Youth Forum Workshop: Rugby

Launch of the African SSCN Youth Forum

In its role as the Southern African Convener of the Sport for Social Change Network (SSCN), Altus Sport hosted 33 exceptional youth leaders from 10 African countries to establish the African SSCN Youth Forum on June 14-17.

The Youth Forum consists of youth representatives from the member organizations of the SSCN from across the African continent. While the SSCN itself strives to link organizations that use sport to make social change happen, the Youth Forum is about empowering the next generation. The Forum will encourage local youth-led initiatives that use sport to promote social change, while also providing an umbrella body to link those initiatives. As a component of the SSCN, it provides a platform for discussion, exchange, decision making and advocacy to youth from at least 10 African countries.

Over the last few days, the founding members met in Johannesburg to establish the Youth Forum, to exchange their experiences in sport for social change, to make their voices heard in discussions with policy-makers, and to decide on the way forward. After the hard work, we had the privilege of going to see Brazil play in the World Cup, thanks to Grassroot Soccer and the Sony Ticket Fund. Nike also welcomed us at the amazing Football Training Centre in Soweto. We can safely say these days were an astonishing experience – and this was only the start!

A sincere thank you to all those who contributed to its success, especially our partners YDF and Nike!

Polokwane Youth Sport Forum Launched

We are proud to announce that a Youth Sport Forum has been established in Polokwane, following a workshop we held there on the 31st of July. With the support of Tshika Pitjeng, the Limpopo Department of Sport and YDF-GTZ were able to present our streetsoccer and Life’s a Ball programmes. The eight local youths pictured below now want to establish streetsoccer leagues using the Life Skill Score Card before the end of the year. In 2010 their ambition is to launch Life’s a Ball at several local schools, in particular to address crime, sex education and drug abuse combined with sport skills.

Please don’t hesitate to contact Altus if you know of potential members or sponsors for this brilliant new initiative!

DED-head visits German volunteers

Since Altus Sport Vuma has employed the four „Weltwaerts“-volunteers Anja, Marieke, Anatol and Isabel since last year October, the DED (German Development Service) head Dr. Wilhelm made a short trip to South Africa to get an impression and insight of projects the volunteers are doing.
On his “Weltwaerts”- trip he and the regional director Max Teuber and “Weltwaerts” coordinator Tork Liebezeit also paid a visit to the Mahlasedi Masana Primary School in Mamelodi to get an impression of the work the 4 German Altus-volunteers are doing. Marieke and Isabel planned an event with approximately 80 girls and boys from the school. With the help of the Youth Forum members Molemo, Andrew, Unathi, Richard, Ronny, Bongani and Joseph the event turned out very well and Dr. Wilhelm got a good but small insight of the work the 4 volunteers are doing.

German Minister Visits Us in Mamelodi !

Exactly one week after this highly appreciated visit from Sri Lanka, Altus Sport had to plan the next big event. This time we had the pleasure to welcome the German minister for economical corporation and development, Mrs. Wieczorek-Zeul. On her trip to South Africa she also paid a visit to the Mahlasedi Masana Primary School in Mamelodi. For this visit  Altus Sport presented an event with more or less 90 boys and girls  which should clearly give a valuable insight of what  Life’s a Ball programme is all about.  Through this event Mrs. Wieczorek-Zeul was clearly shown that Altus Sport Vuma is using sport as a tool to equip the learners with knowledge about life problems and values and to let them think critically about them. At the soccer pitch the Youth Leaders demonstrated Streetsoccer and implemented the Life Skill Score card which relates to Fair Play and Respect.
Thanks to our Youth Leaders and Volunteers, the event turned out very well and Mrs. Wieczorek-Zeul, who received  an  Altus Sport teddy bear as a present, got a very good impression and insight of the aims and missions of the work Altus Sport Vuma is doing.

Since Mrs. Wieczorek-Zeul is the developer of the German volunteering project “Weltwaerts”, she was very keen to speak to the four Altus volunteers Anja, Marieke, Anatol and Isabel who are doing a volunteering year.