09 Feb 2017

Gaborone public library has started a capacity building programme for young people.

Principal library officer, Ms Magdeline Mooketsi said they have  set a mutual goal to assume a leading role by organising and facilitating capacity building programmes for the youth in and around Gaborone.

She said the library through the youth skills initiative programme seeks to capacitate the unemployed youth, graduates, out of school and those aspiring to venture into business through government programmes such as the Youth Development Fund.

Ms Mooketsi informed BOPA that prior to kick-starting the capacity building programme, a survey was conducted at the Gaborone public library youth, to find out what their needs were.

After conducting one on one interviews with the registered youth, she said she observed that the young people were frustrated, depressed and hopeless as they were not succeeding at employment and other business ventures.

Thesurvey showed that some youth have business ideas but they do not know how to execute them. Others do not know what to do while others want to do something because life circumstances dictate such.

“Some youth have hit rock bottom therefore they need skills refinement and support,” she said.

She said based on the survey outcome, the youth skills initiative programme was formulated with three objectives among them the intention to impart necessary skills to young people to enable them to improve their lives and to create a networking platform.

Ms Mooketsi said the programme runs with the spirit of volunteerism and partnerships with willing stakeholders such as Lillian Moremi career coaching company.

She explained that participants will attend the programme for four weeks in which they would be trained on specific needs as they would have identified.

Topics include business management basics, starting a business, refining curriculum vitae, preparing for job interviews and financial management. ENDS