Eleven Participants of last coaches training with Soccer Shots were present at the office for the first orientation meeting aimed at engaging them to support implementation of programs in our various operation sites. We had a 50 minutes agenda, the director of operation welcomed all the youths, thanking them for their passion and dedication to the organization. He encouraged them to keep working hard, and to keep their various expectations in the radar. He challenged them to put to use the skills they have acquired and to be of service to their communities and for personal and professional development. Director further encouraged the youths to maintain the dynamism and that such virtue should last for a long time as their impact has an exponential benefit with respect to participation and retention.
Feedback from the youths,
Difficulty in training youths especially with no curriculum as a guide
Lack of materials especially balls.
Late coming especially as we are in the raining season
Most of the pitches are overgrown.
The youths were educated on the Curriculum guide based on the CameroonFDP core values by the director of operations, and the first core value for the month of August will BE PREPARED (how do we prepare for sessions, why is it important to be prepared for sessions, how does it make you feel to come to sessions early each time as against coming late?). This was very exciting to the youths because they have always requested for a guide to train the youths and their peers. Youth coaches are ready to meet up with expectation, avoid the idea of Africa time, and assemble all materials and to be in a proper state of mind.
The next explanation was based on the football skills and games, reflection based on unique experiences, play and check out.
Most of the youths don’t have placement sites, and they were placed in various communities based on their residents. They have to be pace setters as leaders especially as they don’t only work with young people but also with their peers.
Staff administrator in charge of youth participation, Ashu Takang briefed the youths on the importance of attendance, and the use of the exercise books as data collection tool. The books have been distributed so youths should acquaint themselves with it needs also; discussion was made on the point system (3points for each session)
In conclusion the director laid emphasis on their engagement as community leaders and youth coaches; in addition a decision was made on future meetings; frequency and time. Unanimously, the youth agreed that meetings be held twice a month, on Fridays at 10 a.m.
Every staff was so happy with the attendance and committement by the youths they were all encouraged to participate and be focused because they are brand ambassadors to their community