Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC
Learning English. I'm Neil.
And I'm Sam.
We all know that sport is great for our
health - and if you're talented
it can make you rich.
Many great champions have found
a way out of poverty through
their sporting ability
- think of someone like
footballer Maradona.
But in today's programme we're not
looking at the superstars.
Instead we'll discuss how
sport can change the lives of young
people from some of the poorest,
toughest backgrounds
on earth.
And of course, we'll be learning some
vocabulary on the way.
Many projects around the world use
sports to change children's lives -
improving mental
health, challenging stereotypes and giving
hope. Among them is the
Ebony Club in Brixton
which uses sport to help young people
in London's most disadvantaged
communities - but which
sport? That's my quiz question. Is it:
a) golf, b) tennis, or c) horse riding?
Well, I can't imagine there's enough space
for golf and horse riding in the city, so
I'll say b) tennis.
OK, we'll find out the answer later.
Just now we were talking about
London but sporting
projects like the Ebony Club are
happening all over the world.
In Cape Town, South Africa, British surfer
Tim Conibear noticed how kids
from poor townships
hardly ever went to the beach.
So he started giving them
free surfing lessons.
Tim founded the 'Waves for Changes'
project and now hundreds
of kids go along each week
to get 'surfing therapy'. Not only is surfing
giving them a buzz, it's helping to improve
their life chances.
Here he is talking to the BBC World
Service programme
People Fixing the World:
Surfing also is quite difficult
so you're learning a very
challenging skill which takes
a lot of confidence. Very small successes
that children have when they go into the
water elicit a really big emotional
response. If you come from
a background of trauma quite
often you'll have a negative self-image
and being able to try
something new, achieve something
new, be recognised by a coach or
a mentor is very very good for
your confidence as well.
Most of the surfers have experienced
trauma - emotional pain
and shock caused by very
distressing experiences.
This has given them a negative
self-image - the way a person
feels about themselves,
their ability, personality and value.
Surfing helps kids improve their
self-image because it's
challenging - difficult in a
way that tests your ability
and determination.
So challenging, in fact, that the
children have a mentor - a trusted
advisor who gives
help and support to a younger
or less experienced person.
Tim believes that the concentration
needed to surf makes the
children's other problems
disappear - at least for a short time.
And the results so far have been
optimistic, with a significant reduction
in violent behaviour
reported among Cape Town's
young surfers.
Surfing is quite well-known in
South Africa. But what happens
when you take a completely
unknown sport into one of the least
developed countries on earth?
In 2007, Australian Oliver Percovich
was travelling in Afghanistan with
his skateboard. The children
there were fascinated so he started
showing them how to skate.
The idea grew and a few years later
he founded the organisation
'Skateistan' giving free
skateboard lessons to children aged
five to seventeen, with a focus
on those with disabilities,
from low-income backgrounds
and especially, girls.
Here's 'Skateistan' volunteer,
Jessica Faulkner, explaining how
skateboarding reinforces positive
educational messages which Afghan
kids don't always get at home.
There's a few things that skateboarding
does as a kind of function.
It is really quite
challenging - it's not an easy sport for
anyone whether you're young or old.
And that means
that it also teaches quite a lot of life
skills. You have to fall off
a skateboard quite a
lot of times before you get better and
it really helps children with
things like goal
setting and resilience and determination.
Also, and really importantly, we do believe
that children should have fun.
Like surfing, skateboarding is challenging
and difficult. It requires effort and Jessica
believes this teaches children important
life skills - the basic skills needed to solve
problems commonly encountered
in everyday life.
One important life skill is goal setting -
deciding what things you want
to achieve and how you
plan to achieve them.
Along with other skills like determination
and resilience, this helps
kids improve their
outlook on life.
And to experience one of the most
important things - having fun!
Which reminds me about the kids
at the Ebony Club and my quiz question.
Remember that I
asked you which sport the club uses
to support disadvantaged
children in London.
Yes, and I said, b) tennis
But in fact, it's c) horse riding - a sport
normally associated with the elite.
In this episode we've been discussing
how sport can help improve
the life chances of
young people from tough backgrounds,
many of whom have suffered trauma -
severe emotional
pain and distress.
Such pain damages a child's self-image -
how they see and value themselves
in the world.
This can be improved by taking part
in sports, like surfing, skating
and horse riding, which
are challenging - demanding
and testing of your abilities.
Often kids are supported by a mentor - a
trusted, more experienced friend
who can offer help
and advice.
And with this support they learn life skills
- basic skills everyone needs to cope with
everyday problems.
One important skill is goal setting -
deciding what you want
to accomplish and planning how
to do it.
And of course, sometimes the most
important goal is just to have fun!
That's all we have time for.
Join us again soon as we discuss
more topical issues.
Bye for now!
Bye!