The school will provide youths from the villages of Papetoai and Afareaitu with an opportunity to play futsal on a regular basis.
Two training days were held to give the participants the basic theory and practical knowledge required before taking charge of a team of young children.
Participants also learn the importance of the first ten years of a child’s development.
Through the programme the volunteers will run in the futsal school, children will be provided with the opportunity to develop their intellect and motivation as well as learn other values like respect, punctuality and sharing – all the values required to play with other children their age.
Just Play is also actively working towards reducing childhood obesity, which effects 34 per cent of Polynesian children aged eight to 15 years old, by encouraging regular physical activity.
Developed by the OFC social responsibility and technical departments, Just Play is designed for children aged six to 12 and promotes physical activity while encouraging community involvement, healthy living, gender equality and disability development.
OFC has worked closely with UEFA, the Australian Government – through its agencies the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) – and Football Federation Australia to implement the programme across the Pacific over a three-year period between 2009 and 2012. It was launched in Tonga and is now also running in American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti and Vanuatu.
The confederation has also been working in New Zealand with Special Olympics on a Just Play programme for people with mental disabilities and has launched the same initiative in Samoa and Fiji.
Just Play has reached over 106,000 children – 43 per cent of whom are female – across the Pacific and trained over 2,200 teachers and volunteers.
For more on Tahiti football go to www.ftf.pf

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