I work for Phambili ngeThemba, and a part of that is a Job Readiness course. It used to be a two week course, but is now three weeks since we have made computer training mandatory.
Today was the first day of the third week of the second course that we have run since I arrived in South Africa. Feel free to re-read that sentence.
The first course, I barely met the students. I was busy helping out with a short term mission team, spending the days playing with kids in townships and doing lots and lots of gardening. And getting girls to stop crying. So many tears! This course, I have been quite involved - sitting in on most daily devotions and some training, getting to know the students individually, and even spontaneously taking over a day of training when the normal instructor was taking a mental health day.
I am learning how terrible of an employee I really was. I mean, I knew I had my issues, but just about every time I start teaching, I have a strong compulsion to e-mail my old boss, and apologize profusely. I am just a way better person when I am living here. Ha. Seriously, though.
Today was an interesting day, though. In some strange sequence of events, only three people showed up. That would be me, the clueless American, and then Pamella and Phindiswa - the receptionist and the Resource Centre chaperone. I don't know their real titles. They are awesome ladies.
We did, however, have all of the students (past and present) coming! So I got to take over. It was a fun day. We were learning about computers and I realized this is a great way for you to just get to learn about this organization. I have copied the exact text that the students got to type up today. It was written by a non-native English speaker, so forgive the obvious flaws. I plan to edit it for all future classes RIGHT NOW.
But it was awesome. Only two of the students had ever touched a computer before, so they were all nervous but most of them made it through the whole thing over the course of the day! (Some of it will get lost in copy/paste, but it included inserting pictures and tables!) Enjoy!
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Dear Friend of Zanokhanyo
We’d like to introduce you to Zanokhanyo and the hope that it is bringing to those who need employment. Zanokhanyo is no ordinary organization, in while it aims to help train and facilitate work for the unemployed, it also aims to bring social change by transforming mindsets, and ultimately glorify God.
Where does Zanokhanyo come from?
Phambili ngeThemba (“Going Forward with Hope”), the non-profit organization under which Zanokhanyo operates, was born out of a relief effort from Pinelands Methodist Church in response to the devastation of the Joe Slovo fires in the Langa region in 2000. Subsequently, a sewing course was started to help women develop a marketable skill, however, in 2007 this was discontinued due to the trainer leaving.
It was during this time that the research upon which Zanokhanyo was built took place. While conducting extensive research in the informal settlement of Langa and the business community, the following results emerged:
Businesses struggle with high staff turnover and access to reliable employees. They are searching for employees with the following traits: integrity and honest, punctuality and attendance, teamwork and friendliness, and willingness to learn and dedication.
The community of Langa has several needs, and among their top is work. Between 30% and 44% of people are unemployed, with the average household income less than R66 105 (can be up to 8 people). However, there are many other social issues with between 18% and 34% of deaths being AIDS-related.
Zanokhanyo (“Bringing Light”) aims to do just that – bring light to informal settlements and the business community simultaneously. And so the Zanokhanyo Job Readiness Course was born…
Zanokhanyo Job Readiness Course
This course is the entry point to our involvement in people’s lives. It aims to train graduates socially, spiritually, and emotionally, with a specific focus on work-related situations. We desire to see them become personally fulfilled and economically viable through an employment situation that is mutually satisfying for the employer as well as the employee.
The two-week course has been developed to meet both the community and employer needs. Graduates are required to attend every day of the training and have found the course to be enlightening and beneficial. The training outline is as follows:
Day 1: Introduction, Who am I?
Day 2: Emotional Healing
Day 3: Character, Communication and Conflict Management
Day 4: Problem-solving, Customer Service, Punctuality
Day 5: Human Rights, Hygiene, Drugs and HIV / AIDS
Day 6: Personal Finance
Day 7: Interviews, the Workplace and Rights in the Workplace
Day 8: Job Hunting and CV’s
Day 9: Interviews and Answering Adverts
Day 10: Goals and Graduation
Zanokhanyo Resource Centre
Once a graduate has completed the course, they gain access to the Resource Centre. This provides graduates with the necessary tools to search and apply for work including telephone, fax, computers with Internet access, newspapers and employment notices.
To enable graduates to use the centre, we offer free introductory computer training. While this is not a comprehensive course, it helps to ‘break the ice’, encourage learning, and enables graduates to apply for positions.
The training covers introductions to:
· Hardware and software
· Microsoft Word and typing
· The Internet and job-seeking
· Email and applying for jobs
The Resource Centre has already seen hundreds of CVs sent or printed from it, with many graduates who had never used a computer before finding work – a clear indication that given the training and tools, graduates can find work for themselves!
Business Partners
Zanokhanyo is constantly seeking to connect with businesses that require reliable employees. We wish to establish long-term partnerships to create employment situations that are mutually satisfying for both employer and the employee.
Course Rating (out of 5)
Enjoyment
4.8
Usefulness
4.7
Recommendation
4.9
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Random Thoughts:
- If you want to be impressed, call me on Skype. I'll speak to you in isiXhosa, clicks and everything, and you will be blown away. I'm amazed at my own competency.
- If you enjoy eating, never move to South Africa. If you enjoy hot drinks, it's not a terrible option.
- Everyone here gets sick. All the time. With "the flu", which seems to be a mild cold. I would like to see them battle a real winter. :)
- This morning I watched about 100 people sprint down a railroad track between two trains. It was interesting, in a "wow that is degrading" kind of way. I hope I never have to take the train.
