adminCollin Matiza
Sports Editor
A GERMANY-BASED non-profit making sports organisation is offering Zimbabwean coaches and athletes a volunteers training programme where they will have the opportunity to hone their skills under different clubs in that country.
It could be for a period of one to two years.
Bernd Wulffen, the director and founder of the Young Talent Sports Academy which runs under the GeBe Sports and Education Foundation, yesterday told The Herald from his base in Hamburg, the training programme was open for both boys and girls between the age of 18 and 27.
“We are offering a one-to-two-year sports volunteers training programme for both girls and boys who are players or coaches from different sporting disciplines who will get trained while doing some work attached to a club here in Germany,” he said.
“In fact, they will be working, coaching and playing at one of the clubs where they will be doing their one to two-year programme.
“This is for German youngsters as well.
“We are currently recruiting for January and August 2021.
“And, the other thing is that we are also looking at working with sports like rugby or cricket where the Germans are not that good at and the clubs here in Germany would welcome youngsters (from Zimbabwe) to join them.
“The total cost of the programme is €1 500 with the participants paying a deposit or registration fee of €750 and the rest will be paid upon arrival in Germany.
“This programme is initialized by the Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development and it is also supported by the Government of Germany and follows different framework conditions.
“We’ve had this programme since 2013 whereby we invite people from certain countries to serve as a volunteer in Germany.”
The voluntary service usually starts at the beginning of August and could also be extended by another year and the visa for Germany for 12 months has to be issued by the German Embassy in the home country of the applicant.
The costs of the visa have to be paid by the volunteer and can be refunded afterwards.
The voluntary service is accompanied by several seminars which are all mandatory, Wulffen said.
He also said applicants should be experienced in working in the field of sports in connection with children and teenagers.
Before the programme, they will be taught basic knowledge of the German language and culture.
Already, the Mashonaland West Sports Academy, which is based in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, has expressed interest in sending participants to this programme.
Alfos Mhondiwa, the founder and director of the academy, said they were looking at sending a number of athletes and coaches.
“We were recently approached by Young Talent Sports Academy of Germany who asked us if we are interested in sending some of our athletes and coaches to take part in this programme and we have a number of them would like to take part in it.
“The problem now is we have to seek some assistance to raise the €1 500 which is needed for each participant for this programme,” Mhondiwa said.
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