Alex football centre launches programmes
ALEXANDRA - The Alexandra Football for Hope centre will kick off its programmes on February 10.
The centre, which was launched in November last year, was the 16th of 20 centres to be built on the continent as part of the ’20 Centres for 2010′ campaign. This was the official campaign of the 2010 Fifa World Cup which was aimed at creating 20 youth centres for education, public health and football across Africa.
The programme will begin with volunteers visiting schools around the area to encourage the youth to go to the centre.
The centre is currently training volunteers who will be working as coaches. Sikhumbuzo Mnculwane, the centre manager said, “In Alex we will be working with 20 girls and three guys. They will visit schools to talk to pupils about different issues that affect them.” He said volunteers will also be responsible for facilitation of programmes and will provide counselling.
He said they are targeting people between 13 and 19 years. Some of the programmes that will be running at the centre include Generation Skillz, which targets boys by using soccer-based activities and conversations to address the main drivers of HIV in South Africa, and Skillz Street, which is aimed at young girls. The programme combines soccer with sexual and reproductive health and life skills, HIV counselling and testing, and access to community services.
