WHAT DOES THE PROJECT DO?
South Africa has a great sporting reputation but few top players come from poorer backgrounds and many young people lack the opportunity to play sport in a well structured environment. The project aims to bridge this gap and offer young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to benefit from structured sports training. In addition, working closely with sports academies, the project strives to identify South Africa's next generation of top sportsmen and women.
Although the focus is on sport, the project's aims are far larger. The goal is to inspire young people and teach life skills, developing a responsible youth, as well as bridging social divides and enhancing awareness of a wide range of social and health issues. Essentially sport is used as a vehicle holistically to improve the lives of young people from township communities.
As a sports coaching volunteer, you can help provide opportunities for enthusiastic young players to practise sports in an organised and fun environment as well as teach them personal skills which will equip them for the rest of their lives!
WHAT WILL I BE DOING?
Under the leadership of local staff you will usually work five days a week coaching children of various ages, normally between nine and 16, on both in school and after school placements at various schools in the townships around Port Elizabeth.
You will normally work with children who are from disadvantaged backgrounds and you will become so much more than just a coach to them. As their mentor and friend, you will lead them on a sports training programme as well as teaching them aspects of a life skills curriculum which is designed to be both enjoyable and educational.
The majority of your placement will involve running training clinics and matches for the children as well as providing them with decent sporting equipment. You may also get the opportunity to organise tournaments, holiday camps and various educational activities depending on when you travel and local school holidays. Over the course of your project, you will see the children develop and improve under your guidance, making this an exceptionally rewarding project!
Whilst you are on the project we also provide a range of exciting activities for our volunteers on weekends including a free game drive at a local game reserve and a free trip to the famous Jeffrey's Bay where you can go dune boarding for an extra fee, as well as taking all of our volunteers to watch the high octane bungy jumping which again you have the opportunity to get involved in for an extra fee.