Volunteer On A Sports Programme In Africa On Your Gap Year

Many people decide to volunteer abroad in Africa each year and it is a popular choice for school leavers, those on career breaks and retirees alike. People can choose from a wide range of projects, but one of the most popular options is to work as a coach abroad. Coaching a sport can be a great option for anyone and here is a guide to what is involved.

Helping Communities through Sport

When people choose to volunteer in Africa on a gap year they normally do so because they want to help local communities or individuals in some way. Many communities across Africa do not have access to the facilities on offer in more developed parts of the world and volunteers can therefore provide a valuable service when they coach abroad.

Sports are very popular across Africa, but communities often lack the facilities and the skills to enable them to take advantage of the benefits that sport provides, especially when it comes to young people.

Coaching abroad is therefore a way for volunteers to have a real impact on the lives of people in poor communities across the continent. By engaging the local people and allowing them to share their skills and enthusiasm volunteers are helping to make a lasting impact.

What Does It Involve?

Anyone who decides to coach abroad will find himself or herself engaged in a very busy project. Coaching normally involves activities such as organising training groups of young people, supervising school groups, setting up matches and providing a range of other similar activities. Having a good time is central to the activities and volunteers are therefore normally very enthusiastic about their chosen sport and keen to take on the challenge.

Different Sports to Choose

Football is the most popular sport in Africa and many volunteers who coach abroad will choose this sport. There are, however, plenty of other sports to choose from, and hockey, netball, rugby and many more are very popular across the continent.

What Do Candidates Need to Coach?

Volunteers do not need particular qualifications or skills in sports coaching in order to work in Africa on a gap year programme. Some experience in the activity is useful, however, as is a lot of enthusiasm. Volunteers will get the most out of the coaching if they really enjoy the activity and working with young people and this enthusiasm will rub off on the children and help them to get even more out of the experience.

It could also be a great option for anyone who wants to work with children or as a sports coach in the future as it provides lots of experience and a good insight into what is involved.

Could Coaching Be Right for You?

Working as a coach abroad on your gap year is a fantastic way to improve the lives of young people in communities across Africa as well as enjoy yourself and learn new skills. Consider signing up to a programme if you want to do something really worthwhile on your gap year.