Reaching Out

I have worked several roles in the Dunedin Public Libraries, in both adult and youth related areas. Amongst the most rewarding, have been those roles that have involved working with children, youth and the related library collections and programmes.

The library offers an excellent range of collections, programmes and resources developed specifically for our young people to enjoy and to support them in their development of literacy, information literacy, resiliency, and life-long learning.

For those families, children and teens that currently don’t come to the library, how do we let them know what resources we have just for them? As Youth Outreach Coordinator, I now have the opportunity to take library resources out into the community.

The role’s title reflects the library’s ‘Youth Card’ which covers ages 0 – 17 years and the more than 150 organisations that support them. These include early childhood educators, primary, intermediate, colleges and secondary schools and other organisations supporting babies, children and teens. 

As well as promoting the library’s resources, outreach allows for collaboration between the library and other organisations, to potentially develop new programmes that will enrich the lives of the children and youth of Dunedin and help them to develop awareness of library resources of relevance to them.

If you would like to talk to Su about Youth Outreach for your young person's community group, school or organization, email su.ikin@dcc.govt.nz

Su Ikin  |  Youth Outreach Coordinator