Location and general information
Access to Sport - 
Employability - 
Gender Equality - 
Personal developmentContext
In some areas of Tshwane (Pretoria) and Johannesburg, children live in poor socio-economic conditions with inadequate educational opportunities due to a lack of teachers, resources and classroom space. With no access to online learning, these children missed out on nearly two years of schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Physical education is practically absent from the school system. Sports facilities are non-existent or run-down and there are few physical education teachers and coaches.
Girls find it difficult to stand up for their rights and myths about health and reproduction hold them back from reaching their full potential.
The unemployment rate is very high. Many young people lack the self-confidence and skills to find employment, and positive role models are scarce.
Project content
The goal of the project is to utilise sport to empower children to make positive changes in their lives. The project involves training young people to run sports and life skills sessions for children. At these sessions, the children will play football, cricket, touch rugby, netball and hockey and learn about positivity, resilience, hygiene, puberty and menstruation, avoiding pregnancy, healthy relationships, bullying and peer pressure, gender-based violence and financial management.
Objectives
- Empower unemployed young people by educating them in personal development and leadership, basic employability skills, and fitness and sports
- Promote physical and mental activity by introducing children to various sports and brain fitness activities
- Increase positive behaviour and reduce violence, abuse, crime and drug use
- Instil positive values and good citizenship through Olympism and Olympic education
- Motivate people with disabilities to be active
- Support educational skills such as reading and writing
- Empower girls by educating them about hygiene and reproductive health, leadership and basic financial managementPromote entrepreneurship through vegetable gardens that will teach children responsibility, financial management and leadership
Project activities
Youth sport leaders (YSLs) will attend monthly sessions to learn how to facilitate and lead sports and life skills training sessions and develop their coaching, leadership, personal development and financial management skills. Each YSL will identify suitable schools and other venues in their local area to hold sports sessions for children. They will work four days per week teaching a different group of 25–30 children each day. Each session will last two hours and consist of a warm-up, sport skills training, life skills training (through games, role play and discussion) and a cool-down.
Additional events for the children will include holiday sessions and tournaments, Olympic Day and Peace Day events, reading corners and chess sessions. Vegetable gardens where the children will plant, tend to and sell vegetables will teach them how to budget, plan, be responsible and manage their time as well as boost their self-worth.
Expected results
- Male and female youth sport leaders aged 18–35 will have a broader skill set that will improve their employability.
- Male and female participants aged 11–17 will have a broader sports skill set and a better understanding of what constitutes a healthy lifestyle.
- Female participants aged 12–17 will have a better understanding of their rights, reproductive health issues and gender-based violence, and will be able to locate and access community resources when needed.
- Male and female participants aged 11–17 will demonstrate leadership qualities, increased self-confidence and positivity at school, home and when playing sports and a financially savvy attitude to money.
Partner
