Today, 11 October is International Day of the Girl Child. Last year, JobSearch organised and sponsored a mentoring breakfast in partnership with GoWoman. It was the event that launched their “I Believe in Me” campaign. Sadly, this year, we are unable to commemorate the day with an event. However, we intend to continue to support programmes that give girls access to education and empower them.
With a personal development focus in mind, we thought today would be a good day to give you tips on things you could be doing during this period, while the schools are shut down:
Read
It has been said that a child who reads will be an adult who thinks. Being away from school does not mean you should stop preparing yourself for adulthood. Go to the library, exchange books with family and friends, search the web. There is a plethora of material out there that should interest you – text books for the next school year, articles on various subject matters, inspiring stories about people, fun stories, self-help books, history – whatever it is you decide to read, do it, it will open your mind and help while away the time.
Listen to Radio Teaching programmes on the radio
The Ministry of Education Science and Technology, together with UNICEF and other partners, has started Radio Teaching lessons for primary and secondary school pupils. Classes are broadcasted 4 hours a day, six hours a week. You can use this innovative method to continue learning while you wait for schools to reopen.
Prepare for the future
Spend some time thinking about the type of future you would love to have and plan how you will achieve it. Do as much research as you can from books, the internet and people you respect and feel can guide you. Set out your goals and prepare a plan for achieving each of those goals. Acknowledge the challenges you will face and think of ideas to overcome them.
Intern
Apply to organisations or speak to family members and friends to assist you secure an internship. It could be formal or informal. Either way, you will keep yourself busy and you will learn. Enrolling on an internship programme could be challenging, but if you don’t try you will not succeed, so do not be afraid to put yourself out there.
Volunteer
If you wish to make yourself useful and help fellow citizens during this crisis, you could volunteer with one of the social organisations providing aid to survivors, health workers and other affected persons. You could get together with your friends and collect donations of clothes and food to give to people in need, assist Power Women 232 with their food drive for health workers or find another cause to be a part of. Go out there and find out what you can do to help.
For more information, or for specific advice please contact Edleen B. Elba, Managing Partner, JobSearch by e-mailing Edleen.elba@jobsearchsl.com
