At a glance
- Work with children to develop their fitness. You’ll support the work of local teachers, and gain practical coaching experience helping your future career.
- In Samoa, diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure are on the rise. Therefore you’ll encourage children to develop their fitness and educate them on the importance of eating healthy food.
- You’ll be based in Apia, the biggest city in Samoa, and live with a local host family. During your free time, you can explore beautiful tropical beaches, go snorkelling, and more.
Start Dates:
Completely flexible dates
See DatesMinimum Duration:
Two Weeks
Requirements:
Anyone aged 16 or over can join
Is volunteering as a school sports coach in Samoa right for me?
If you’re passionate about sport and fitness, and want to share your passion with disadvantaged children, this project is for you.
This project will also give you valuable coaching experience to add to your CV, and it will help you develop your personal skills, like leadership. It will demonstrate your commitment to helping others, and give you interesting points to talk about in applications or interviews.
You don’t need any experience or qualifications to join, although having knowledge of several sports is recommended. You’ll support local teachers, and our staff in Samoa will be there to guide you if you need them.
This project runs year around, and you can join at any time for a minimum of two weeks. We encourage you to stay longer, so you can have a bigger impact on your students.
What will I do on the School Sports Project in Samoa?
In Samoa, your main role will be to teach physical education classes. The activities you’ll take part in include:
- Develop the sporting skills of school children during their physical education classes
- Promote physical exercise and healthy lifestyles to children at a local school
- Teach English to local Samoan children to assist them in pursuing desired careers
Develop children’s skills during physical education classes
You’ll work at local primary or secondary schools as a physical education teacher. You’ll work with different age groups, and teach sports like:
- Football
- Rugby
- Volleyball
You’ll work on developing their skills in these sports. You can also speak to our staff about introducing other sports.
Promote physical exercise and healthy lifestyles to children at a local school
In Samoa, non-communicable diseases like diabetes are on the rise. This is caused by unhealthy diets and a lack of exercise. As a sports coach in schools, you’ll help raise awareness about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
You’ll do this by demonstrating exercise techniques that children can do at schools and at home. You’ll also share knowledge about healthy foods to eat.
Teach English to local Samoan children to assist them in pursuing desired careers
You could also be asked to further develop the English skills of the children you teach. Many of the children only have a basic understanding of the language, and it’s an important skill to have in Samoa. During your physical education classes, you can encourage the children to practice speaking English with you.
This is important, as the children need more opportunities to practice and raise their confidence.
Where will I work in Samoa?
Apia
You’ll live and work in Apia, the capital and biggest city in the Samoan islands. Apia is located on the central north coast of Upolu, the second largest island of the country.
You will work at either a primary or secondary school that is located in or near to Apia. Many schools in Samoa have limited resources like sporting facilities, equipment, and they are often understaffed.
What will a typical day be like?
A typical day at your school will begin around 8:30am. You’ll travel here from your host family using public transport. A member of our staff will accompany you on your first day to show you the way. All of your work-related transportation costs are covered by Projects Abroad.
The structure of your day will vary depending on the school’s timetable. You’ll teach from 8:30am to 10:30am. After your morning classes, you’ll have a lunch break. Classes continue after lunch until 2pm.
During your free time, we encourage you to explore Apia. You could join some locals for a game of kirikiti, the local version of cricket. Or, you can visit one of the many festivals celebrating everything from fire dancing to traditional Samoan tattoos. You can also spend time with your host family.
There are idyllic beaches where you can swim, snorkel, and surf, within a five minute walk from Apia.
Aims and impact of the School Sports Project in Samoa
The main aim of this project is to encourage healthy living among disadvantaged children.
In Samoa, non-communicable diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure are on the rise. These diseases are often caused by unhealthy diets and a lack of exercise. In addition, schools have limited resources and equipment, and there often are no dedicated physical education teachers.
It is extremely important for children to learn from a young age about the health benefits of a balanced diet and exercise. You’ll work with local teachers to teach kids about this, and you’ll sometimes assist interns from our Nutrition Project. Sharing this knowledge will go a long way with improving overall wellness in local communities.
We also have a secondary aim for this project. We want you to learn about playing sports in a different country, and gain hands-on coaching experience.
Join us in Samoa and help inspire children to get fit through sports and live healthy, active lives.
Management plans
We set out the aims and objectives of our projects in documents called Management Plans. We use them to properly plan the work you’ll do. They also help us measure and evaluate our achievements and impact each year.
Ultimately, our Management Plans help us make our projects better. This in turn means you get to be part of something that makes a real impact where it’s needed. Read more about our Management Plans.
Measuring our impact
Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.
Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family in Apia. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Samoa and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Leisure activities and free time
There’s plenty to do during your free time while volunteering on the tropical islands of Samoa. Whether you’re a beach lover, a nature enthusiast, or a culture buff, there’s sure to be something for you!
Our projects are based in Samoa’s capital, Apia. This city has plenty to do nearby so you don’t have to go far to get the most out of volunteering abroad. There are a number of museums and art galleries in Apia. You can wander through their halls on free afternoons and take in the splendour of local artworks and rich national history.
With white-sand beaches, the Palolo Deep Marine Reserve, and the Piula Cave Pool, there are many different ways to appreciate nature and marine life. You can go snorkelling through rainbow-coloured reefs or just relax on the beach in the warm sun.
You’ll likely have many other volunteers in-country with you during your project. This means you can explore independently or in a group. Travelling between the different islands together is a great way to bond and connect with other volunteers.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on-hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
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