Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) special projects manager Phillip Ohoto’ona, who is supervising the programme, says the necessary groundwork has been completed and the federation is moving ahead with the roll out.
A meeting was held last week with representatives from the schools that have been identified to participate in the programme and the discussions were positive.
“The outcome is very encouraging and I am expecting Just Play to be in full swing once the training workshops are completed and the equipment is given to the shools,” Ohoto’ona says.
Prior to the meeting with the schools, Ohoto’ona met with national and local educational authorities including the Director of Primary Education in the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development, Benedict Esibaea, and Honiara City Council Chief Education Officer Donation Houkura.
“I am very grateful for the support that the government and the Honiara education authority are giving,” Ohoto’ona says. “Not only are they very keen about Just Play but they are also willing to work with the schools to ensure that the roll out is successful.”
The pilot phase of Just Play – an OFC initiative designed to promote football and healthy living for children aged between six and 12 years – was launched in the Solomons earlier this year and some teachers have reported that the turn out in a number of schools has risen as pupils head along for a chance to take part.
The first part of the extension phase features development training whereby teachers from the participating schools will undergo a two-day training workshop.
The workshops will be run by OFC Just Play coordinator Colin Tuaa, who arrived in the country yesterday. After the workshops, the teachers will run the programmes in their schools for a six-week period with close monitoring from SIFF.
Just Play was developed by the OFC social and technical departments and is led by OFC Head of Social Responsibility Franck Castillo, Technical Coordinator Tuaa and Just Play consultant Vania Kenning.
As well as the Solomons, Just Play has already been introduced in Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, Tahiti and South Auckland in New Zealand. Next on the agenda are Fiji and the Cook Islands while OFC is also currently working in New Zealand with Special Olympics (NZ) on a Just Play programme for people with mental disabilities.
OFC is working closely with the Government of Australia – through its agencies the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) – and Football Federation Australia (FFA) to roll out the programme across the Pacific. The Australian Government has shown its support to the project by contributing AU$4million.
In South Auckland, Just Play is supported by OFC’s partnership with the Sir John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams Foundation, Counties Manukau Sport and Auckland Football Federation.
For more on Solomon Islands football visit www.siff.com.sb