British Council launches Youth Sports Leadership training

Manama : The British Council has partnered with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs and CrediMax to launch the Youth Sports Leadership training programme across the country, which aims to foster youth leadership engagement in sports across the Kingdom and empowering women in sports leadership.

Delivered in partnership with the Youth Sports Trust International, a UK independent charity, the initiative helps build knowledge of sports teaching and inspire the next generation of leaders in community sport. The programme will run over the next two weeks in Isa Town Boys Secondary School and Al Noor Secondary Girls School.

32 Physical Education teachers and sports coaches, from Ministry of Education and Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs, and 120 secondary level students will be trained as part of the programme. Two-sport festivals will be delivered by the trained students for primary students to measure the impact of the training.

Speaking on the occasion, Richard Rooze, British Council Bahrain Director, said “We’re very happy to be launching this project in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth & Sports Affairs, CrediMax, and Youth Sports Trust. Sport is a great way to build positive values for young people – teamwork, mutual respect, fair play – and these are values that help young people in the future when they work or continue their studies. Youth Sports Trust has great expertise in this area and has run the programme in more than 60 countries. Over the next few weeks, they will be supporting Bahraini teachers and young people so that they feel confident to lead others in their communities.”

Rooze continued to say “Leadership in sport is also important in helping young people to be more active. Many countries, including the UK, have identified the need to get young people more engaged in sports. Bahrain’s vision for 2030 says the same thing. This project helps to build inspiring leadership in the sports sector which can help achieve that goal. The project will be 50:50 male and female participants, so we will also be focussing on equality – trying to make sure that women and girls have the same opportunity to reach their true potential in the world of sport.”

The first week of training will focus on supporting local Physical Education teachers as well as sports coaches via hands-on training delivered by 4 Youth Sports Trust trainers. The second week will see the local teachers and coaches putting what they have learnt into action by cascading the training to 120 secondary schools student and mentoring them in planning and organising a safe, fun and inclusive sports festival by the end of the programme for over 400 primary school students in their own communities. Students will have the opportunity to be as creative as they want with the activities which can develop teamwork and fair play skills.

After the festivals, students can take these skills forward to become sports ambassadors and deliver sports activities throughout the year to encourage others to play sports in their daily lives.

The partnership between the British Council and its local partners comes as part of a ‘CULTURE & SPORTS’ programme launched by the British Council with the goal to support the next generation of sports leaders in the Kingdom to help citizens lead active and healthy lifestyles. Through training and workshops taking place across the country, the programme focuses on giving young people a chance to benefit from sport and culture and use the values they teach to contribute to a more inclusive society.