Why Grassroot Soccer?
This opportunity is especially unique because it will give me the chance to combine two of my greatest passions, soccer and service, in an engaging, effective, and dynamic environment. In South Africa, I will be working as a program intern. In this position, my job has three primary objectives: 1) Working with local community leaders to continually improve Grassroot Soccer’s innovative, culturally sensitive and fun ‘Skillz’ HIV/AIDS life-skills curriculum. 2) To effectively share our curriculum and concept with local implementing partners, allowing us to create a sustainable program while making use of local capacity and infrastructure. 3) To empower local community role models (professional soccer players, youth sport coaches, teachers, peer educators, etc.) with the tools to educate the youth in their communities.
One of the reasons GRS is so appealing is because it is truly a Grassroots organization. Rather than coming to Africa in a kind of “imperialist” way, trying to impose their own practices on the African people, GRS staff act as facilitators. They create a dialogue with the leaders of each specific community they work in, so as to make sure the GRS program effectively addresses the specific needs of that community. This makes the program more effective, as well as more culturally responsible.
A Bro in the Jo ~ Kickin' The Bucket List 