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Through Rugby English programmes, rugby becomes a medium to help young learners build confidence in communication and learn life skills.

Since its inception, the Hong Kong Rugby Union Community Foundation has had education as one of its key pillars alongside health and building an inclusive society.

Two of the main areas we have focused on are using rugby as a medium to help local youngsters build confidence in communication in English, and also promoting key values and life skills for Hong Kong students.

Our “Rugby English” programmes have been running since 2007, with funding assistance from the Education Bureau. We partner with the British Council, who assist with the design of the resource materials, staff training, and evaluation; together we create an immersion environment with sessions run by native English speaking coaches using specially created syllabuses. This year over 60 primary schools and 30 secondary schools will participate in one of our Rugby English programmes.

In 2013, following an exchange visit with the Scottish Rugby Union, we introduced their highly successful “Schools of Rugby” initiative to Hong Kong – this programme utilises both the sports field and the classroom to encourage youngsters to adopt positive life values. We have gradually grown the project to a total of five secondary schools, whilst at the same time developing a separate approach for primary schools, “Hong Kong’s Rugby Spirit.” This initiative, sponsored by UBS and Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, focuses on the seven priority values that the Education Bureau have identified for Hong Kong students: “Perseverance”, “Respect for Others”, “Responsibility”, “National Identity”, “Commitment”, “Integrity” and “Care for Others”. The course material was developed in conjunction with a local school principal, and has been endorsed by both the Education Bureau and Chinese University’s Department of Education. There are currently over 80 local primary schools enrolled.

The final strand of our education focus is an apprentice programme – each year we offer an opportunity for four youngsters from our Schools of Rugby and four youngsters from local sport-for-change charity Operation Breakthrough to take up a 12 month paid apprentice place, during which time they receive mentoring and support as well as the opportunity to attend training courses, to help equip them for a future career in the sports industry.

We continue to look out for new opportunities and partners in this sector, and next month we will launch an exciting new initiative with Chinese University’s Department of Social Work to see if sport can be used to help youngsters with ADHD.

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