Were you screaming at the TV as Nicole Cooke battled to win the women’s road race?
Did you hold your breath as Andy Hodge & Co. inched past Australia in the coxless fours? If you did, you understand the power of sport!
As people have witnessed in this year’s Olympics, sport can do amazing things. It can make people laugh, cry, shout, smile, scream, but most of, come together. At Real Gap, we discovered the power of sport two years ago and have helped unleash it ever since.
You could use the power of sport to help underprivileged communities...
Every year, we send thousands of volunteers abroad, many of whom choose to help sport work its magic on underprivileged children. Our volunteers organise sports coaching sessions and competitions for all levels on their gap year. There’s a huge amount of undiscovered talent in Africa and Asia and some of the children you work with might go on to be professional sportspeople.
But for the most part, sport is magical because it gives neglected or poverty-stricken children something to concentrate on. And more importantly, something to smile and laugh about. Definitely something to be proud of.
You don't have to be on a par with Michael Phelps to unleash the power of sport!
Volunteers don’t have to be skilled at a sport to be a sports volunteer – just enthusiastic and willing to devote time to a project. The rewards are huge! If you enjoy sports and you’d like to put your energy to a worthwhile use, take a look at our gap year sports programmes below. Then, give a Real Gap travel advisor a call and let them tell you more about changing children’s lives.
P.s
Just to put you in the picture - most of us take sports for granted, whether as a knock-around in the park or netball in PE lessons. Children in third world countries often don’t have that luxury – some have never had a proper football and have to make do with kicking scrunched up carrier bags.
15 trips have been found based on your filter/sort
Help with PE lessons in local schools and organise games of football and other sports. Your skills and enthusiasm will inspire underprivileged children who often have to make do with little or no equipment.
Eat, sleep and breathe football as you play alongside the champions of South America! Learn the typical Latin tricks of the trade from those who do them best and maybe teach them a thing or two of your own.
Teach children who often make do with carrier bags for balls and inspire them to play football or take up other sports. You’ll combine much needed sports coaching with academic tuition.
Give children in rural schools the chance to participate in football, netball or any other sport you play. Teach in schools and after school clubs, arrange training sessions and organise a sports day.
If you like tennis, this is an opportunity to teach it to deprived children in Belo Horizonte. You’ll also learn Portuguese in Rio de Janeiro, with time to explore some of the most beautiful areas of Brazil.
Use your love of football to inspire and educate children from disadvantaged backgrounds. You’ll work on a street project or a talent academy, organising training sessions and tournaments, refereeing, advising on tactics and teaching new exercises.
Immerse yourself in a very different, very welcoming but very poor community and help with academic lessons and sports coaching. Perfect for people wanting to put their interest in a range of sports towards a worthwhile use.
Help out overworked teachers and spend time introducing children to games and sports. Based in an idyllic but desperately poor country, you’ll make a real difference to young people’s lives.
Netball is growing quickly in Ghana and you’ll work with the children to develop their skills. They face a lack of resources and coaches but some of them have massive potential – you can help release it!
Put your interest in rugby to good use and develop talent in a country becoming more and more interested in the sport. Coaching is needed at all levels – you could teach beginners or the international team.
Let sport work its magic on enthusiastic but deprived children in Swaziland. Organise sports days and run training sessions in football, tennis, netball and volleyball – or all four. Don’t be surprised if the children mob you!
Become a hero to young footballers. Coach youngsters from orphanages and schools and develop their talent, or just make them smile again. You can also help build and paint schools or get involved with an elephant project.
Keep young people off the streets with sports sessions. Coach football, netball, rounders or whatever you fancy – even the simplest drills will fire their enthusiasm! Get involved in successful conservation and construction projects, too.
Live ranch life to the full with activities such as horse riding, cattle gathering, branding, trail riding and ranch chores. Campfires and scenery straight from the big screen make it perfect for horse-loving travellers!
Sample some of Africa’s exhilarating highlights. Camp in Kruger National Park with the big five, do a volunteer placement in Swaziland and learn to scuba dive in Mozambique. An adventure with a bit of everything!
