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SPORTS DEVELOPMENT VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

Update – May 2006

Coordinator’s perspective...
Congratulations on your efforts to date and your contribution to of these varying levels of involvement, your work placements
the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Sport Development are creating greater opportunities for those around you.
Volunteers Program. As volunteers you have embarked on a
professional and personal adventure sharing and applying Recently I attended the AVI Pre Departure Training for one of the
your sporting expertise in a foreign context. The stories you are volunteers getting ready to depart. The office was a buzz with
relaying back to Australia about the work done, conversations new volunteers about to embark on their adventure and the
had and people met are indications of the impact and staff full of energy and support to ensure this happened with
excitement an individual can generate. ease and enjoyment. At the dinner my conversations with locals
from Vanuatu and St Vincent & the Grenadines were a simple
A few of you were lucky enough to attend the Games in reminder of the wonderful characters you meet while travelling.
Melbourne as guests and support staff for your respective Enjoy it while you can, you are the envy of many in Aus!!
countries. Many of you were also actively involved and
participated in the Queen’s Baton Relay as it came to your local
town in country and for some of you just accessing coverage of Philippa Kehoe
the Games in country almost verged on impossible. Regardless Program Coordinator

On the track in Namibia –


Steve briefing testers

Delivered by the Australian Sports Commission with the assistance of Australian Volunteers International 15 – 26 MARCH 2006
Program update
• 16 volunteers in country
• 5 placements are completed
• 2 volunteers just departed

To give you an idea of where the other volunteers are and what they are doing...

Volunteer Placement Description Country


Tom Program Director, Nation’s Fitness Quest Anguilla
Andrew Talent ID Sport Development Officer Antigua & Barbuda
Kay National Sport Talent ID
Program Officer Barbados
Gayle Athletics Development Manager Cook Islands
Samantha Administration Officer- Policy Development Fiji
Trudie Basketball Coach/ Talent Development Officer Malta
Maurice National Federation Consultant Papua New Guinea
Ross Sports Administrator Samoa
Narelle Elite Program Coordinator Seychelles
Michelle Netball Coaching Education and
Development Officer St Lucia
Lisa Development Officer, Team Athletics St Vincent & The Grenadines
Peter Development Officer, Sports Administration The Gambia
Wendy Team / Event Management Mentor Tonga
Steve Athletics Development Officer Turks & Caicos
Michael Sport Business/ Marketing Development Officer Vanuatu
Gabriel Talent ID Program Officer Zambia

Returned Volunteers
Lisa National Talent ID and Project Coordinator Cyprus
John and Stacy Coach - Clay Pigeon Shooting Falkland Islands
Stephen National Sport Talent ID Program Officer Namibia
Graham Junior Sport Development Officer Niue
Mel Sport Development Officer Trinidad & Tobago

“The Sport Development Volunteers Program has offered a great opportunity


and brought lasting benefits to sports training and development in countries
which are not as fortunate as Australia.”
Minister for Commonwealth Games, Justin Madden.

Delivered by the Australian Sports Commission with the assistance of Australian Volunteers International
Hello from Geoff
I recently returned from a trip to Namibia where I was lucky enough to spend
time with Steve Jacobs getting an overview of how his assignment was
progressing. What was really apparent was the enthusiasm for change that was
evident in everyone involved, but also the apprehension that people felt with
respect to how big the task was. The lesson for me was a reinforcement of the
messages regarding planning, controlling scope, managing expectations and
ensuring there is local ownership. Through the steering committee overseeing
the assignment in Namibia there were people focused on controlling these
factors. The lesson for you in your activities is to remember that you are on an
assignment that is very short compared to many other volunteer placements,
so it is even more important that you agree on achievable objectives with your
hosts, and stick to them.

Philippa has made the handover task to her extremely easy and my role with
the program now is pretty hands off, although I have a chance at least daily to
get an update on what is happening. The big focus over the next few months
will be evaluation, so start to think about the impact you are having and the
changes you are seeing. I’m looking forward to more great stories about what
is being achieved.

Regards, Geoff
Former Coordinator

Upcoming events
16 June SDVP June Newsletter
26 June Volunteer placement evaluation reports due
30 June SDVP Placements conclude
17 July SDVP Final Newsletter
July Returned Volunteer Debrief, Melbourne (more information to follow)

