Its All About Collaboration: A New Approach for Sustainability & Impact
Phase One was to establish the Smart Work Centre. Since the introduction of the Smart Work Center (SWC) in February 2023, its use has been maximised by the Learn to Live School supporting 215 learners. Learners make use of the Centre at least twice a week to improve their digital literacy and academic skills. The teaching staff at Learn to Live School have integrated the School 4 Kids and Reading Eggs programme into their curriculum. Thus far, these programmes have been instrumental in increasing the literacy throughput of learners, especially those struggling to read and write. In addition, learners have begun to show significant improvement in their learning and their enthusiasm to work on the computers grows weekly.
To ensure the sustainability of the SWC, the Rotary Club of Waterfront was able to foster a closer collaboration with the IT Academy based at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) to onboard, Mr Jean McKenzie, a CPUT senior student as part of an internship. Jean, will be responsible for maintaining the SWC and providing technical support to the users of the centre thus ensuring undisrupted use of the technology infrastructure.
Fostering Digital Literacy Amongst Youth on the Cape Flats
Over the period of April and May 2023, the Salesian Institute Youth Projects hosted 24 youth members between the age of 18 – 35 years from Lavender Hill and Ocean View communities at the Smart Work Center (SWC) to acquire their International Computer Drivers License (ICDL). ICDL is an entry-level digital literacy course aimed at building much-needed 21st-century competencies making learners more employable. These 24 youth members were identified and are sponsored by the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Urban Regeneration Programme (MURP).
It is important to note that this programme could not be made possible without the Smart Work Centre at SIYP which is now expanding and impacting youth outside of the SIYP. As a result, SIYP is now well-positioned to offer skilling, upskilling and reskilling opportunities to unemployed youth and members of the community wishing to become digitally literate or improve their digital skills.
The recently appointed SWC Technical Coordinator, Mr Jean Mcknzie is presenting the programme. Feedback received during the month of April was incredible, the commitment from the participants is commendable and most of them have pointed out the value of the course in finding employment. Others who have no prior experience in working on a computer have said that they are feeling more confident as an individual in finding suitable work.
At the end of May 2023, successful learners will receive their ICDL certificates which are internationally recognised.
Read More about Our Project with the Salesian Institute