Community-based Running Programme

Communities

Number of Schools

Number of Children

Days per Week

JAGRunners being one of our very first programmes, was started by one of our Founders and Olympic Silver Medalist Elana Meyer! Incorporating both a cross-country programme for the children in our high-risk communities, but also a coach-coaching-the-coaches model where up-skilling and uplifting local runners and youth to grow into a career within running.

Currently (and recently) headed up by JAG Alumni and very competitive ladies 10km athlete, Nono Mthetho, and we look to growing the JAGRunners into the largest youth running club in the world.

JAGRunners is our only community-based programme rather school-based which allows for great catchment within a community without being exclusive to certain schools.

Bonteheuwel

Firgrove

Gugulethu

Khayelitsha

Langa

Lavender Hill

Lwandle

Manenberg

Montana

Stellenbosch

Programme Sponsor

Additional Support

Transport

The importance of ‘Safe’ transport

Utilisingschools has many benefits when creating a safe space, such as the potential of having a sports field or grassed area for our programmes, but most importantly, that most school boundaries are fenced with lockable gates allowing for a space free of thoroughfare. This lessens the likelihood of being caught in gang cross fire, drug deals, and general community violence.

Howeverutilisinga “Safe Space” is only possible if we can transport the children to and from activities.

Gang territories prevent children from walking for one side of a community to another, the danger of getting caught in criminal activity, gang flairs, and abduction are all a very real issues when it comes to walking.

It is for this reason that JAGRugby,supplieshiredtransport to just short of 1000 children, split between 65 teams, from 15 schools, in age brackets U9, U11, and U13, every Monday and Wednesday to a single safe school venue. This excludes the transport required for u14 to U19 teams.

Coaches & Mentors

The impact of the human factor

There is a culture of deep-rooted fear of abuse, gang violence, and seemingly endless spiral into poverty. Escape seems impossible. But every problem allows for a solution. This is education and learning, broadening the horizon. But this learning is not all happening in the head. It is largely provided through influence and guidance.

The ability to relate is a key element to being a mentor. It is for this reason that all of our mentors and coaches come from and reside within the communitiestheycoach. This affords the children a mentor with real knowledge of the difficulties, struggles, and societal stresses the children are susceptible to.

Our favourof qualitative over quantitative measurements requires incremental increases in number of mentors for ensuring sustainability.

Values

Our Values and Pillars

In line with our mission of offering children an alternative lifepath,our programme have 7 pillars to ensuring a successful and efficient imparting of positive values such as tolerance, integrity, respect, discipline, teamwork, accountability, and goal setting.

These key pillars are;

•  Creating a Safehaven

•  Coaches and Mentors

•  Core Value Training

•  Skills Training

•  Inclusion and Nation Building

•  Talent Identification and Enfranchisement

•  Coach and Mentor development