23 Peace Corps volunteers were sworn in today in Belmopan. It's part of the third cohort of Youth Empowered by Sports project where these volunteers work in partnership with the Ministry Of Youth And Sports, teaching youths to build life skills through sports. Jomarie Lanza was there:
It's not a graduation ceremony but more of an initiation which marks the start of a new journey for these Peace Corps volunteers. They were sworn in today as part of the organisation's youth development sector, their Country Director told us what that entails.
Nadine Rogers, Country Director
"So Peace Corps volunteers are sworn in in countries all over the world we are serving in over 60 countries and that means that in about 60 places for the last 60 years we have been bringing people we have been training them and preparing them to go out into communities to do devout work at the grass roots level we have
an amazing program here in Belize, people here in Belize have always welcomed us and we will continue to do this work as long as they need it so today's ceremony swore in 23 more volunteers."
"So the Peace Corps we don't bring money we bring people so you are going to power up efforts at the grass roots level with human beings so we don't worry about what the community doesn't have we worry about what the community does have. The community has people the community has space the community has children and that is who we work with and so we cover about 5 discipline we make sure they know the games the rules of the games and that they are able to compete in the tournaments that the national sports council has so we do a tremendous amount of work with the resources that each community has."
At present they have a total of 68 volunteers on the ground as part of the program, but these new 23 volunteers will focus solely on youth and sports development.
Lynelle Williams, Program manager, Youth Empowered by sports
"So the youth empowered by sports project that we partner with the ministry of youth and sports and tourism all of our volunteers work in primary schools where they assist primary school coaches to enter the national primary school sports program so working along with local coaches to incorporate life skills into the five disciplines that the national sports council offers that is basketball, volleyball, softball, football as well as track and field and so they are out there working with local coaches inspiring the youth through youth clubs community clubs and anybody that is working in youth and sports our volunteers are available to help them with we really have three objectives the first is to incorporate life skills through sports that is the one we are most known for that we do at the primary school level the second objective is helping to building capacity and organizational development for youth service providers and the third is focused on supporting parents so that they can in turn support young people in sports."
Also present at the ceremony was the Minister of Youth and Sports Anthony Mahler. He says that they are grateful for all the support in key areas:
Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism, Youth, & Sports
"As the Minister of Sports it is important because the peace corp who have volunteered here in Belize are doing great work here in the primary schools under this youth empowered through sports initiative and project, I strongly believe we can create the fundamental programs in high school and in primary school for our athletes to be able to move to a higher level."
