Communication workshop empowers youth
ALEXANDRA - Many youths are impeded from developing up to their potential because of lack of appropriate communication skills.
Many youth can’t develop their potential because they lack appropriate communication skills.
This was revealed by participants at a workshop at San Kopano Community Centre, convened by a youth development organisation, the Creative Minds Movement.
The movement’s Levy Ledwaba said a recent survey conducted among youths indicated that many are not coping well with challenges in their lives and were missing out on opportunities because they lacked communication skills, information and guidance.
Ledwaba said the workshop was the beginning of a series of seminars aimed at improving their intra and interpersonal communication, their capacity to network in search of school and employment opportunities, and to assist to link them with mentors who would help them solve their personal challenges.
He added that follow-up workshops would be on leadership development and entrepreneurial skills through a mentorship process involving reputable leaders in business, government, civil society and churches. “We will also target secondary school students to influence their interest when they’re still young, towards entrepreneurship rather than only thinking of looking for employment when they leave school,” he said.
The workshop facilitator and director of the Ron Hubbard Heritage Site, Puneet Dhamija informed the participants that they would only get ahead in life by first developing and continuously improving their communication skills. He attributed the lack of these skills to the country’s past which made many people fearful of authority, as well as a lack of confidence in themselves because of the disempowering nature of the apartheid education system.
Dhamija urged the youth to develop their knowledge base and also to take responsibility for their lives. “You should approach life with enthusiasm and cheerfulness and be composed at all times by controlling your emotions, so that you can act and make rational decisions when faced with opportunities which will improve your lives,” he concluded.
Details: Levy Ledwaba; 078 598 6026.
