Coach One on One Development Sessions

Molweni Abafundi!

There has been a new emphasis in Grassroot Soccer the past couple of months on our coaches (peer facilitators). For those of you who have not been keeping up on the blog, I want to reiterate that I do not actually work with kids directly in schools. We hire eager South African peer facilitators that deliver our curriculum in and after school. We call them coaches because we are always trying tap into the powerful imagery of the game of soccer. The coaches are the main crux of our organization. If they are not properly trained and fail to deliver the curriculum effectively to the children then there is not going to be a change in behavior. The eight months that I have been here has allowed me to become very close with the coaches and am drawn to their enthusiasm to work with kids and stop the spread of a devastating disease. However, because each coach is only on contract with GRS for the maximum of two years the coaches always have to keep their future in mind while working as a coach.

We want to honor their time, passion, and dedication for the great work they are doing by helping prepare them for life post-GRS. The main point of emphasis has been helping the coaches with computer skills. South Africa is still a developing country, however being adept on the keyboard and navigating the inter webs is still incredibly important in getting a good job. Children are told at a small age that to succeed they must be able to speak proper English and be able use a computer. About a month ago, Barrett and I set up a schedule where coaches can come into the offices when they are not working in schools and get extra help with whatever they want. By giving us fair warning we can research a topic for them and then go over it with them when they have extra time during the week.

The meetings have mostly focused on the basics of the computer. Navigating google search, using microsoft word and excel, typing, accessing email (I have set up 6 coaches on gmail!), working on CV's, and learning the rules/signs of the road for an upcoming drivers test. Although a lot of the skills are very basic in nature the times that I have spent with the coaches has been incredibly rewarding.

I made a fun, Google Trivia game where the coaches had to find answers to the following questions:

1. What is the name of the new pope?

2. What is the capital of Nicaragua?

3. How many people live in South Africa?

4. Where can you get tested for HIV in Port Elizabeth?

5. What is the name of Matthew Husband’s blog?

6. On average, how much water should you drink per day?

7.  On CNN.com what is today’s major headline?

All fairly simple for those of us who know how to use google search and filter through different websites. However, for someone who barely ever uses a computer this trivia challenge was actually quite difficult. 

One coach in particular never really wanted to come in and do one on one coach development with me. He always snickered, "yeah matteewwwuu" whenever I asked him when he was coming in to visit me. He would never give me the time of day! Obviously I did not force him to come and see me because the sessions are not obligatory. However, one day he arrived at the office two hours early for a meeting (he had got the time wrong) and didn't really have anything to do. I told him there was no better time than now to work on some of his computer skills. Reluctantly, he decided to give it a try. We ended up meeting for the full two hours going over simple ways of copying and pasting, typing and finally taking the quiz. I will never forget his face after the session. You could tell he was so excited about what he had just learned, but still didn't want me to tell him...I told you so!! 

Anyways, he immediately set up another time to come in and work with me:)