Since it’s inauguration in 2011, Just Play has reached over 1,300 children from the age of six through to 12 in primary schools and community organisations in the Cook Islands.
Since then the popular programme has spread its wings to two of the outer islands, Atiu and Aitutaki while two training courses have taken place Rarotonga and many festivals have been celebrated in the past two years.
Project manager and Just Play instructor Michelle Paiti will be conducting the two-day workshop on February 18 and 19 and incorporating theoretical and practical activities covering the important aspects of Just Play.
“Some of the trained teachers and facilitators have moved on from previous schools or have moved overseas, so more of teachers will be trained to deliver Just Play to our children,” says Paiti.
In addition, two teachers who are waiting to travel back to Palmerston will also have the chance to experience the thrills of Just Play, allowing the programme to spread to the children on their home island.
“This is exciting for the progression of Just Play, especially when it is difficult to travel to the northern parts of the Cook Islands,” says Paiti.
“I believe that the children on Palmerston will thoroughly enjoy the activities outlined in the Just Play manuals and I look forward to updates from these two teachers,” she says.
Just Play kits full of equipment required for this programme will be presented to the new facilitators to allow them to continue delivering the programme throughout the next six weeks and beyond.
Developed by the OFC social responsibility and technical departments, Just Play is designed for children aged six to 12 and promotes physical activity while encouraging community involvement, healthy living, gender equality and disability development.
OFC has worked closely with UEFA, the Australian Government – through its agencies the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) – and Football Federation Australia to implement the programme across the Pacific over a three-year period between 2009 and 2012. It was launched in Tonga and is now also running in American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti and Vanuatu.
The confederation has also been working in New Zealand with Special Olympics on a Just Play programme for people with mental disabilities and has launched the same initiative in Samoa and Fiji.
Just Play has reached over 106,000 children – 43 per cent of whom are female – across the Pacific and trained over 2,200 teachers and volunteers.
For more on Cook Islands football go to www.cookislandsfootball.com

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