Indochina Starfish Foundation of Cambodia Accredited by Coaches Across Continents
CAC has worked alongside ISF staff, coaches and young leaders since 2013. We have seen first-hand their growth when it comes to integrating play-based activities with key social and educational learning methodologies. Many ISF coaches have joined the CAC team over the years to facilitate Purposeful Play trainings for other leaders in communities beyond the ISF home in Phnom Penh. And after several years of learning and evolving together in partnership we are delighted to present ISF as a CAC accredited organization in using Purposeful Play and Education Outside the Classroom to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Addressing UNSDG 4 in Sonora
Update November 2020. We are thrilled to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Secretaría de Educación y Cultura (SEC) and Fundación del Empresariado Sonorense (FESAC) which formalizes their use of Purposeful Play in the state wide education system in Mexico.
In February 2020 the CAC team were back in Sonora, Mexico working with PE teachers from across the state to design and deliver Purposeful Play curriculum and Self-Directed Learning teaching methodology to address UNSDG 4: Quality Education.
In the past 4 years the partnership between Coaches Across Continents and Sonora Ministry of Education has provided opportunities for life-long learning and professional development to 500 PE teachers across Sonora state, Mexico, centered on equitable, quality education through sport. Now the Secretary has asked for us to continue consulting for the schools of Sonora, with the goal of reaching all school districts in the state (2,500+ schools and 600,000+ youth). Over 70% of teachers trained by CAC apply the curricula in their classes every week, and over 97% of respondents said they have learned useful tools to complement the objectives of their classes
How do we address UNSDG4: Quality Education in this partnership?
Global Goal Target 4.5: Eliminate gender disparities in education.
– 100% of these Sonoran educators agree that they are better prepared to create equal opportunities for girls and boys.
Global Goal Target 4A: Education facilities are child, disability and gender sensitive; learning
environments are safe, nonviolent, inclusive.
– Over 95% of teacher respondents now find ways to include students with physical and intellectual disabilities in their class.
Global Goal Target 4.7: Learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable
development.
– Over 87% of respondents feel that because of CAC they can support their students in gaining skills
needed to promote sustainable development. The top reasons cited are: we can create consciousness
easily, the tools are extremely versatile, and the content is relevant.
Quotes from Sonora teachers
“ Following the CAC training I do not push troubled students aside if they are acting out. We do not always know their story and it is our role as educators to make them feel welcomed and safe in the environment we create.” – Raúl Arvizu Ríos
“Thanks to CAC I have created a game about a real issue for my students, the changes in US border laws under President Trump, in order to teach them their rights but also to discuss what it means to respect people who are different from you.” – Javier Salas Fierro
“I have seen the children change, for they have the highest self-esteem. Now they look for me if they
have any problems like violence within the family. They trust me and we are solving problems.” – Laura
Elena Olivia Gaxiola
“CAC’s curriculum allows me to address difficult issues in my class because the students can play a role
on the field that they cannot play in real life. It allows them to put themselves in each other’s shoes and
be respectful with each other.”- Veronica Rodríguez
CAC Launches Coach Accreditation Program
January 14th 2020. Coaches Across Continents is proud to announce the first-ever global Accredited Coaches initiative. Accredited Coaches are the only coaches in the world equipped with Education Outside the Classroom training to impact the UNSDGs and Safe-Guarding Child Rights through Purposeful Play curriculum and methodology.
After 10 years working and learning how to best deliver sport and education around the world, Coaches Across Continents is now offering the next step in facilitator training by providing standards and processes to become an official, Accredited Coach.
Accredited Coaches have the skills and resources to design, develop and implement locally-driven and sustainable Education Outside the Classroom programs for youth of all ages and to train other leaders to do the same. They are able to develop their players athletically, with an emphasis of success put on their intentional actions towards addressing specific UNSDG’s.
Becoming an Accredited Coach will improve that leader’s ability to create sustainable change based on the UNSDGs, to find and secure funding and award opportunities, to enhance their brand reputation, and to deliver expert consultancy in Purposeful Play.
For the full Coach Accreditation press release please click here.