- I have never felt more free and joyful in my entire life.
Today was the first day of the third week of the second course that we have run since I arrived in South Africa. Feel free to re-read that sentence.
The first course, I barely met the students. I was busy helping out with a short term mission team, spending the days playing with kids in townships and doing lots and lots of gardening. And getting girls to stop crying. So many tears! This course, I have been quite involved - sitting in on most daily devotions and some training, getting to know the students individually, and even spontaneously taking over a day of training when the normal instructor was taking a mental health day.
I am learning how terrible of an employee I really was. I mean, I knew I had my issues, but just about every time I start teaching, I have a strong compulsion to e-mail my old boss, and apologize profusely. I am just a way better person when I am living here. Ha. Seriously, though.
Today was an interesting day, though. In some strange sequence of events, only three people showed up. That would be me, the clueless American, and then Pamella and Phindiswa - the receptionist and the Resource Centre chaperone. I don't know their real titles. They are awesome ladies.
We did, however, have all of the students (past and present) coming! So I got to take over. It was a fun day. We were learning about computers and I realized this is a great way for you to just get to learn about this organization. I have copied the exact text that the students got to type up today. It was written by a non-native English speaker, so forgive the obvious flaws. I plan to edit it for all future classes RIGHT NOW.
But it was awesome. Only two of the students had ever touched a computer before, so they were all nervous but most of them made it through the whole thing over the course of the day! (Some of it will get lost in copy/paste, but it included inserting pictures and tables!) Enjoy!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dear Friend of Zanokhanyo
We’d like to introduce you to Zanokhanyo and the hope that it is bringing to those who need employment. Zanokhanyo is no ordinary organization, in while it aims to help train and facilitate work for the unemployed, it also aims to bring social change by transforming mindsets, and ultimately glorify God.
Where does Zanokhanyo come from?
Phambili ngeThemba (“Going Forward with Hope”), the non-profit organization under which Zanokhanyo operates, was born out of a relief effort from Pinelands Methodist Church in response to the devastation of the Joe Slovo fires in the Langa region in 2000. Subsequently, a sewing course was started to help women develop a marketable skill, however, in 2007 this was discontinued due to the trainer leaving.
It was during this time that the research upon which Zanokhanyo was built took place. While conducting extensive research in the informal settlement of Langa and the business community, the following results emerged:
Businesses struggle with high staff turnover and access to reliable employees. They are searching for employees with the following traits: integrity and honest, punctuality and attendance, teamwork and friendliness, and willingness to learn and dedication.
The community of Langa has several needs, and among their top is work. Between 30% and 44% of people are unemployed, with the average household income less than R66 105 (can be up to 8 people). However, there are many other social issues with between 18% and 34% of deaths being AIDS-related.
Zanokhanyo (“Bringing Light”) aims to do just that – bring light to informal settlements and the business community simultaneously. And so the Zanokhanyo Job Readiness Course was born…
Zanokhanyo Job Readiness Course
This course is the entry point to our involvement in people’s lives. It aims to train graduates socially, spiritually, and emotionally, with a specific focus on work-related situations. We desire to see them become personally fulfilled and economically viable through an employment situation that is mutually satisfying for the employer as well as the employee.
The two-week course has been developed to meet both the community and employer needs. Graduates are required to attend every day of the training and have found the course to be enlightening and beneficial. The training outline is as follows:
Day 1: Introduction, Who am I?
Day 2: Emotional Healing
Day 3: Character, Communication and Conflict Management
Day 4: Problem-solving, Customer Service, Punctuality
Day 5: Human Rights, Hygiene, Drugs and HIV / AIDS
Day 6: Personal Finance
Day 7: Interviews, the Workplace and Rights in the Workplace
Day 8: Job Hunting and CV’s
Day 9: Interviews and Answering Adverts
Day 10: Goals and Graduation
Zanokhanyo Resource Centre
Once a graduate has completed the course, they gain access to the Resource Centre. This provides graduates with the necessary tools to search and apply for work including telephone, fax, computers with Internet access, newspapers and employment notices.
To enable graduates to use the centre, we offer free introductory computer training. While this is not a comprehensive course, it helps to ‘break the ice’, encourage learning, and enables graduates to apply for positions.
The training covers introductions to:
· Hardware and software
· Microsoft Word and typing
· The Internet and job-seeking
· Email and applying for jobs
The Resource Centre has already seen hundreds of CVs sent or printed from it, with many graduates who had never used a computer before finding work – a clear indication that given the training and tools, graduates can find work for themselves!
Business Partners
Zanokhanyo is constantly seeking to connect with businesses that require reliable employees. We wish to establish long-term partnerships to create employment situations that are mutually satisfying for both employer and the employee.
Course Rating (out of 5)
Enjoyment
4.8
Usefulness
4.7
Recommendation
4.9
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Random Thoughts:
- If you want to be impressed, call me on Skype. I'll speak to you in isiXhosa, clicks and everything, and you will be blown away. I'm amazed at my own competency.
- If you enjoy eating, never move to South Africa. If you enjoy hot drinks, it's not a terrible option.
- Everyone here gets sick. All the time. With "the flu", which seems to be a mild cold. I would like to see them battle a real winter. :)
- This morning I watched about 100 people sprint down a railroad track between two trains. It was interesting, in a "wow that is degrading" kind of way. I hope I never have to take the train.
- I have never felt more free and joyful in my entire life.