Importance of safeguarding children in sports underlined at recent workshop
Education and sports officers from all 14 regions recently attended GIZ’s Sports 4 Development in Africa regional project workshop at Heja Lodge under the theme ; ‘GIZ SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA (S4DA) Safeguarding Training for Facilitators’.
The workshop focused on the important and under-represented sensitive subject of “Safeguarding in Sport and child protection”, a topic that is often only broached from a ‘sexual violence’ aspect, but encompasses so much more and greater awareness across the board.
The workshop was the kick-off to further trainings that will be given across the 14 regions together with UNICEF to educate the relevant stakeholders of the necessity of ‘safeguarding children in sports.’
Annelize Von Francois from the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, one of the participants at the workshop said, “This was a very productive workshop. It inspired me and will change the way I coach sports in all aspects. I would love more of these innovative safeguarding workshops to make everyone aware of the importance of safeguarding in sports.”
“The workshop gives teachers and coaches the necessary training, manuals and become champions of physical exercise to motivate and develop their pupils. Whilst emphasizing the need to safeguard children involved in physical activity. The all-round development of the learners will give them qualities they need to succeed as adults. Together we can make the kids embrace physical education and school sports in a safe environment and make them; learn, go and grow,” she said.
According to the organisers, all children participating in sport need to have a positive experience and the workshop kicked-off the training for facilitators and trainers, so they understand how they must guide and nurture children within a physically active environment.
“This is becoming increasingly important as the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture together with the Ministry of Sports Youth and National Service are working together with GIZ to promote physical education and sports through their Integrated Physical Education and School Sports (IPESS) project,” they added.
Meanwhile, the workshop aimed to: Help create a safe sporting environment for children wherever they participate and at whatever level; provide a benchmark to assist sports providers and funders to make informed decisions; promote good practice and challenge practice that is harmful to children and also provide clarity on safeguarding children to all involved in sport.
Currently, the IPESS programme is being rolled out throughout Namibia, to more than 2000 schools in all 14 regions. Starting at primary level all the way through to secondary school.
