Youth Development Programme on Pele’s alumni agenda

With a clear vision towards the attainment of academic and athletic development of youth here in Guyana, the Pele Football Club Alumni Corporation, a 501(c) 3 registered Non-Profit Organisation in the USA, will be hosting its second annual two-day Educational Development Programme targeting young players.

Pele Alumni, with a mission to empower children while helping them to overcome poverty by building their confidence, self-esteem and ambition, through the power of sports, has also partnered with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), and is in the first year of a five-year contract where it is sponsoring for the first time ever an Intra Association Under-15 league in memory of Pele’s first President, Frank Watson.
Over the past seven years of its existence, Pele FC Alumni Corporation has made a significant impact on the Guyanese community by sponsoring annual youth soccer/educational tournaments.
But it has now changed gears, and is focusing more on providing educational opportunities for youth soccer players, who are in need of non-cash support as they pursue their academic endeavours.
Next week’s programme, which is much anticipated, will cater for about 90 youths and will see a number of presenters sharing on a wide sphere of topics at the Carifesta Sports Complex, Carifesta Avenue between 08:00h and 16:00h on both days.

Among the topics the participants would be lectured on are Dental Hygiene, Public Speaking, Career Guidance, Conflict Resolution, Benefit of Sports, Preparing for the Future, Goal Setting for a Positive Life, Etiquette, Basic Table Manners/Use of Cutlery/Crockery Practice and Information Technology-Today’s Needs.
The facilitators of these topics are Carnegie School, Camex, Donna Chapman, Brenthley Babb, Mark Bender, Ivor O’Brien, Dawn Braithwaite, Myrna Lee, Dr Fredrick Duncan, Dr Colin Watson and David Gomes.
According to one of the Pele FC Alumni Directors, Denis Ivor Carrington, the goal of the Annual Youth Development Programme is to teach adolescents the right skills, with the ability to understand the requirements and responsibilities considered necessary in preparation for life and living after high school, while incorporating the capability and independence to care for themselves.
Meanwhile, the National Library will be presented with eight laptop computers (for a second year) and over 2500 children’s books by the Pele Alumni Corporation today.