Use your skills
Whether you’re keen on football, running, netball, rugby, basketball, cricket, hockey, volleyball, athletics or perhaps just a simple game of tag, catch or duck duck goose – the opportunities for volunteer sports coaching abroad are endless!
Our gap year and volunteer projects offer you the chance to work as a sports coach in a school, helping with PE lessons, organising clubs, matches or sports days. The specific sports played, facilities and level of participation varies across the different countries in which we work. Schools are keen for volunteers to run clubs outside of lessons and it is a great way of building friendships and getting to know the children. You might introduce new games or develop their skills in sports they already know, the one thing we can say is that it will be a lot of fun!
Tell us what games you enjoy and we will help put your sporting talents to their best use. Whether you want to spend your gap year sports coaching or teaching PE alongside lessons in the classroom – it’s up to you!
What can I teach?
Depending on where you go, options include:
PE, football, rugby, hockey, cricket, netball, volleyball, basketball, athletics and rounders.
Get creative
Coaching sport will test your initiative and resourcefulness to the max. With limited equipment and facilities it may be up to you to create sports pitches, with lines drawn in sawdust or goals made from tree branches.
Most schools will love it if you are able to help with other teaching duties too.
Sport is a great way to get to know the children outside of the classroom and have fun! Running races, rounders and tag are all simple games and easy to play with large groups.
Countries where sports coaching can be done in addition to other volunteer activities include: Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, India, Nepal, and Thailand.
Unlimited potential
You will also be able to create opportunities for local, inter/intra-school competitions.
FAQs
Do I need qualifications?
If you have sporting qualifications we will do our best to ensure that you can use them to best effect, but formal qualifications are not necessary. If you are going to solely coach sports you should have a reasonable level of skill and an infectious enthusiasm for your sport. However anyone can get involved with PE lessons and after school clubs, the emphasis is on fun and providing activities for the children. African zest and love of sport is as bright as the African sun, so you will have no trouble firing up your players. In India the skill levels are fantastic considering the condition of the pitches.
What sports facilities are there?
Africa
In Africa, we operate in some of the poorest rural schools where resources are limited. It will be a bit of a challenge! Sport in African schools is played with massive enthusiasm – like everything that African children do – and not many facilities! It is therefore the games which require the least equipment that are most widely played e.g. football, volley ball and running. Rough pitches, acacia thorns and heavy use in every spare moment of daylight mean that footballs don’t last long! They overcome this very real problem by melting about 50 plastic supermarket bags over a fire, moulding them into a football as each bag is added … and then play with bare feet!
Asia
In India and Nepal the steeply sloping terrain of the communities in which we work means there is a lack of formal sports pitches but you’ll be amazed at how a narrow strip of ground can be turned into a cricket wicket or football pitch. The Indians are cricket mad so any opportunity to play will be greatly received.
Should I take sports equipment out with me?
Few schools have enough sports equipment and anything you can bring will be hugely popular. However, airlines will not carry it free and you will need most of your baggage allowance for your own stuff, so there are limits to what you will be able to bring.
Best to think it through, talk to us and clear any excess weight with the airline in advance. They often allow it for volunteers going out to work with children in the developing world. Why not consider purchasing some equipment in-country – you will be putting money into the local economy and providing work for the community at the same time!
Choose a destination
Coaching can be done as part of all our volunteer projects, so where would you like to go?