Coaches across Continents Hat-Trick Initiatives 
- Award Entered:
Best New Project - Parent Organisation:
- Project Host Nation:
Tanzania - Overview of Project:
Coaches across Continents was launched in June 2008. Based on first –hand research in 65 countries in the past 7 years, Coaches across Continents developed a unique face-to face and on-line educational curriculum that uses soccer games to educate teachers/volunteers and children on health, leadership, life and social skills. Its projects are called ‘Hat-Trick Initiatives’ and take place over three years. In year 1, local teachers and volunteers are trained by international coaches within their own communities to use the Coaches across Continents curriculum. This training is further developed each year for three consecutive years. In year 2, one coach from a local community is funded to travel and work in the UK or USA to gain cultural, social and soccer education to take back with them and inform their subsequent work within their own community. In year 3, fields and equipment plus school supplies are provided, so that local programmes become self sustainable by the local community. On-going and year-round mentoring utilising Coaches across Continents unique on-line curriculum ensures that all communities involved have support both throughout the Hat-Trick Initiative and in the years to follow, thus facilitating sustainability.
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: 04 Mar 2009 - 17:43 GMT
Thanks for your question. We have great relationships with coaching companies in the US and UK, so in year 2 we place the coach within one of these existing organizations. The coach works for 8-16 weeks to learn how to educate children using soccer. The international training is not to designed to create a 'professional soccer coach', but to create an 'educator using soccer'. Upon their return to their community, the coach is then responsible for training local coaches. We are looking at ways to add a certificate as part of this international experience and also add a certificate to award to communities who have completed the Hat-Trick Initiative.
: 04 Mar 2009 - 16:38 GMT
Coaches Across Continents seems like a great project. Out of curiosity, what do the coaches do specifically in Year 2 when they go to the UK or US? what courses do they take and do you help them find employment?