The OFC Just Play Programme should expect an influx of numbers in Papua New Guinea during 2017 following the successful completion of the Just Play Train the Trainers Workshop last week.
The objective of the four day courss is to equip participants with the basic skillset to conduct training sessions for teachers and volunteers to deliver the programme in their communities.
OFC Just Play technical coordinator Emmie Sope conducted the workshop, spending the first two days teaching the trainers how to promote the programme to stakeholders, and to measure its impact using the provided evaluation tools.
“It is important to measure the social impact of Just Play and assisting our trainers to monitor the programme is key to that,” Sope explained.
The trainers will work closely with Papua New Guinea Football Association Just Play Project Manager Micah Kaneng, with support from PNGFA women’s football development officer Margaret Aka to develop an action plan with the intention of raising Just Play’s profile in the nation.
Sope said the positive reaction to the programme and the content of the workshop bodes well for the future of Just Play.
“Our approach over the four days of the workshop was to inspire participants to understand their role as trainers, focusing on the wellbeing of children from a holistic point-of-view, and how we can impart our knowledge and equip teachers and volunteers to deliver Just Play’s key social messages to children,” Sope said.
“Another objective is to integrate ways of knowing what to deliver, when to deliver it, understand why we’re delivering a particular session.
“We also want to teach them how to utilise the tools and skills given during the training to conduct Just Play courses using the teachers and volunteers manual and guide as our roadmap.
“The onus is now on the trainers to fulfil the mission of the programme in Papua New Guinea in order to help this nation’s young people make changes today, for a better tomorrow.”
Throughout the workshop, interaction among participants and the exchanging of ideas on how to approach the issues specific to their communities was encouraged.
Sope also led them through the preparation of a Just Play session and the incorporation of key messages in the activities, and the delivery of the sessions.
“It’s all about inspiring teachers and volunteers to deliver life skill messages to children through the Just Play Programme so that they can make better choices in the future.”
The participants will now be expected to begin training teachers and volunteers to implement and deliver the Just Play Programme in their communities.
The OFC Just Play Programme is designed and monitored by the OFC Social Responsibility Department in partnership with the Australian and the New Zealand Governments, Football Federation Australia, the UEFA Foundation for Children and UNICEF.