Youth Empowerment Through Sport (YETS) Background Sport has a special attraction to young people as it offers opportunity for fun-play and physical challenges, organized sport therefore, has a potential to attract young people unmatched by other voluntary organizations. Unfortunately, this capacity has not been well tapped in many places partly due to lack of financial and material support, voluntary leaders or sufficient coaching, administration and refereeing for those interested to serve and to be served. Mostly there has been emphasis on recruitment and education of adult leaders to sports. This bias may have its rationale in the belief that leadership roles are most suited for adults. On the other hand, social science has taught us that young people have the same capacity for taking leadership responsibility as adults. Their only disadvantage is the lack of experience due to young age but this can be easily overcome when given the right education for the various leadership roles in sport and integrated Health issues. We believe that this approach is more effective than other information methods as pleasurable sporting and play activities under guidance of peers and role models from sport will have a stronger influencing capacity than the conventional campaigning. The spread of HIV/AIDS is well known and there is no need to expand about the seriousness of this issue. The health professionals have developed information programmes to help the general public understand the problem and advice on how to protect oneself but the challenge still remains on the level of impact it has on the behavior of the youth. The information has been delivered to the youth with a focus on the don'ts without effective dos of alternatives to what has to be avoided. Sex is a very effective source of recreation and stress management for young people just as alcohol intake. These tend to provide a channel of release for the natural energy the young have which by nature need to be expended. If and when an equivalent or more interesting alternative is given, the youth find it difficult and unjustified not to indulge into sex, alcohol abuse or other risk behaviors. Young people have always been daring and experimental and not really believing the warning and advices imposed by the adults. Through history the young have proved time and again that the warnings were groundless as they could do away with a lot of behavior that was prohibited as long as it was kept a secret. That experimental youthful attitude may be characterized as a conducive social environment for the spread of the HIV. Since youthful experimentation is almost genetic, this daring has given frightening breeding space for the spreading of the HIV. Unlike in the past the daring attitude may be deadly and some young people are seemingly defenseless, as they do not take the warnings seriously. In recent past, children especially girls have been abused and neglected in various ways. The most prominent and rising form has been sexual abuse which to a great extent has robed mental and physical health from the victim child, it also prevents some children the opportunity to live children. We believe that a great deal of sensitization and education can make significant changes especially when all stakeholders including the children and youth are active parties to the prevention and prosecution process, hence an education program among the youth a right bearers Zambia is facing stunning statistics of unemployment rates of about 70% to 80%. Similar figures are obtaining in the poverty datum line, with about 80% living below the line. Self employment and small scale business became an effective alternative, hence the inclusion of such grants and relevant skills for potent income generation. Objectives The project was initiated following the identification of major problems found in focus areas. The objectives of the project were designed to mitigate the issues stated below: 1. The general standard of living for the people in the targeted communities have been poor. 2. HIV/AIDS Infection, child abuse and alcohol abuse rates have been high amongst the youth. 3. Poverty eradication and unemployed policies and strategies that involve the youth have been very limited. 4. lack of adequate sport and recreation programs for the youth. The following are the project objectives: o The overall objective is to use sport and recreation as a tool to uplift the people's standard of living. o To conduct HIV/AIDS and Child Rights Life skills education to their fellow youths and the community at large through sport and recreation o To encourage development of skills and self-reliance in various sectors such as Education, Farming etc. o To increase youth accessibility to sport and recreation Location o The project office of Sport In Action is in Lusaka. 1st floor ZEPH House Chishango road, Lusaka. o The project shall be running mainly in Kabwata but shall also run activities in Kanyama, Chibolya, Mtendere, Kalingalinga, Chilenje, Chelstone, Kaunda Square, Chamba Valley, Makeni, Chilanga, and Balastone. Target Group o Children and youths in the areas (sites) stated above. o Women and girls in the areas stated above. Time Frame Though the project support agreement will be 5 years, the project will be an ongoing process with no limit of existence. Implementing Organization Sport In Action PO Box 50144 Lusaka Zambia Tel: 260 97 821797 sia@zamtel.zm/clementchileshe@yahoo.com Future plans To expand the YETS program in both impact and coverage (quantity and quality) aspects. Spin off The increased empowerment and income generation strategy will make a successful exit strategy as the project committees become more self reliant both in conducting activities and finances. Conclusion Changes due to activities: a) The quality of sport and recreation activities being conducted in the project target areas has improved through the trained teachers and community leaders including local peer educators. b) The Life skills on HIV/AIDS and Civic Education among the youths and children of the project areas have improved hence, contributing to the reduction of HIV infections and raised awareness and action against Child Abuse. c) The School attendance levels in the schools especially the community schools which have introduced Physical Education through Traditional Games has improved. d) Community involvement and support to children's sport and recreation in schools and communities has improved due to awareness events and media interviews conducted in project areas and print and electronic media. e) The quality of life of the project activity participants has improved due to the active and healthy life styles through Fun and Fitness activities, which improve cardiovascular health and stress management. Reasons for success: a) The project has offered well-established training to teachers, community leaders and peer leaders in order for them to conduct effective sport and recreation activities. All of whom had little or no previous training in sport and/or physical education. The training was designed to suit the ability of activity leaders and activity participants. b) Effective integration of HIV/AIDS and Civic Education was ensured by combing youth-friendly teaching methods and pleasurable sporting and play. This has been proved more effective compared to information-based education as sport and recreation offers an opportunity for fun-play and physical challenges that has great potential to attract the youth. c) A youth-centered project ran by the youth provided an opportunity and encouragement to children and the youth to actively take part in positive recreation which was previously absent or insufficient in the target areas. The instigation of low-cost traditional games has been highly successful and sustainable while bearing a strong cultural message of their own. d) The accessibility to sport and recreation activities and facilities has increased in the communities by involving the local schools and community as a whole especially during the awareness raising events. Sport facilities have been created and repaired. Sustainability of the program has been ensured by enhancing volunteerism and capacity building among the youth and teachers in the project areas. As part of the event organization, publicizing has played a crucial role in increasing the awareness of these vital issues not only among the community members but also thousands of people as a rich source of inspiration. e) The project has brought about motivation and self-development of the participants through social interaction and positive recreation thus improved people's quality of life. Physical fitness has, in turn, significantly improved psychological wellbeing of the project participants. Recommendation to others: o In order to ensure the smooth and effective running of sport and recreation activities, it is essential to design and produce standardized resource materials for information, education and communication. o The training for leaders and teachers should be well-structured and participant-centered while the contents must be clear and concise. Through this approach, they are able to actively learn the necessary information without wasting time. o Networking plays a crucial role in the development and sustainability of the program. Therefore effective and frequent communication between the project participants and stakeholders is essential. o Frequent and effective functional evaluation of methods and activities for revision will be highly appreciated. o Use of indigenous sport increases the sustainability of the program. o Looking and giving value to local initiatives and expertise creates ownership of the program. o Parents involvement in the youth program creates a good support belt for the program especially the involvement of girls. | 