Community Development Project: Enhancing Indigenous Youth Literacy

This community development project addresses literacy challenges among indigenous youth. The project involved conducting surveys to assess literacy levels, engaging with the Mutitjulu community, and designing a program to alleviate illiteracy. Key activities included creating awareness about the importance of education, sourcing and distributing learning materials, implementing a biannual assessment plan to track learner transition rates, and informing students about scholarship opportunities. The project faced barriers such as language barriers and a lack of goodwill from some interviewees. The capacity building model was applied through textbook donations and scholarship information dissemination. Expected outcomes include increased school enrollment, improved transition rates, and greater scholarship uptake, with the ultimate goal of fostering greater educational support and success within the community. Desklib provides access to this project and other solved assignments for students.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
PROJECT

PROCESS OF PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
 Firstly, the group designed a survey
questionnaire so as to get first hand
information on the literacy levels of the
indigenous youths. Using personal
contributions, the group then printed the
questionnaires to be given to the
interviewees to fill. Any financial needs were
met through the individual contributions of
the group members

 Secondly, the group got acquainted with the
cultural setup of the indigenous community
(Mutitjulu community) prior to the visitation
in order to avoid committing any cultural
offenses which could create hostility from the
local community.

 The group learnt that for the survey to be a
success, permission had to be sought from
Anangu, who do not allow the community to
be visited by visitors without prior
permission. The group representative made
the appropriate introduction and explained
the purpose and nature of the group project.

 Thirdly, the group was able to conduct the
survey by distributing the questionnaires to a
cross section of the indigenous youths and
compile all the data to establish a
background in their education and literacy
level patterns. A program of alleviating
illiteracy was formulated from the collected
data.

 The program would entail creation of
awareness of the importance of education to
the youths and their guardians.
 The group planned to source for donations of
school textbooks and learning materials and
distribute them to the local learning
institutions and the youths in schools.

 The group came up with a biannual
assessment plan for learning institutions to
conduct on the students to assess the
transition rate of learners through various
levels. This would assist the relevant bodies
seek ways of minimizing dropout rates.
 The group also agreed to inform the students
of both local and international scholarships
opportunities via emails.

BARRIERS IN GATHERING OF
INFORMATION
 Ignorance by some illiterate youths who
could not answer the questions appropriately
 language barrier from some members of the
community who are not able to speak in
English and only spoke in the native
languages of Pitjantjatjara, Luritja and
Yankunytjatjata. This forced the use of a
translator where necessary.
 lack of goodwill from the interviewees to
give out all the necessary information
required

APPLICATION OF THE CAPACITY
BUILDING MODEL
 The plan to donate textbooks and learning
materials was made successful by asking for
donations from fellow students and well
wishers from around the schools. They were
delivered to school libraries and the
students.
 A list of scholarships from websites was sent
via emails to interested students.
 Data from the transition rate assessment
plan was useful for identifying transition
patterns

EXPECTED OUTCOMES
 From the conducted program, the
expectations are that more indigenous
youths will be enrolled in schools and the
dropouts will resume their studies.
 The transition rate of the enrolling students
will be a hundred percent.
 Also more students will benefit from both
local and international scholarships and
guardians will be more supportive towards
the education of their children