With the NLSA
The NLSA through the Mzansi Libraries On-Line Project have partnered with Business Connexion (BCX) to recruit and develop skills among school leaving and unemployed youth in the career field of ICT Librarian. The objective is to put them through a graduate internship programme to train and deploy them for ICT technical support capacity at community libraries.
This partnership will assist the libraries in maximizing the potential of new access to information services and technologies offered through the Mzansi Libraries On-Line Project.
Professor Rocky Ralebipi-Simela, the National Librarian and CEO of the NLSA said, “This programme, which we are proud to host, will see valuable contribution to skills development among youth. Increasing ICT support in community libraries will go a long way in ensuring that communities have access to information.”
A total of 65 unemployed youth across the country have been recruited to be trained as Information Communications Technology (ICT) Librarians and will undergo an eight week training programme. The training programme commenced on 13 March 2017 at the Telkom Learning Centre in Olifantsfontein and is facilitated by Microsoft SA/ Netcampus in collaboration with the Mzansi Libraries On-Line Project.
As part of this internship programme, the trainees have been exposed and oriented with the job enhancement programme facilitated through yet another partnership with Lulaway Holdings. This initiative will facilitate the establishment of job enhancement centers at the respective libraries.
“ICT skills play a crucial role in helping the youth create more opportunities for themselves in terms of employment and entrepreneurship,” says Charlene Verzmoter, S2B Programme Manager at Microsoft. “By empowering unemployed youth with ICT skills and certifications through the Student To Business Internship programme, Microsoft and other partners are able to provide these youths with employment. Moreover, by placing them within community libraries, where they will frequently act as custodians of knowledge who can educate the communities on much needed digital skills, we are putting them in a position to immediately pay it forward.”
This collaboration between NLSA, BCX and Lulaway Holdings will go a long way in contributing to the skills development initiatives of the National Development Agenda (NDP 2030) and increasing capacity at libraries which are confronted with the challenge of aligning and addressing the developmental needs of communities.
The objective of the training is to:

• Provide skills development for young people with a specific focus on the development agenda of the country.
• Communicate the new role of libraries in empowering communities.
• Enhance technological services at public libraries to address community issues.

“This collaboration between NLSA, BCX and Lulaway Holdings is a contribution towards a shared vision regarding the role of public libraries in community development, especially among the youth,” concluded Prof Ralebipi-Simela.

Progress with the Internship Programme:

• Owing to the prospects of success with this initiative, negotiations are currently underway to extend the duration of the internship programme from 18 to 24 months. The extension of the programme is intended to add value by creating meaningful employment for the successful interns.
• The NLSA BCX Internship Programme has been partnered with the Job Enhancement Programme by Lulaway Holdings. Through this partnership, participating libraries will offer improved services to allow unemployed users from the local community to register and seek for jobs on-line using technology at the library.

On 18 and 25 March 2017, two training session were conducted for the interns.
Training provided to date:
To date the 65 trainees have received training in Business Etiquette, Customer Services, Building Self-esteem and Assertiveness Skills, Time Management, Communications Strategies, MS Office 2013 and Train-the-Trainer skills.
When asked to reflect on the value of the training on their internship at the MLO pilot libraries countrywide, the students responded positively:
“…one that stood out most for me is Communications Strategies. Communication is one of those things that most of us take for granted but it is probably the most important. I have learned how to build positive relationships; how to be a skilled communicator and how to get people to open up and willingly share more information; how to overcome my (communication) fears; how to handle communication barriers; the right and wrong questions to ask; active listening skills, which was very interesting; how to read body language and so much more…” – Thenjiwe Mukwevho.
“Reflecting on the [training], I believe that such knowledge has to be shared. Therefore I will practically share it by:

Ensuring that I give a good impression of myself and the company/entity I represent to the people I meet;

• Being more time-efficient and productive with the tasks I have for the day;
• Using the knowledge I have learned to improve my self-esteem and self-confidence;
• Being more efficient when providing customer service internally or externally;
• Being more assertive when engaging in discussions with people; and
• Being able share this knowledge with others who might be in need of enlightenment and empowerment.

Thanking you for providing me this opportunity to be empowered in order to empower.”

Ntando Mabizela

ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SOUTH AFRICA