After several months of preparation, building at the Craig Bellamy Foundation Academy has begun. Armed with pick axes, shovels, measuring tapes, nails, and string, a Freetown based contractor and his team of tried and tested local workers from Tombo have been digging, and sometimes drilling, the foundations of the Academy’s two new buildings.

With the early arrival of the rainy season, the race is now on to finish the dormitory and a classroom blocks before another 16 promising young Sierra Leone footballers start their scholarships in September.

Despite the spectacular tropical storms hitting the academy this week, we are very confident that our contractor, chosen after a rigorous selection process, will rise to the challenge and complete two high quality buildings in time for the new academic year.

At the moment, the site is a series of carefully positioned holes – as specified in the engineer’s drawings – next to colourful mounds of sand, soil and stone. I’m looking forward to seeing the structures emerging beginning to emerge from the ground over the next few weeks.

This phase of construction work will also improve the Academy’s infrastructure as we aim to be environmentally friendly and self-sustainable. A recently drilled borehole and system of storage tanks will provide clean water year round and a bank of solar panels will provide enough energy to keep the Academy running 24 hours a day.

Do you fancy an exciting and rewarding opportunity coaching at a top Football academy in West Africa?

The Craig Bellamy Foundation Football Academy in Sierra Leone is recruiting Football Coaches on its Professional Volunteer Programme, beginning in September 2012.

Dates: Positions available from September 2012 ongoing

Location: Sierra Leone

Contract type: Full Time

Contract term: Temporary

The Craig Bellamy Foundation is a UK charity that offers talented and underprivileged children in Sierra Leone the chance to reach their true potential. We do this by running a non-profit football academy, as well as operating a unique nationwide youth development football league.

The Academy is a fully residential international school with extensive sports facilities, currently hosting 32 boys aged 11-16 and 10 international staff. The Academy programme gives equal focus to the academic, athletic and personal development of pupils who are given five-year scholarships.

Each year, a new generation of Academy recruits are drawn from an extensive selection process across the country. The next generation are being recruited now…would you like to help us change their lives?

Whether you are an experienced coach on a career break, or just embarking on a football career, our Professional Volunteer Programme offers you the chance to gain valuable international experience and the opportunity to really make a difference, whilst enjoying the vibrant life of the West African coast. As well as coaching at the Academy, there are also opportunities to take part in national player and coach education clinics, as well as help implement our extensive scouting programme across Sierra Leone

Unlike many volunteering opportunities, we only ask that you cover the cost of your travel to Sierra Leone. Join other volunteers taking a break from careers in the development, PR, sporting, and medical fields. Academy life is much more than just school and football….staff and volunteers alike share their hobbies and passions with the boys (yoga, boxing, swimming, even rapping!) and we get some interesting visitors too…

Professional Volunteer Programme

Details of Position: Football Coach

Main duties

- Planning, preparing and delivering daily coaching sessions to specific age group   players and supporting players with their personal development programmes.

- Conducting warm-ups and cool-downs for training sessions.

- Liaising with the Head Coach on a daily basis regarding player development.

- Conducting player assessments and maintaining records

- Attending weekly technical meeting with plans prepared.

- Contributing to the Academy Life Skills programme

Qualifications, Experience and Skills Required

- FA Level II coaching qualification or higher (UEFA B preferred)

- 2-3 years experience coaching at elite or developmental junior levels

- Good communication skills and ability to adapt to different cultures

- Enthusiastic, creative and passionate about children and learning

- Flexible, creative and hard-working

- References to confirm suitability to work with children

Placement Details

- The minimum duration of Placements is one academic term (3 months)

- Placements are unpaid, but living and accommodation costs are covered by the Foundation.

- Accommodation is provided at the Craig Bellamy Foundation Academy located at Tombo Village, near Freetown, Sierra Leone.

What’s included?

- Transfers to and from Academy at start and end of placement

- Orientation either upon arrival in-country, or in UK prior to departure

- Accommodation and all meals on campus

- On-site security and basic healthcare

- Pre-pay mobile phone sim-card

What’s not included?

- Flights

- Visa & Vaccinations

- Travel / Medical Insurance

- Drinks / meals off-site

Applications

To apply, please e-mail your CV & covering letter to coaching@craigbellamyfoundation.org telling us how you could contribute to the work of the Foundation and the dates you are available.

The Craig Bellamy Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all of its staff and stakeholders to share this commitment.  Appointment to this role is subject to Criminal Records Bureau checks in the UK, and, where appropriate, equivalent

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Rowland family, Dennis Cole and Alhassan Bah will be moving to California in August where they will have access to some of the best academic and sporting facilities in the US.

The Dunn School in California will provide the boys with a fantastic learning opportunity and will equip them with the skills and experience to follow their chosen career path, play competitive football, and one day return to Sierra Leone as leaders.

These scholarships are the first of what we hope will be many more opportunities for the boys at the Academy to further their academic, sporting and personal development in the US, UK and Europe.

Helping them settle into life in the US and supporting them during their studies will be our US Coordinator, Kelsey Sullivan. Having spent the past year teaching English at the Academy, Kelsey knows the boys well and we have no doubt that with her guidance Dennis and Alhassan will do themselves, the Foundation and their country proud.

In June, the winners from each region will be invited to one of the best pitches in Sierra Leone for the 2012 Finals Day which will see eight boys league teams (one u12 and one u14 from each of Freetown, Bo, Makeni, and Kenema), two girls league teams (one from Makeni and one from Bo) and an exhibition match between two amputee football teams.

