![The attendants after the Certificate Ceremony which took place at the training programme in Franschhoek The attendants after the Certificate Ceremony which took place at the training programme in Franschhoek](https://www.westerncape.gov.za/sites/www.westerncape.gov.za/files/the_attendants_after_the_certificate_ceremony_which_took_place_at_the_training_programme_in_franschhoek.jpg)
With 2016 being an Olympic Year, all focus will be on the athletes, but it is important to remember that behind every athlete there are good coaches.
For this reason, the MOD Programme of the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, (DCAS) facilitated the offering of a specialised training programme in Coaching Development and Olympic Value Education. The Foundation for Sport, Development and Peace in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee, Department of Public Affairs and Social Development through Sport and United World Wrestling worked together to train 54 selected coaches of the MOD Programme from all districts of the Western Cape.
The MOD Programme is active at more than 181 disadvantaged schools in the Western Cape and is a well-known massification of sport and recreation programme that focuses on afternoon activities, outside school hours during the peak of the ‘youth at risk’ period. Motivated and empowered coaching staff lie at the heart of the success of the programme and for various reasons a need exists to up-skill and train coaching staff.
The Course took place on 10–15 January 2016 at the Franschhoek Town Hall and Franschhoek High School and was led by national and international facilitators from Lesotho, Ivory Coast, Mexico, Germany as well as South Africa under the auspices of the Foundation for Sport, Development and Peace.
This unique training programme and the Olympic Values Education Programme for coaches will be applied in context of the MOD Programme so that it is of direct value to coaches and youth. Emphasis will also be placed on the sport and development of sport and recreation in South Africa and the Western Cape and a self-assessment exercise and training needs assessment was conducted parallel with the course.
The participants of the course from nine districts said that the course benefitted them tremendously and taught them how to apply the Olympic Values of friendship, respect and excellence.
Through partnerships such as these, DCAS shows its commitment to creating opportunities for the youth of the Western Cape to learn about sport and to reach for their sporting dreams, BETTER TOGETHER.
Tania Colyn
Head of Communication Service
Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport
Tel: 021 483 9877
E-mail: tania.colyn@westerncape.gov.za