The Western Cape Scouting-in-Schools Mentors, Yeboneers, and students from the Academy were trained in the Impact Innovators- Design Thinking method #LifeLeaders. There, they identified low to no literacy levels for both learners and adults as a local challenge within their communities to address.
A 2-phase “Literacy Adventures Campaign” was designed. In the 1st phase, 245 young leader Yeboneers completed 8 tasks including: reading 6 books, discussing 3 books, demonstrating how to use a dictionary, understanding parts of speech, reading a story to Scouts and school learners, writing and reading a story , visiting a library where they had to get a library card, and learn how books are classified and how to find information.
For some of the youth this was the first time they got a library card while learning how to navigate and use the library, not only to find interesting books to read, but also how to teach their learners in using the library to help them with their schoolwork. Also working with a dictionary, reading and discussing books proved beneficial for their literacy abilities. Phase 2 is being rolled out with the SiS Scouts and learners within the schools served as part of the Scouting-in-Schools initiative.