As well as a showcase of the League’s best football teams, it also offers an important opportunity to showcase the impacts of sport and development and to deliver potentially lifesaving health and development messages to a large audience.

The Craig Bellamy Foundation Football Academy in Sierra Leone is recruiting Teachers of Key Stages 2-4 on its Professional Volunteer Programme, beginning in September 2012.

Dates: Positions available from September 2012 ongoing

Location: Sierra Leone

Contract type: Full Time

Contract term: Temporary

The Craig Bellamy Foundation is a UK charity that offers talented and underprivileged children in Sierra Leone the chance to reach their true potential. We do this by running a non-profit football academy, as well as operating a unique nationwide youth development football league.

The Academy is a fully residential international school with extensive sports facilities, currently hosting 32 boys aged 11-16 and 10 international staff. The Academy programme gives equal focus to the academic, athletic and personal development of pupils who are given five-year scholarships.

Each year, a new generation of Academy recruits are drawn from an extensive selection process across the country. The next generation are being recruited now…would you like to help us change their lives?

Whether you are an experienced teacher on a career break, or just embarking on a classroom career, our Professional Volunteer Programme offers you the chance to gain valuable international experience and the opportunity to really make a difference, whilst enjoying the vibrant life of the West African coast. As well as teaching at the Academy, there are also opportunities to teach at schools in the surrounding community.

Unlike many volunteering opportunities, we only ask that you cover the cost of your travel to Sierra Leone. Join other volunteers taking a break from careers in the development, PR, sporting, and medical fields. Academy life is much more than just school and football….staff and volunteers alike share their hobbies and passions with the boys (yoga, boxing, swimming, even rapping!) and we get some interesting visitors too…

The Craig Bellamy Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all of its staff and stakeholders to share this commitment.  Appointment to this role is subject to Criminal Records Bureau checks in the UK, and, where appropriate, equivalent systems overseas.

A trademark Craig Bellamy free-kick set up an Andy Carroll winning goal to book Liverpool’s place in this year’s FA Cup Final. The match on 5th May will be Liverpool’s second Wembley final this season after their triumph in February’s League Cup.

When the busy football season draws to a close, Craig will not be putting his feet up for a well deserved holiday. Instead he’ll be on the first flight to Sierra Leone for his annual visit to check on his Foundation’s progress and doing what he loves most…training with the boys.

Craig will also find time to host an event to meet and thank the individuals and organisations that support CBF’s work, including our generous long-standing supporters SSGI and the companies and individuals that sponsor teams in the CBF League.

We look forward to seeing Craig again in May and we’ll let you know how it all went in the next Newsletter.

Thanks to the huge success of last months fundraiser, the British Army in Sierra Leone (IMATT) are now the proud sponsors of two teams in Makeni – one in each of our boys and girls Leagues – for this and next season. Sponsorship was also secured from Print Point Ltd., Aureol Insurance and Long Lost Brother Records.

Sponsorship provides all the children in each team with annual school scholarships, as well as contributing to the team’s community development projects and match day costs. Many teams are still looking for sponsors – for this season and next – so if you or your organisation are interested in getting involved then please get in touch by emailing our CEO, Tim Kellow.

One of our sponsors, Mercury International, recently provided the four teams it supports with smart new kit, complete with numbers and the company’s logo. Mercury are not only taking advantage of this marketing opportunity, but also giving a real sense of pride to the children who couldn’t wait to start playing in their new kits, as you can see from the photos.

Last weekend, Academy Manager Johnny McKinstry held a training camp for the best 20 under-12 football players in Sierra Leone selected last year following our annual nationwide scouting operation.

Nearly all the boys play for teams in the CBF Youth Development League and were taking part in the second of three training weekends this year. Ahead of the next academic year, the best performing players will be invited to join the academy as our ‘Second Generation’ where we will nurture their athletic, academic and personal development.

Thanks to the continued generous financial support of our founder, Craig Bellamy, a new dormitory and classroom block are being built in time for the arrival of the second generation at the Academy in September.

Getting off the plane and onto the ferry, greeted by the warm breeze and the even warmer smiles, I knew I was home. I’ve returned to Sweet Salone after spending nine months teaching in India.

To be reunited with my boys is a blessing and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be back at the academy teaching English Language and Literature. This term we’re reading some wonderful classics: John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. I have also added S.E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. Although this American tale of clashing gangs in the 60′s is not a classic, it’s nevertheless an evocative story of innocence, courage, and social status. I’m optimistic the boys are going to love it!

And on Monday, to mark World Book Day, I launched the CBF Book Club. The club will meet each day for an hour after school so that the boys can discuss characters, issues, and ideas in small groups. We also want to encourage reading in our local community so later this term the boys will be leading special reading classes in Tombo.

I’m delighted to be teaching at the Academy again. Last year’s study of Golding’s Lord of the Flies was such a tremendous success, I hope to keep the boys’ love of reading alive with the novels I’ve chosen this term.

Long live CBF!

Many people celebrated success on the racecourse and one lucky auction bidder snapped up a Liverpool FC shirt signed by Craig Bellamy and his Premier League team mates for just $1,000. While lots of prizes were won on the night, the overall winners were the boys and girls involved in the CBF Youth Development League.

Through everyone’s generous support the event raised over $13,000. This means that 6 teams in our League now have a sponsor, providing more than 200 children with a years’ education, as well as participation in our community projects. Thank you IMATT!

Some of out teams are still without a sponsor and we have ambitious plans to expand the league to involve thousands more children around the country. Teams in our Girl’s League,  launched earlier this month on International Women’s Day, are especially in need of support for the season ahead. To find out more about the difference our League is making and how you can sponsor a team click here.