Jason Roberts Foundation launch new partnership with Laureus in Grenada
GRENADA, November 28, 2016 – Young people from the Youth in Action programme in Grenada, a new initiative announced today by the Jason Roberts Foundation, supported by Laureus Sport for Good, have met Britain’s Prince Harry during his visit to the island.
Today’s royal visit to Queen’s Park, in the Grenada capital St George’s, coincided with the formal launch of an ongoing partnership between Laureus and the Jason Roberts Foundation, that will ultimately help to improve the lives of young people throughout the Caribbean.
In addition to participants from Youth in Action, there were other boys and girls at Queen’s Park taking part in football, cricket and netball sessions, watched by Prince Harry, Jason Roberts and Laureus World Sports Academy Chairman Sean Fitzpatrick, the former All Blacks captain.
The Jason Roberts Foundation stages an exhibition match during a visit by His Royal Highness Prince Harry.
Piloted in 2015 and 2016 by the Jason Roberts Foundation, vulnerable young people from Grenada undertook sporting and personal development training, before representing their country in the Homeless World Cup tournaments in Amsterdam and Glasgow respectively.
The newly announced Youth in Action uses former players from the teams as volunteers to run sports-based social action projects on the island to promote social inclusion and community cohesion.
From 2017 Laureus will be working with the Jason Roberts Foundation to extend a programme of sports participation and personal development across Grenada, with unemployed young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those at risk of offending. Previous graduates will act as role models and mentors for new participants in the project.
The partnership will also produce a sport for development curriculum and an independent report with recommendations for how the concept can be repeated in other parts of the Caribbean.
Jason Roberts, Founder and Trustee of the Jason Roberts Foundation, said:
“I am extremely proud of the young people that have participated in our programmes in Grenada to date. The new partnership with Laureus is a fantastic opportunity for my Foundation to scale up our work and impact on the lives of many more young people and communities in the country. To be announcing this partnership alongside a Royal visit demonstrates the impact that sport as a tool for development can have, and the credibility it has around the world.”