‘It is wonderful – it is changing peoples lives’ UK Teacher
‘’The key thought I’ll take home - I’m the leader of tomorrow.’ South African Young Ambassador
‘It is the most life changing experience. I will take home how different cultures are, but I understand and appreciate them now.’ UK Young Ambassador
One week in March 2007 has been life changing for many young people and their teachers. 164 young people from the UK and South Africa, alongside 164 of their Teachers and Head Teachers from 82 schools learned a lesson in leadership and cross-cultural awareness when they took part in the Young Ambassadors ‘Fair Play Today’ programme in South Africa.
All of the schools involved, are a part of Dreams +Teams (D+T) school linking programme which provides a platform for young people to explore together, through sport, issues such as equity, cultural diversity, inclusion, religion, ethics, global citizenship and communication.
During the trip the Young Ambassadors and their teachers spent time in their partner South African schools before coming together in Johannesburg to take part in a number of activities, which included arranging a sports festival for over 200 primary children and collaborating on a huge mural representing the theme of Fair Play which will be copied and displayed in each of the participating schools.
The aims of the project were to develop leadership skills and intercultural awareness amongst students and teachers in South Africa and the UK. Did it have an impact? Let the voices of the participants tell us…….
‘I didn’t really have any expectations but this trip has shown me how wrong the media can be sometimes. I will take home the happiness of South Africa.’ UK Young Ambassador
‘I will fight against the monster of discouragement. I am going to make a change when I have defeated him.’ South African Young Ambassador
‘I am an educator and my job is to transform the lives of young people. This short programme has had a massive transformational impact on the Young Ambassadors.’ UK Headteacher
‘These Young Ambassadors have had a life changing experience which will stay with them for years – perhaps a lifetime.’ South African Teacher
‘Cultural stereotypes are broken.’ South African Teacher
‘What have I learnt this week? Education is not a right, it is a privilege.’ UK Young Ambassador
‘Being a part of this project is just the beginning of good things.’ South African Young Ambassador
‘The Young Ambassador event has been able to tell and show my learners that the scope of life and learning is wider and brighter than the boundaries of the school’ South African Teacher
‘The learning curve for our Young Ambassadors has been enormous, they have thrived on the experience. Amazing, humbling, emotionally draining but exhilarating.’ UK Teacher
‘Do not look at being a Young Ambassador as a status, look at it as a lesson and a responsibility.’ South African Young Ambassador
‘There is a bright future for our children if they can accept and respect each other this easily.’ South African Teacher
‘We are going to give other schools the inspiration we’ve had here.’ South African and UK Young Ambassadors from partner schools
‘A truly fantastic, life changing experience for one and all. As a legacy project for 2012 it has considerable mileage. With a little fine tuning this could have a dramatic impact. Young Ambassadors programme is the way forward.’ UK Headteacher
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Dreams + Teams has also seen pupils and teachers take part in 'Inspiring Young People’ Sports & Culture Festival, Malaysia'. For more information click here.