The commitment to the young people they work with was palpable among the group of around 20 sport coaches and organisers who met at the Sunshine Life Centre on Saturday June 14. It was the second meeting at the organisation’s old Port Alfred Station offices to establish a forum for community members working with youth in various sports.
The forum is intended to promote better communication, sharing of resources and mutual support among coaches and coordinators. It may also eventually provide a legitimate channel for state support for community based work in sport, art and culture.
Led by Sunshine Life NGO director Hyman van Zyl, coaches shared the challenges they faced as they sought to draw young people into their sporting communities – and keep them there.
“How do you keep kids motivated?” one coach asked his peers in a discussion group.
Another spoke of nearly losing a talented young sportsman to drug abuse and how he had pulled him back into the fold.
A recurring theme for many was a lack of resources: kit and equipment, but especially transport – not only to attend away competitions, but even to get to and from practice sessions.
The involvement of parents was a strong predictor of a child’s sporting (and general) success – but how to achieve that was a challenge for coaches.
Most of all, there needed to be more people doing what those community coaches and mentors are doing.
“Go to any match – soccer, rugby, cricket – and you’ll see kids on the sidelines watching, or maybe even kicking a ball around themselves,” said one of the coaches. “Those kids are reaching out. They’re saying, ‘I need this – I want to be part of this!’”
In his introduction Van Zyl said apart from its heath and intrinsic value, sport and the arts provided a unique connection point with youth.
“Through engaging with them in that environment, we can come to understand their challenges.”
Perhaps the most powerful thing about sport and the arts was that in that environment, everyone started from the same playing field.
“In that way, it’s the opposite of our economic system, where some people are given a head start. Sport can be a tool to create awareness. It gives everyone a fair chance,” said Van Zyl.
This was the second meeting held to explore the idea of the forum and an executive to take the process forward was elected. It would be expanded once other community sport and arts groups joined up. The forum’s role, as outlined so far, is likely to include the following:
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Developing shared sports and arts calendars
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Starting WhatsApp and email groups
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Regular get-togethers;
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An annual sports and/or arts event;
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Building capacity through sharing information and resources;
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Providing pipelines for local talent to grow;
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Guidance for effective youth development;
If you would like to know more about the forum, call or message Hyman van Zyl at 073 897 9179
A campaign of hope
‘Keeping kids off the streets and away from drugs’’ is what concerned adults often cite as the purpose of engaging youth in activities. Van Zyl explained the approach that Sunshine Life takes in its substance abuse group.
“People turn to substance abuse because they have no hope. When a young person has something that they feel really belongs to them, it’s harder for their peers to take them off track,” Van Zyl said.
Here’s how Sunshine Life explains its substance abuse programme:
Issue: In South Africa’s townships, limited opportunities breed hurdles like inadequate education, few job prospects, and scant support systems. These challenges obstruct advancement, stifling personal growth and societal progress. Consequently, a pervasive sense of hopelessness has spurred a troubling surge in substance abuse, exacerbating mental health issues and fracturing community cohesion.
Goal: To reduce drug availability and usage in Ndlambe by fostering hope and purpose among residents while providing guidance and assistance to individuals struggling with substance abuse.
Beneficiaries: 200 individuals struggling with substance abuse
Objectives
Mitigation: Encourage public reporting of drug-related activities while forging partnerships with law enforcement and private security entities to curb drug distribution networks.
Rehabilitation and Support: Provide consultation and access to rehabilitation centres for individuals seeking recovery, ensuring ongoing support during their reintegration into society. Establish easily accessible AA and NA groups.
Awareness: Launch a comprehensive campaign to raise awareness about the perils of substance abuse and the availability of support resources.
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https://www.shine.ngo/programs/substance-abuse
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This article was first published in Talk of the Town, June 26, 2025. The newspaper serving the communities of Ndlambe and the Sunshine Coast, with a weekly wrap of Makhanda news, is available at stores from early on Thursdays.
