British Council partners with Ministry of Education for sports training program

The British Council has partnered with the Saudi Ministry of Education to launch a sports training program in three cities: Riyadh, Jeddah and the Eastern Province.
The Youth Sports Leadership program was launched with a special ceremony at Al-Tarbiyah Al-NamoutHajjiyah School in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Youth Sports Leadership (YSL) training identifies and works with local coaches and trainers to engage young leaders aged 14-19 in the organization of accessible sports events and programs in their local communities.
Held in partnership with Youth Sports Trust International, an independent charity, the initiative helps build knowledge of sports teaching and inspire the next generation of leaders in community sport. YSL will run over the next two weeks in Riyadh, with additional trainings taking place in Jeddah and the Eastern Province later this month.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Mohammed Al-Moqbel, executive director of the National Center for Professional Education Development, Ministry of Education said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with the British Council on this training project to improve the quality of sports teaching and coaching in schools across the Kingdom, something which is really important to the nation’s Vision 2030 goals and to ensuring that young people, students and teachers in every corner of the country have access to quality sports education that inspires and motivates them to lead healthy and active lifestyles.”
With the first week of training focused on supporting local coaches and trainers, the second week will see the trainers put what they have learned into action by mentoring young student leaders to plan and organize a safe, fun and inclusive sports festival for over 100 primary school students in their own communities.
Amir Ramzan, country director, Saudi Arabia, said: “The benefit that young people get from being involved in sports in any capacity is so valuable, from learning about teamwork and inclusion to organization and commitment. We’ve already seen that even participating in sport just once can impact crucial skills like problem solving and communication. As one of many projects in our Culture & Sports program, YSL will work with young people to engage them in sport and help them become leaders of the future. We are delighted to have the support of the Ministry of Education in this endeavor, and look forward to seeing its impact now and in the next three years.”