Delivered by the Australian Sports Commission with the assistance of Australian Volunteers International
Volunteers viewpoints
Mel Tantrum, Trinidad and Tobago Olympic I prepared a paper ‘Key Objectives – Sport Development Model’
containing initial goals and objectives for the development
Committee (TTOC) of sport in Trinidad and Tobago and presented it to the TTOC
I hit the ground running in Port of Spain, Trinidad, with several Executive and all NSOs. This is a work in progress and a good
meetings with key people and reading numerous reports, plans platform to start working from. I developed a program for the
and policies. Everyone has been extremely positive, helpful and first coaches workshop.
friendly. It’s carnival season here right now so everyone seems a
little distracted! I met with Mr Theophilus Trim (Director of Sport, Department of
Sport, Tobago) and Mrs Annette Knott (Vice President of TTOC) to
The assignment involves general workshops for coaches and
discuss plans for Tobago. It was agreed that the priority sports
sport administrators on the key ideas of coach education, athlete
will be netball, table tennis, track and field and basketball.
pathways/development models, and talent ID; and specific
workshops with individual sports to identify strategies to I toured the Centre of Excellence, which is a similar concept to
improve these areas. Site visits are made to coaching programs the Australian Institute of Sport - a good setup with stadium,
to identify key objectives and planning/implementation issues. training facilities and swimming pool.
Key tasks to date included meeting with Catherine Forde (TTOC I attended and observed several coaching sessions for soccer,
General Manager) and Larry Romany (TTOC President); NSO which is played at every oval. With Trinidad and Tobago in the
representatives from swimming, table tennis and track and field; World Cup finals, soccer is experiencing exponential growth and
Hayden Newallo (Sports Foundation); and Neil Finlay, a fellow that should continue for at least a few years. Cricket is also one of
Australian, and Project Coordinator for the Australian Caribbean the most popular sports with several matches at every oval.
Community Sport Development Program with TTASPE and the On a personal note, I’m doing two to three hours exercise per
Australian Sports Commission. day (Mel’s ‘get fit’ campaign); participated in a 5km fun run;
I assisted with preparations for the Trinidad and Tobago swim with the Flying Fish swimming club; making as many
Commonwealth Games team to ensure that entries and friends as possible; and involving myself in all aspects of
accreditation details reached Melbourne by the deadlines. This Trinidad and Tobago family life.
was a huge task in the office with ‘all hands on deck’. I also met
with most traveling officials and managers with the team before
they departed for the Games. Mel

Mel facilitating a Coaches’


Workshop in Trinidad

Delivered by the Australian Sports Commission with the assistance of Australian Volunteers International
Volunteer profile
Gayle Anderson, Athletics Development Manager, Cook Islands
The Queen’s Baton arrived in Rarotonga on 12 January a surprise when I arrive knowing the Island way. Atiu is
and left for Norfolk Island on 14. There was an incredible hosting the Manea Games in April (held every four years
amount of excitement, singing, dancing and music (plus incorporating athletics, volleyball, darts, tennis touch,
a bit of Island rain), as the baton made its way around the netball, rugby 7s and rugby 15s). It is a major event on
island, and people lined the streets to be a part of the the Cook Islands sporting calendar so there will be a lot of
procession and in most cases get to touch the baton if preparation getting ready
they wanted to. I certainly did. for them.
It was really something to be a part of a journey that will I will be conducting courses on each of the other islands in
see the baton visit 71 countries and unite people from so the Southern Group before the Manea Games to help them
many different countries. The annual Sports Awards were to prepare their coaches and athletes for these games.
held and the baton was displayed in a position of honor at
the dinner. It was so exciting just to be a part of it all. It has been proposed by ACI that I return to each of these
islands for follow up development later in the year as
I am slotting into Island life quite easily and now part of the Cook Islands Coaching Development Plan and
understand why Island people move around slowly. Officials Development Plan that is being set up. Following
Any movement faster than a slow walk causes copious these programs there should be enough people with the
sweating so I have slowed my walking pace down basic training to conduct future courses and the structure
considerably – still sweating however! should be in place for those already trained to develop
their skills at a higher level within the development plan.
I have also joined the local ‘Top Shape’ gym as part of a
general get fit campaign.
Kia manuia
The equipment might be old and rusty but the exercises,
workouts and gym activities are very similar to what they Gayle
are in Australia.
Things are starting to fall into place in the Athletics Cook
Island (ACI) office. Anne Tierney and I have spent a lot of
The Queen’s Baton Relay
time planning. visits the Cook Islands

We have drawn up a draft program for ACI covering track


and field, cross country, road racing, fun runs, school
events, little athletics, disability athletics, masters
athletics and international events for 2006. This program
is a mixture of existing events and new events that will be
trialed this year.
I went to Sydney from 31 January -6 February for the
Australian Track and Field Championships and the
Commonwealth Games trials. I was working there as a
national technical official as this was the test event for
those people officiating at the Commonwealth Games.
I actually missed Rarotonga while I was there and kept
thinking about my house, work mates, friends etc. and
was looking forward to returning to my Island home,
although I must admit I enjoyed being somewhat cooler
in Sydney.
I am now back in Raro preparing for my first Coaching
Course and Officiating Course on the island of Atiu from
13-17 February. There are 31 participants registered to
do the courses. How many will actually be there will be

