ABOUT US
The Digital Learning Hub (DLH) aims to bring access to learning into the retail space and is therefore located in a shopping mall in Daveyton, Gauteng. Once this concept store has been in operation for 6 months Edunova will redesign and begin a broader rollout of the Digital Learning Hub.
The facility will link with schools in the local area so that learners can access both online and offline educational resources. The Hub will be staffed by a combination of experienced permanent staff, as well as out-of-school youth (IT Enablers or ITEs), engaged on a digital skills programme, designed and facilitated by Edunova.
Edunova has conceptualised and developed the Digital Learning Hub (see www.edunova.org for background information) and is leading the rollout of this high impact model with a longer term view of enabling the Hub to be owned and managed by young entrepreneurs.
BACKGROUND
Many schools and out of school youth in lower income areas do not readily have access to the internet and are not exposed to current, relevant or emerging technologies. The Digital Learning Hub will act as both a retail IT services store, as well as a training environment for young adults.
The training store will allow the ITEs to experience first-hand the daily operations required when managing a business. By carrying out this hands-on work experience, the IT Enablers will be able to make the transition to owning and managing their own stores with significantly reduced risk of failure
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School learners, especially those in the FET phase, will be able to make use of the Digital Learning Hub to access high quality, online educational resources. Due to the retail operating hours of shopping malls, the youth will have access for more days and longer hours than they have in school.
Key stakeholders for the Digital Learning Hub will be schools including learners, teachers and school leaders. There will also be programmes in place to reach other key community groups such as parents of the learners and unemployed youth and adults.
In addition to that, the shopping mall tenants, local small businesses and civil society groups engaged during the setup and operational phases of the DLH will be able to access the programmes on offer.