Ghana Rugby Coaching

Join the Rugby Coaching project and help to develop one of the fastest growing sports in Ghana. Coach rugby to different skill levels according to your own experience, from grass roots to the international team.

Despite football’s overwhelming popularity throughout Africa, rugby is still a developing sport in Ghana. Previously played by expatriates only, it is now developing into a mainstream sport and growing in popularity. Similar to other sports such as football, Ghana possesses a wealth of raw talent that when developed in the right way, can help them to become one of the best emerging nations in the world.

This programme is perfectly suited to rugby enthusiasts of any ability, who are interested in helping to identify the rugby talent in Ghanaian schools and the rugby coaching talent of themselves.

Project Age Limit
Minimum age 17, maximum decided on potential participant’s health Skills Requirement: No specific skills or qualification requirements

Rugby Volunteer Programme
Although a government approved sport, the financial resources allocated to rugby are woefully inadequate. Secondary schools are being actively encouraged to teach a wider range of sports, rugby included, however, there are no further resources to bring in qualified coaches or the right equipment. Therefore, volunteer coaches and rugby enthusiasts are needed to make up for the skills shortage that currently exists.

Rugby Coaching Placement
Your placement will be in Accra the Capital of Ghana. There are 11 main schools and clubs in the city, where it will be your responsibility to organise training sessions and matches in conjunction with the project coordinator (who is also a full-time coach). After spending the first week shadowing the rugby coordinator, you will then have the freedom to organise your own sessions amongst the schools and clubs you will be working with. The team levels will mainly be U12, U14 and U17, with you having the option to either vary where you coach or focus on a limited number of schools or clubs. You will be supplied with a mobile phone and local SIM card, so that you can arrange sessions directly with the coordinator.

Volunteers with coaching experience will have the opportunity to assist with the national teams. Do keep in mind that rugby is still a new discipline and in your assigned region you might be the one introducing the game to certain schools. The teams are young but judging from their style of play at the regional level, there is a lot of potential in the players and a bright future for the game.

Volunteer Role
During your project, you will have the opportunity to take part in the following programme activities:

Daily Transport
As you will be dealing directly with the rugby coordinator and often meeting them at the daily location, you will need to use the local transport system to reach your destination. This is a fun way to mingle with local people every day and to get used to the different areas surrounding you.

The main transport system is the “tro-tro’s”, which are Ghana’s equivalent of mini-buses. These follow routes like regular buses and allow you to hop on and off as you please. During your first week, a member of our local team will travel with you each morning, so that you can get to know the different bus routes and how the tro-tro system works.

Please Note: The daily transport is not included in the programme price. You will need to budget between £3-8 per week. In addition, you will be self-managing on this programme, so you need to be confident and fairly independent. You will always have access to the rugby coordinator and other members of our local team, so they will be on-hand to help you.

Community Volunteer work
Volunteers involved in the rugby-coaching programme are also offered the opportunity to get involved with other community development initiatives. Despite Ghana’s relative wealth to other African countries, it is still a developing nation, with many people living below the poverty line.

Volunteers can:

PLEASE NOTE: Schools in Africa are not in any way the same as western standards. The structure is poor, and time is certainly not a priority. Caning is still a common practise, and many times it is the teachers who fail to turn up instead of the children.

As a western volunteer, your influence is crucial, and your work for just a few months can dramatically change your school in many ways. Get the children involved as much as possible, not just in school hours, but also in after school activities, to really get the most out of your project. For example, you could arrange rugby practise on Wednesdays, and football on a Friday….You may be surprised at how one person can potentially make such a massive difference to so many.

Project Support
Throughout your stay in Ghana you will have the support and guidance of the Ghanaian project leaders and team. They will provide you with competent field support and assistance, and help you with any questions or support you may need during your stay. The team are really friendly, and will be there for you to contact each day and a meeting will also be scheduled for you early on in your placement to give you an extra opportunity to network and socialise with the other volunteers and students in Ghana.

Local Orientation
When you arrive into Ghana, our local coordinator or a member of the team will be there to meet you. During your first few days, you will receive a full local orientation to help familiarize yourself with the local culture and settle you slowly into your programme. Your orientation will cover:

Accommodation and Meals
You will stay in a private lodge in Accra. At the lodge, you will have your own private room, with access to the shared facilities including a kitchen, lounge area and garden. However, if you are looking to travel with another volunteer, it is possible for you to stay with a local host family. Host families are an excellent way to learn about the local culture from a completely different perspective and also help to provide you with local support while you are away from home. At the home-stay, you will have a private room and access to the home’s communal facilities.

The lodge cook or host family will provide you with 2 meals a day. Most meals will be made in the local style, with typical Ghanaian ingredients and recipes. In most cases, special dietary requirements can be catered for, but please contact a Real Travel Adviser for further information.

Please Note: When staying with a host family in Ghana you must remain open-minded. African countries tend to have more basic living conditions than we have in the West, which can be hard to get used to at first. After the initial culture shock, learning how to prepare local foods or washing your clothes by hand can be both fun and rewarding!

School Holidays
The Rugby Coaching Programme is available during the school holidays periods, however, it operates on a more informal basis. During these times, volunteers need to be more proactive and expect there to be less structure to the programme. The school holidays fall within the following dates:

Primary School	Junior Secondary	Senior Secondary
15 December – 8 January	15 December – 8 January	18 December – 5 January
30 March – 1 May	5 April – 1 May	9 April – 27 April
10 August – 10 September	10 August – 10 September	30 July – 7 September
	Exams 23 – 27 April	Exams 23 – 27 April

The holidays follow similar dates each year, so check with a Travel Adviser for a date that suits.

If you are interested in securing your place or require further information, contact Real Sport Experience Travel Adviser on 01892 516164 or email the Africa team at Africa@realgap.co.uk.