Johannesburg, 20 Aug 2012
Softline VIP continues to invest in the lives of underprivileged learners through its Life and Business Skills Programme. The programme was launched in 2011 aimed at equipping Grade 10 to 12 learners from disadvantaged backgrounds with essential life and business skills, which will aid them in their task of finding work once they matriculate.
This year, the programme impacted 29 learners from Louis Botha Children's Home and a High School in Mamelodi, more than double last year's number, including 14 Grade 10 learners and 15 Grade 11 learners who attended the programme last year. "It was wonderful to see all their faces again a year later and they were clearly excited to be back this year," says internal trainer and industrial psychologist at Softline VIP, Ingrid Theunissen. These 15 Grade 11 learners will complete the programme in Grade 12.
The programme is run during the June/July school holidays and is divided into three distinct sections designed to span from Grade 10 to 12. The curriculum progressively increases the learners' overview and background of basic life and business skills, providing them with much-needed insight into the world of business.
The Grade 10 course focuses on developing the learners' life skills and enhancing their self-development. The course includes skills development in MS Word and Excel, telephone skills, as well as gaining insight into their personality styles. The Grade 11 course focuses on improving their organisational skills and includes an introduction to the payroll environment, gaining insight into different careers, learning to do a presentation, time management skills and mastering their memory, as well as Excel.
In 2013, the final stage of the programme will be rolled out with the inclusion of a Grade 12 class. The curriculum for Grade 12 learners will see the group undergoing VIP payroll system training, which is further enhanced by English business writing. "We walk them through the 'how' of compiling an effective CV and conducting a job interview. It also presents the learners with advanced Excel and MS Word skills," says Theunissen.
The team working on the VIP Cares Life and Business Skills Programme comprises Ingrid Theunissen, Christie Leisegang, Madelein Botha, Christine Schoeman, Tania Shedden, Chantal Butner and Anette Viljoen, with the assistance of Tumi Matima and Bronwyn van Wyk. "As of 2013, all three grades will be trained simultaneously and it is our belief that this programme will continue to uplift and develop underprivileged learners in our community and give them a brighter future," concludes Theunissen.
For more information, e-mail ingridt@vippayroll.co.za.
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