The Just Play team in Solomon Islands is continuing to roll out the 2021 curriculum across the nation with the Mwaradja community on the island of Ulawa in the Makira Province receiving their introduction last month.
Just Play instructors Vanessa Kausimae and Grace Rinaoa hosted participants of both the 6-12-year and 13-18-year Training Courses at Rarahoi Primary School, preparing them to deliver the new Health and WASH curriculum in their communities.
Attendees representing the villages of Mwaradja, Moli, Aleale, Lenga, Ripi and Ahia and the Pirupiru, Mwajo’a, Moli, Ripo and Rarhoi Primarys made up the 22 participants across the two courses.
Kausimae said the participants proved incredibly receptive to their respective two-day sessions.
“The engagement from the participants encouraged us that they weren’t bored. To have them asking questions told us that they were eager to learn and a very supportive, like-minded team created a relaxed environment conducive to learning,” Kausimae said.
“The interaction amongst participants brought diversity to their ideas and created room for them to be active learners.
“To see the participants sitting together afterwards to talk about what they learned also spoke to us as facilitators. Overall, we saw potential and with monitoring, these newly trained coaches will be on their way to being better individuals.”
As is standard with the Just Play training courses, the two days incorporated both theory and practical sessions, with each of the participants putting into action what they had learned.
In the 13-19-year course, which features the Sport to Life (S2L) approach, Kausimae believes sharing and displaying the three main components on day one, assisted the learning.
She said participants were able to get acquainted with the approach before going further in-depth as the course progressed.
Additionally, emphasis was placed on the Just Play Child Protection Policy and ensuring all participants had a thorough understanding of its contents.
“Delivering the Child Protection Policy on day one was the best idea as it can, and might, wake participants up in regards to how they’re handling and playing with children should indicate that they are trustworthy individuals,” Kausimae explained.
“They get a head up that they are more than just coaches, and are challenged to be better. And we allow them the opportunity to decide for themselves to come back on day two. If they can be honest with themselves, that they want to become established as advocates for change, they know themselves best and can make that decision to return or not.”
All 22 of the participants returned the signed Child Protection Policy, with just one participant absent from day two due to a bereavement.
The participants will now deliver the 16-week Just Play 6-12-year and 13-18-year Programme in their respective community or school, with support from the Honiara-based team and local coordinator Huston Ray.