Sports Coaching for Kids

The program

By introducing at-risk children to sport and physical activity, this program has a positive impact on their lives. This wonderful program plays an essential role in supporting some of Cape Town’s most impoverished children. It involves coaching young people at a primary school level. Volunteers can assist in coaching sports and teaching children various skills such as fitness training. In some instances, sports coaching involves teaching children about healthy lifestyle awareness and team building. As physical education has only recently been introduced in the schooling system most schools have very limited equipment and resources. Volunteers do not need prior experience in teaching, however they will need patience, enthusiasm and a ‘can do’ attitude! Teaching children sports and the enjoyment and benefits of physical activity can make a huge difference to the lives of at-risk children. Boosting their confidence and self-worth and keeping vulnerable children off the streets are just some of the many positive impacts this program has on its participants.

Goals of this Project:

• Improve the future prospects of some of Cape Town’s most vulnerable children
• Alleviate health and social issues for the children of Cape Town by engaging them in sports and physical activity
• Provide education on healthy lifestyles, increase participant confidence and teach team work and other skills that will benefit at risk children into the future
• Create inter-cultural understanding which benefits both residents and international volunteers alike

How you can help

Engaging at risk children in sport and physical activity can have hugely positive benefits on their lives. By participating in this program volunteers are supporting and empowering children, keeping them off the streets and from participating in anti-social behavior, while inspiring them to become active and lead a healthy life. By teaching children sporting skills, it gives students a free or low cost social option to participate in sports alongside their friends, to meet new people with similar interests and to engage in positive social activity outside of school hours. Students will also benefit from a greater cultural understanding from working alongside international volunteers. Volunteers need to be flexible and use their initiative and imagination on this program. As with many things in developing countries some projects are very well structured and well managed while others lack infrastructure and resources. Volunteers will have 1-3 periods of sports education per day, and outside of this will assist teaching in the classroom. This can of course vary depending on the activities planned for the day, and the volunteer’s creativity and initiative to conduct their own physical education lessons with the children.

Volunteers on this program will participate in a variety of tasks and can expect to;

• Interact with the children on the program
• Assist with facilitating the lessons and sports/activities
• Get involved – play and participate alongside the children
• Help with setting up and packing down the equipment as required

A volunteer’s work day on this project will generally last between 4 and 6 hours and while we ask all volunteers to be flexible in this regard, a typical daily schedule is likely to go something like this:

7:00am Breakfast at the volunteer house

7:30am Walk or bus to your project site

8:45am Pre-start meeting with project supervisor

9:00am VOLUNTEERING DUTIES START

A tea break and lunch break will be fitted in during the day, but often the timing of breaks will change based on the needs of the local staff and number of volunteers on hand.

3:00pm VOLUNTEERING DUTIES END

3:15pm Debrief with project supervisor

3:30pm Walk or bus back to the accommodation

Evenings Volunteers are free to explore the local area, check out the multitude of local restaurants, bars and cafes, or relax with the other volunteers!