SPMA 4P93 – Sport for Development Field Course – 2025 – Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI)

Sport for Development Field Course – 2024 – Turks and Caicos Islands

Introduction

The Sport for Development Field Course delivered from February 13 to 24, 2025 on the Turks and Caicos Islands (SPMA 4P93) is designed for students seeking to leverage their knowledge of sport for development gained in SPMA 3P93 by participating in a field experience abroad. The purpose of the course is to achieve the development goals by delivering two existing program that include:

Life Skills Rugby for Development School Program – to instill life skills (e.g., resilience, teamwork, positive communication skills, professionalism, timeliness, sportsmanship) among children and youth through the school-based rugby program and rugby tournaments (e.g., “Rugby Festival”);
Increase school retention among elementary and high school students – to create youth leadership training – mentorship program wherein older rugby players mentor younger athletes; Brock students engage in leader training targeted for older rugby players.

Students develop templates, lesson plans, games, reflection questions and materials, in the Fall semester in SPMA 3P93 then deliver the programs to elementary and high school students in TCI. Importantly, a goal of the SPMA 4P93 course is to engage students in both development programs listed above by exposing them to various techniques and approaches to undertaking development through sport. In relation to student knowledge and skill development, the course will be designed to ensure students are able to: 1) be able to multi-task, and 2) to be adaptive. (how specifically to ensure these two?) Being involved in more than one task/role/area of development will also foster students’ engagement.

Apply now by completing the online form linked here.

Requirements

Are you a 3^rd or 4^th year sport management student?
Are you looking for a unique international field experience in sport for development and deriving school-based programs?
Are you available during Reading Week (February 13 to 24) in 2025?
This is a half-credit opportunity.

Course description

May include planning, communication, relationship building, leadership development, program delivery and evaluation in a national or international humanitarian sport project.

This course will consist of an international field experience in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Students will engage in various sport for development initiatives in elementary and high schools and in event management while hosting two (2) rugby festivals/competitions. The fieldwork component consists of delivering the rugby-resilience program in elementary and high schools, conducting workshops focused on addressing the high drop-out rate among students and discouraging them from joining gangs.

Course objectives

This course is a combination of theoretical discussion and field experience It will focus on the exploration of youth leadership to address issues in an elementary school-based context using sport. By the end of this course, students should be able to:

Understand key components of effective sport for development program delivery in an experiential context.
Critically assess varying approaches to delivering a collaborative sport for development program with one or more community partners.
Identify ways sport may be used as a mechanism for to address social issues.
Think more critically and reflectively about sport for development.
Understanding of sport for development within a school-based context, and
Enhance student’s ability to work collaboratively.

Commitment

Complete tasks related to the development of school rugby program delivery and the rugby festival.
Attend pre-departure training offered by Brock International.
Take the Rugby Ready Level 1 Certification Course (conducted by Rugby Ontario at Brock)
Download the SpacesEDU mobile app (used for the purpose of reflective practice)
Participate in weekly planning sessions in person and on Teams in January and February 2025.
Actively engage in daily reflective practice sessions while in-country.
Submit a post-trip reflection paper.
Complete and submit all pre-departure forms.
Acceptance of all procedures and guidelines provided by Brock, including a nightly curfew of midnight, and the Turks and Caicos Island Rugby Football League while in-country.

Location

Accommodation during the field experience will be at the Island Club Turks Hotel in Grace Bay on the island of Providenciales.

Cost

The cost of the field experience will require:

Air Canada non-stop return flight from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport to Providenciales International Airport (note: transportation to Pearson Airport is not included)
Accommodation in a townhouse-style unit at the Turks Island Club hotel
Ground transportation while in TCI including airport pick-up and all transport to local schools and the rugby club for program delivery.
Groceries for breakfast and lunch prepared by the students in their townhouse.

Anticipated total approximately $3,600.00 plus tuition – payable to Brock University in three installments.

Cultural experiences

Attend The Fish Fry, a popular weekly event in TCI hosted on Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Visit the island’s orphanage to donate school supplies.