth, as relational and entangled in and with the universe. No youth can exist without these networks and connections, which in turn create their identities, their performances, and their realities. The above analysis led us to an understanding of what constitutes sustainable learning environments (SuLE) that promote employability, which this chapter attempts to achieve, analyse and thus clarify [2].

The concept of Sustainable Learning Environments—SULE is useful for this study as it is compatible with Posthumanist thinking which is grounding the theorisations and practices herein. More importantly it enables the study to explore new avenues beyond the conventional and one-dimensional approaches in attempting to respond to the stated problem of unemployment [5]. The problem of unemployment is endemic among Black youth in South Africa. Recent estimates show that 63% of the Black youth between the ages of 18 and 35 years in South Africa are unemployed [6]. Although the official figures place the unemployment level for the entire population at 42%, the latter is still unacceptable because of the deleterious effects that unemployment has on the dignity of the people, especially the youth [5]. Being employed or having an enterprise is not only about generating an income, but it also contributes to one's self-worth. It is empowering and inspires one to be alive and to aspire for the betterment of one's condition and that of others. This study therefore, attempts to contribute towards addressing these concerns about huge numbers of Black youth that continue to be wasted every year [5]. Our assumption is that there is urgent need to design sustainable learning environments—SuLE as both a preventative and a remediation strategy to ameliorate and to totally address this anomaly.

In the context of the above, we are aware of the immensity of the problem and that to address it requires multipronged strategies led by large numbers of specialised teams focusing on different aspects of the problem while the goal remains one. For

<sup>1</sup> This chapter is part of the study sponsored by the Centre of Excellence at the University of the Witwatersrand in collaboration with the National Research Foundation—NRF of South Africa.

### *Employability as Inclusive Entanglement in Relationalities: A Design in Sustainable Learning… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.114033*

example, international support is needed through agencies such as UNESCO and its priorities such as the Sustainable Development Goals—SDGs [7]. In South Africa the above is cascaded to the Constitution of the country, supported by the National Development Plan, as well as the different Growth and Development Strategies in various provinces and municipalities that must cascade the actual practices of the SDGs and the Africa 2063 agenda to the local and regional levels, among others [8]. In this chapter we therefore present our analysis of the project we embarked upon with the aim to contribute to the amelioration and solution of this problem. The thrust of our argument is that there is urgent need for strategies that take the complexity of the problem into consideration. Such strategies are inclusive at all levels as they recognise that unemployment and employment are a function of entangled relationalities. The interventions towards the creation of sustainable learning environments that would address such problems effectively thus have to reflect this sophistication in their approach. Through our project we thus lay the above bare and present in this chapter the theory grounding its praxis, its methodology and design, as well as findings.
