By Mark Slessenger | Director of Hope Academy
Dear friends, the Hope Academy projects in both prisons have continued to go from strength to strength.
In Leeuwkop (Johannesburg) we have recently overseen the following:-
1. Academy level training through our License C curriculum that deals with passing as a foundation. 2. Life skills training focusing on forgiveness (we saw this was a great need in the academy). 3. Hosted mission touring team during Confederation Cup. 4. Made contacts into surrounding leagues to register the academy in a local football association in 2010.
In Drakenstein prison (Cape Town) we have recently overseen the following:
1. Our Academy in the local Helderberg League. Currently the team is top of the league and unbeaten for the season. 2. 2 of our players have been released. 1 player has been registered in a local team (we took him to trials) and we are trying to secure employment (Jam Jam). The other player is to be employed as an electrician (Enver). 3. We hosted a family day for all the prisoners in the academy. This was an extremley successful day. The family members testified about their hurt and fear for their children in prison and how the program has brought hope. 4. We are starting a community project where the academy boys will coach children in a local school.
We are excited about the progress made in the academies this year. Correctional Services in South Africa have seen the impact of the program and now want to go into a Memorandum of Agreement with Ambassadors In Sport to develop elite soccer academies in prisons around the country. This is the first initiative of this world wide to our knowledge.
By Mark Slessenger | Hope Academy Coordinator
By Mark Slessenger | Hope Academy Launch 2009
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