C/R: Thousands to benefit from Youth Engagement Center project

The Ghana Library Authority (GLA) has projected to engage more than 2,000 persons in the youth engagement center project which aims to develop their digital, entrepreneurial and advocacy skills.

The year project which targets people between the ages of 14 and 24 is funded by UNICEF and seeks to encourage peer to peer learning and Provide mentorship and job-matching support to all who participate.

In an interview with the media, Mr. Hayford Siaw, the Executive Director of GLA said the youth engagement centers would help create a physical and digitally safe and inclusive environment where young people including disadvantaged groups can equally benefit.

“This program is Nationwide and that means we would reach a good number of youngsters who are determined to develop themselves and to a large extent become more meaningful to themselves and their society as a whole," he said.

Mr. Siaw noted that, for the past 71 years, the GLA has connected Ghanaians to relevant knowledge resources through static and digital library services adding that this new project is no exception as it was among the many projects undertaken.

“Though this partnership with UNICEF is for a year, we have another partnership with Common wealth of learning that allows us to extend it for three years, which by then, we would have really felt the impact on the Ghanaian youth,” he said.

Detailing the activities of the project, he said they would establish two youth corners with library spaces that allow young people to undertake job training, which includes teaching on how to develop good curriculum vitaes (CVs) and enroll others on online learning programs.

“These centers would be in the Cape Coast Metropolis and the Efutu district. We will also make good use of project coordinators who are trained on how to strategically support these young people in achieving their aims, they would also help supervise the centers and track the progress and impacts of the project” he noted.

The Executive Director said the project intends to reach 10,000 youngsters across the country adding that the GLA was strategically putting together learning resources that would help to address issues of unemployment in Ghana.

He further urged to all avail themselves to be transformed adding that “we want to better society and we can only do that if you allow us, we are ready and we hope you absorb as much knowledge from us as much as you can.”