August 31, 2018. Founder Nick Gates reflects on a decade of CAC.
It seems just like yesterday when Coaches Across Continents came to life. I was on a local bus in East Africa when I had the idea on how to best support local communities. A lot has changed since our first and only program in 2008 in rural Kigoma, Tanzania. We started as a traditional, ‘train the trainer’ model, but we have evolved to provide year-round process consultancy to organizations in more than 56 countries. We have 3 key partnership pathways and 28 strategic resources for corporations, communities, governments, and foundations to implement our Education Outside the Classroom and create legacies of social change.
Coaches Across Continents has become the global leader in Education Outside the Classroom. Our published Self-Directed Learning methodology and Chance to Choice and ASK for Choice curriculum pathways has been requested by organizations in nearly 100 countries and impacts over 16 million children annually.
In the past decade our innovative programs, partnerships, and projects have been recognized with 25 major global awards. Currently we are shortlisted for Beyond Sport’s Global Impact of the Year Award with the winner announced in New York City on September 12th.
Our Corporate and Foundation Legacy Program Designs, Develops, and Implements specific CSR and Cause Marketing Initiatives, with successful CSR projects in 23 countries including Olympic and World Cup Legacies, while our Government and Community Legacy Program uses our 28 strategic resources and creates Education Outside the Classroom to address 10 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Organizations such as the Asian Football Confederation have named Coaches Across Continents their Social Responsibility Partner, while corporations like Nike, Chevrolet, Bloomberg, Standard Chartered Bank, and more have used CAC to bring their CSR initiatives to life. And foundations like the Michael Johnson Young Leaders Program rely on CAC to help implement their vision to create and educate dynamic young leaders around the world.
Over the past decade we have worked with over 430 different community organizations, including 12 of the FIFA Football for Hope Centers and nearly 50 different Street Football World partners. Through partnership with CAC, they have gone through organizational transformation and development using our strategic resources to best deliver Education Outside the Classroom in their communities. This year seven of our partners are also shortlisted for various Beyond Sport Awards.
Our success is only possible because of hundreds of committed individuals. I would like to thank our Board of Directors, Business Advisory Team, ASK for Choice Advisory Team, and Coach Advisory Team. We also want to give a special thanks to all our global citizens and supporters, our Community Impact Coaches, all our donors, our videographer Kevin O’Donovan, and the Taiji Brand Group for helping us create sustainable legacies all over the world.
This month, we celebrate our ten-year anniversary under the campaign #CAC10. It’s been a decade of excellence.
#WhatsYourLegacy?
Nick Gates
Founder and Global Strategist
