ELECTRONIC INFORMATION FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT (EIYE) BY STELLA NEKUUSA Principal Librarian-National Library of Uganda.

ELECTRONIC INFORMATION FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT (EIYE)

BYSTELLA NEKUUSA

Principal Librarian-National Library of Uganda

PROBLEM/COMMUNITY NEED

High rate of Youth Unemployment Lack of skills to use ICT/access points Idleness, desperation, vulnerability to vices,

manipulation Idle unemployed Youth involved in political demonstrations

SOLUTION

Keep the youth busy Get the youth active and productiveEIYE aims to Provide basic ICT skills Connect youth to opportunities Improve youth socio-economic status Build confidence

HOW

PARTNERSHIP AND ROLES

EIFLMain project funding organizationNLUGrant recipient and overall project coordinatorLibrarians • Train the youth• Create a database of their information needs• Communicate information via sms• Advertise and market the project

PARTNERSHIP and ROLES cont’d

National Youth Council• Identify unemployed youth and their needs• Market the project among the youthMasindi and Lira Local Governments• Provide infrastructure• Market the project to central governmentYouth• Enable the implementation of the project and

market it to other youth

TECHNOLOGY

• Computer sets for document processing• Projectors for group training• Mobile phones for communicating

information instantly via sms• Internet connectivity for sourcing information

and social networking

IMPACT

• Computer Literacy-400 people who had never touched a computer can now search for information on the internet. Find job openings and required skills and qualifications, find training opportunities.

• Job Seeking- So far 1 copy typist, 1 secretary, 1 records officer found jobs

• Job creation- Hope for self employment provide secretarial services etc.

• Study opportunities-Students applying for university education online

IMPACT Cont..

• Computer applications- A pastor testified that he no longer has to pay for secretarial services which saves him money and time.

• Internet Networking- The students now have e-mail accounts, face book and tweeter accounts to share current information and communicate.

• Information-Market information is accessed on Google trade.

• Confidence-At the World Book Day celebrations Public Debate, students confidently got involved in the debate on e-books vs. printed books.

LESSONS LEARNT

Challenges:• Computer illiteracy among youth is overwhelming (90%)• Language barrier which caused drop outs and students

lagging behind• Computers are few compared to demand for the service

Achievements:• Youth turned up in large numbers showing interest in the

project and are proudly talking about their new skills which has widely marketed the project.

CONCLUSSION

• Emulating the project in other public librariesStarting with libraries that already have computer and internet technology in the library

• Start a mobile computer training service

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME