Earlier this month the university’s Dr Gary Stidder and Dr Thomas Carter worked with the Fundacion Buen Punto in Colombia with the aim of bringing the local community together through rugby.
As a result of this partnership, Barbarians Rugby Football Club has been incorporating Rugby 4 Peace’s strategies into its coaching and training.
In particular, the collaboration between Rugby 4 Peace and Fundacion Buen Punto seeks to provide opportunities for children and young adults in unfavourable situations with limited resources; who have some form of physical or psychological disability; or who are at risk of exclusion from society.
During the course of Rugby 4 Peace’s visit to Colombia, 60 coaches and teachers were trained using the initiative’s curriculum and methodology. A festival was also hosted for 340 children, 60 of whom have additional learning needs or disabilities.