Recommendations

The KNHB urges its own association and any other organizations launching a new project to:

• Use project coordinators that are on good terms with each other and with the organization they represent.
• Invite instructors who are experienced with different groups and cultures and aware of recent trends in training and coaching.
• Work with qualified instructors. The KNHB has appointed people who are nationally active and teach KNHB courses as well. In addition, all had worked abroad before.
• Organize a preparatory session to explain South-African culture and hockey practices in addition to the programme. The instructors greatly appreciated this.
• Appoint local coordinators who are well-organized and punctual, understand the current, multicultural society and have the time to do the job.
• Instruct the counterpart (i.e. SAHA) in advance about the importance of good support from the project coordinator and his activities, such as issuing course materials and certificates, handling PR, organizing follow-up and anchoring the course in the established coaching structure. If no such structure exists, then the value (level / accreditation) of the courses becomes questionable.
• Organize two different preparatory courses for:
  - teachers who need to learn about the sport or to refresh their knowledge
  - trainers who need to learn about methods or didactical approaches.
• Keep the groups manageable (no more than 20 participants).
• Organize teaching groups instead of assigning participants the role of players.
• Allow enough space to accommodate teaching practice (by the participants). That is what really matters!
• Use a standard programme at each course site.
• Have instructors prepare programme sections about a recent topic that will be useful to all instructors. These presentations need to be prepared in detail and to be reviewed at a preparatory meeting.
• Request a financial report each year from the recipient institution, and have any surplus amounts repaid immediately (once a year).

Suggestions

• Allow ample time to formulate the project.
• Involve several layers from the recipient organization in formulating the project to ensure an adequate support base.
• Have the recipient party state its wishes clearly; do not complete this section for this party.
• Make clear from the start what is expected of both parties and what is not.
• Regarding training: determine the level of the target group, and differentiate as needed.
• Cultivate good relations with the local liaison.
• Dispatch people who know how to handle cultural differences.
• Work with people/ organizations that have expertise in certain areas, such as fundraising.
• Demand support from the national association (before, during and after the end of the Dutch 'intervention').
• Select local project coordinators who know 'the market' well (not just the 'white' or the 'black' market!).
• Establish a good training structure prior to flying in people.
• Dispatch your best instructors (experienced in the subject and with international/intercultural experience).
• Arrange to receive clear feedback (and check to see how things are proceeding as well).
• Ask for an annual financial report.