Delivered by the Australian Sports Commission with the assistance of Australian Volunteers International
Volunteer profile
Wendy Bastow, Tonga
“At the end of the day, I’m just a person who sticks their Wendy’s involvement, her constant toing and froing,
nose in and organises things!” That’s how Wendy Bastow attention to detail and expertise in organising, meant the
describes her role as a volunteer under the Melbourne Tongans’ arrival in Melbourne was stress-free. It was a
2006 Commonwealth Games Sport Development big job – and extraordinarily rewarding for her personally.
Volunteers Program. “It has been fantastic for me,” she says. “I’ve done a lot
of travel, but being thrown into another culture like this,
It’s an all-too-modest way of describing the range of being able to get totally immersed in a totally different
tasks Wendy has undertaken in Tonga, which up to way of life, was a challenge, a juggle and – just fantastic.
now mainly involved preparing Tonga’s team for the The Tongans are just a lovely people – very friendly, family
Melbourne Games. And with her background in physical focused, a lovely nature and so inclusive.”
education teaching, events management and business
management, it’s a role for which she is eminently After the Games, Wendy will be back in Tonga for another
qualified. six weeks to complete her five month stint under the Sport
Development Volunteers Program. In that time, she will
“The Sport Development Volunteers Program is an consolidate her work with a view to leaving the Tongans
excellent program that has been well received,” Wendy with some solid event management skills for use in
says. “The Tongans are highly appreciative of what the organising future activities.
Victorian Government has been doing in offering such
fantastic assistance.” Well done Wendy!
The work that goes into organising a team to travel
to Melbourne for the Games - accreditation, travel,
accommodation, schedules and deadlines - is not
something that fits readily with the easy going Tongan
way of life. “In Tonga, things get done with no stress and
in Tonga time,” Wendy says. So it was up to her to work
with her local counterparts to make sure everything went
smoothly in the leadup to the Games. Tonga sent 24
athletes, half of them with the rugby 7s, six boxers, three
from track and field and three weightlifters.

Working closely with the Tonga Amateur Sports


Association and National Olympic Committee (TASANOC),
Wendy “helped with some structure” to the preparations,
organising a weekly meeting, formal agenda, action
plans and timeframe. She devised a clever way to keep
preparations moving along by arranging for the head
of TASANOC, Secretary-General Po oi Puloka, to pick
her up in his car each morning on the way to the office.
This enabled her to get in his ear, raising issues and
highlighting programs on a daily one-on-one basis!

Wendy with TASANOC


representatives at the Team
Tonga Launch

Delivered by the Australian Sports Commission with the assistance of Australian Volunteers International
Volunteer profile
Michelle Cheah, netball coaching education and development in St Lucia
The majority of time in-country to date has been spent This should provide a foundation for the development of
on planning the activities and programs that will be the sport in a sustainable manner.
undertaken during the volunteer assignment. I am
It is primarily at a high-school age where young girls are
organising the logistics of conducting the training
introduced to the sport through becoming involved with
programs, and creating the content to match as closely
local clubs. The majority of players are taught netball from
as possible the requirements of the Caribbean Coaching
the personal experience of senior players or exposure to
Certification Program (CCCP).
regional/international opportunities for play, as opposed
These plans have been submitted to the St Lucia National to any formal netball coaching. A handful of players have
Netball Association (SLNNA) Executive and President of the personally undertaken training in umpiring.
St Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) for feedback.
To be able to develop netball cohesively and ensure
I have also been regularly involved with games that sustainability, an integrated system for development is
are currently occurring as part of the Vintage League preferable to the delivery of isolated programs. Otherwise,
competition. Like most places, umpires are always once the programs are concluded, the flow on benefit is
needed so I have helped out so that games take place. limited and there is a significant likelihood of a return to
the original status quo as training and skills will not be
The training workshops commence in a few weeks. It is
diffused widely. Additionally, a progressive development
estimated that about 200 participants will take part in
approach in different programs for specialisation (ie elite
the workshops across the island. Additionally, about 40
player, umpire, coach, administrator) will be part of the
officials from schools, the Ministry, youth councils and
planning.
netball club members will be assisting (10 for each of the
four major centres).
Michelle
It is envisaged that the most significant change resulting
from the Sport Development Volunteers Program
assignment in St Lucia will be assisting with some
structure for the development of the sport. At present
there is an irregular training program. By building on Michelle in action with St Lucia
this program and by increasing the contact between the junior netballers
different clubs and associations, there is an opportunity
to provide much stronger pathways for the progression of
those involved.
A plan has been drafted for how training programs for
coaching and umpiring could be conducted to:
• provide regular and progressive training for
individuals to improve their skills;
• provide opportunities to easily complete the
course requirements for their accreditation in
coaching or umpiring;
• support the development of a larger participation
base of netball through the inclusion of school
teams in a junior competition;
• create incentives for schools to participate in
the sport and for individuals to complete their
accreditation in coaching and/or umpiring; and
• ensure that skills are transferred from the
volunteer to local personnel.

Delivered by the Australian Sports Commission with the assistance of Australian Volunteers International
John & Stacy with the Falkland Islands Niue primary school students
Team in the Athletes Village enjoying PE with Graham

Lisa makes presentations at a Kay at the Barbados Olympic


sports carnival in Cyprus Committee Office

Farewelling the Tonga Rugby 7s Stacy coaching Clay Pigeon


Team to Melbourne Shooters in the Falkland Islands

Delivered by the Australian Sports Commission with the assistance of Australian Volunteers International

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