Child Safeguarding Campaign for Universal Children’s Day
November 20, 2019. CAC is proud to announce on Universal Children’s Day that 34 organizations on 5 continents have completed our 3-month Child Safeguarding Education campaign. Other organizations from our partnership network in 60+ countries are expected to complete this program shortly. CAC’s Child Safeguarding Education Program is the only one that recognizes organizations that reach CAC’s international standards for Child Safeguarding as one of our 28 year-round strategic resources needed for organizational accreditation.
“CAC is educating organizations and creating communities that have a comprehensive safeguarding culture and child-centric practices that engages all stakeholders as part of CAC’s Community Empowerment to Ensure All Human Rights.“
– Brian Suskiewicz, Chief Executive Strategist
Each organization goes through a thorough CAC-guided educational process to ensure that their child safeguarding is:
- Child Safe: Having children understand their rights as defined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child by playing CAC Purposeful Play games, understanding who they can talk to, and providing services for the child should any breach of their rights occur
- Coach Safe: Training practitioners on best practices for safe coaching and their role as a link between the children and the organization
- Organization Safe: Developing procedures and policies that guide the entire organization, from preventative measures to protect children to reporting procedures if violations occur
- Community Safe: Engaging key stakeholders such as families, social services, and the police on Child Safety and Protection measures and bringing CAC’s Theory of Change and the communities’ new and improved Child Safeguarding to life
CAC’s expertise in Child Safeguarding comes from decades of work in the field on best international practices that allow for local contextualization. Our partnerships with other leaders in the field include:
- UNICEF and being a pioneering member of the International Safeguards for Children in Sport
- UNHCR and working with refugees in emergency situations to create Community-Based Protection
- FIFA and their Guardians Program through our role as an official partner of the Asian Football Confederation
- CAC Published methodology on Peace and Child Rights, Child Protection, and Community Empowerment
For more information or to have your organization engage CAC through our Child Safeguarding Education Program, please contact:
Universal Children’s Day
On November 20th, 1959, the United Nations officially adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child. On the same day, three decades later, the UN adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child. With these historic steps forward, Universal Children’s Day has been used for the last 60 years to inform and celebrate the rights of all children, all over the world.
Coaches Across Continents has worked for a decade with a foundation built off of these two documents. We have used them to design curriculum, to create Child Rights policies, and to guide our global network towards a deeper understanding of Children’s Rights.
This year, with CAC’s focus on Education Outside the Classroom, we have modeled a brand new curriculum built off UNICEF’s 8 International Safeguards for Children in Sport.
Different from typical curriculums, this resource is targeted towards the training of staff, coaches, referees, volunteers, parents, supporters and young leaders involved in youth sports, not necessarily the youth themselves (though youth can definitely gain valuable skills and knowledge through playing).
If you are interested in receiving your free copy of this curriculum, please follow this link, answer a few quick questions, and get your FREE resource packet to help celebrate the day!
Happy Universal Children’s Day!
Creating Child Protection Globally
September 3, 2019. CAC has launched a three-month campaign working with our community partners in 60+ countries to create internationally approved Child Protection Policies that are child-, coach-, and organization-friendly.
- Education: Informing stakeholders based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
- Child Safe: Having children understand their rights by playing CAC Purposeful Play games, understanding who they can talk to, and providing services for the child should any breach of their rights occur
- Coach Safe: Training practitioners on best practices for safe coaching
- Organization Safe: Developing procedures and policies that guide the entire organizations, from preventative measures to protect children to reporting procedures if violations occur
- Community Safe: Engaging key stakeholders on Child Safety and Protection measures and bringing CAC’s Theory of Change and the communities’ new and improved Child Protection to life
On Universal Children’s Day, November 20th, the CAC network will celebrate the culture change in global Child Protection that moves communities from simply having a child protection policy document to having communities who have comprehensive and friendly practices engaging all stakeholders to protect children as part of CAC’s Community Empowerment to Ensure All Human Rights.
“We are proud that CAC is leading Child Protection globally.”
– Nick Gates, CAC Founder
CAC is a pioneering member for the International Safeguards for Children in Sport, has published papers on Child Protection and Peace and Child Rights, is on three UNICEF working groups for Child Protection, and is currently working with governments and NGOs on 6 continents to develop stronger child protection policies, procedures, and cultures.
