Sport can be a way to the top – and not only for the fastest, strongest or most prolific goal-scorers. It’s also an activity where leadership and organisation skills can flourish.

The British Council South Africa, in collaboration with the country’s Department of Sport and Recreation and the Department of Education, has recently embarked on a programme to pick out students with potential and equip them with skills to build their capacities.

This international initiative, Dreams + Teams, uses sport to develop what it calls Young Leaders and establish partnerships between schools around the world. Trainers tutor young people to take the lead and organise sports festivals in their respective countries. According to the Dreams + Teams website, this programme encourages the Young Leaders to work with their international counterparts via e-mail, video conferencing and face-to-face contact, bringing an international and cross-cultural understanding to everything they do – thinking globally while acting locally.

Rohini Naidoo, director sports and science at the British Council South Africa, says Dreams + Teams is not only about playing sport but also organising and administering sport.

‘In South Africa we have capacitated lead trainers in all provinces to promote sustainability of the programme. We are currently working with 66 schools that are partnered with 66 Sports Colleges in the UK. Through these partnerships schools are encouraged to work across the curriculum to grow their partnerships'.

Naidoo explains that the Department of Education selects the participating schools, which in turn choose students who show leadership.

‘We work with learners from primary to high school level and we encourage students in high school to teach primary school children,’ says project manager Thora Jacobs. ‘In South Africa, Dreams + Teams has partnered with the Youth Sport Trust in the UK, the Department of Sport and Recreation and the Department of Education. We encourage South African schools to work in teams with their UK counterparts.

‘When these students go to the UK we help them in organising a South Africa day: this is where they showcase the sports we play here, which include cricket, soccer, volleyball and drum majorettes. When the UK students are here in South Africa they organise a UK day and showcase their sporting codes. Young Leaders are taught how to warm up, event organisation, photography, and how to raise funds, so that they can become better leaders.’

According to Jacobs the feedback received from these learners has been amazing. ‘We started with two learners who extended the programme by telling others about it, and they become very motivated to teach others. We keep in touch with them even when they leave school through e-mail and telephonically.’

Jacobs points out that this is not a one-way initiative, because students from the UK also benefit from the exchange. ‘After coming to South Africa, UK students vowed never to take education for granted because they saw how we live. UK teachers come here and South African teachers get a taste of the UK as well and that gives them a clear idea of how things are done in both countries.’

Jacobs says sport keeps kids out of trouble. ‘Students take on a role where they are able to question what they are doing; they are empowered and encouraged to take a leadership role,’ Jacobs says.

She believes that Dreams + Teams serves the purpose it was created for and more:

‘It has given teachers and learners reason to believe that there’s life beyond the classroom. It has also enabled students to interact with other students from other provinces: they attend sports festivals in other provinces and share experiences. And it has opened doors for assistants, who are students who stand in for tutors and help keep the programme afloat. It has benefited children in deep rural South Africa who have now had the opportunity to see the UK and visit other provinces in South Africa. Forty-five students from South Africa went to the UK recently and they shared knowledge and skills with their UK counterparts. The trip motivated them to do more.’

Grade 11 pupil Andrew Femenya, an assistant on the programme, says his job is to co-ordinate the day-to-day running of the programme when the tutor is away. ‘I have learnt a lot of things from this programme. We have changed as students: we are now neat and we talk to other schools about drug abuse and encourage them to join in as well.

‘I have been part of this programme for two years now and I have enjoyed every single moment.  Our teachers are very supportive and we consult with them for everything. We hosted an event on 6 September where we invited neighbouring schools and we played netball and soccer. We even secured sponsors such as KFC, Pick n Pay, Shoprite and Pie City and it was a great success.’

Lead Teacher at Tembisa High School, Connie Mailula, says she has also learnt a lot from this student-orientated programme.

‘I have gained a lot from Dreams + Teams. I have learnt how to care for children with special needs and I am now able to organise events. The programme has provided me with a great opportunity to get into the minds of students and know what their thoughts are about sports.’

If you would like to know more about Dreams + Teams and find out how to get involved, please take a look at the Dreams + Teams website or contact your closest British Council office.