Cricket Fiji has partnered with Cricket Australia to organise and facilitate the Cricket for Good-Fiji program, supported by Team Up, the Australian government’s initiative for sports for development programs in the Pacific. In addition to this partnership, Cricket Fiji has also registered an agreement with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to be its local implementing partner for the program, which is scheduled to continue for a duration of 2 years until July 2025.
The Cricket for Good-Fiji Program (C4G) is an initiative focused on using cricket to drive social development and positive change in the local community. The program aims to foster social inclusion by utilising cricket as a tool to unite individuals from diverse backgrounds and promoting a sense of unity and belonging. It also strives to enhance education and life skills through cricket-related activities and aligns with the Ministry of Youth and Sport’s Seeds of Success program. Ultimately, the program seeks to empower young people and women by offering opportunities to participate in cricket, addressing violence and advocating for gender equality and women’s empowerment in the sport.
The program commenced from Tuesday this week with the Training of Trainers, where officials from Cricket Fiji and the Ministry of Youth and Sports will undergo the Oceania Sports Education Program (OSEP) accredited Presenter & Assessor Course and a First Aid in Sports course in collaboration with Fiji Rugby. The next phase will involve the training of youth coaches by these qualified Trainers from 13 – 22 December 2023.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the program will be implemented in various communities in Serua, Nadi, and Lautoka Districts. It will offer coaching, training and skill development opportunities for young participants at various skill levels. The sessions will integrate the Seeds of Success program which provides life skills training in areas such as goal-setting, resilience and decision-making alongside cricket activities.
The program is managed by Makelesi Bulikiobo and the anticipated rollout of the first C4G session is from January 2024.
