Sports Ambassadors programme expands opportunities for girls

MUSCA: The Oman School Sports Association, in cooperation with the British Embassy, is continuing its efforts to empower schoolgirls through the Sports Ambassadors programme, with the second phase set to begin on Monday across six educational governorates.
The programme aims to develop young female leaders and encourage greater participation in school sports and physical activity. It provides students with practical opportunities to strengthen their leadership, communication, teamwork and creative skills, while preparing them to become ambassadors for physical activity among their peers.

The second phase will cover the educational governorates of Al Dakhiliyah, Al Sharqiyah North, Al Wusta, Al Sharqiyah South, Musandam and Dhofar through a series of training sessions combining practical activities with interactive learning.
The programme will open at Al Shaikha Nadhira Al Riyamiyah School for Girls in Al Dakhiliyah today Monday. It will then move to Sinaw School for Girls in Al Sharqiyah North on Tuesday, followed by Hajj School for Girls in Al Wusta on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the programme will be hosted by Maimouna bint Saad School for Girls in Al Sharqiyah South. The fifth stop will be Khawla bint Al Azwar School for Girls in Musandam, before the programme concludes at Al Saada School for Girls in Dhofar next Monday.

A key component of the programme is a practical workshop designed to equip participating students with the skills needed to take leadership roles in school and community sports. Through hands-on activities, the students are encouraged to develop confidence, communication, teamwork and initiative, while learning how to create opportunities for their classmates to become more physically active.
The programme also encourages students to identify barriers that may prevent their peers from taking part in physical activity and to develop ideas for sports activities that reflect their interests and provide wider opportunities for participation, regardless of sporting ability or previous experience.

Teachers also play an important role in the programme, with an emphasis on strengthening their ability to support and guide students and encourage a culture of initiative and active participation within schools.
A workshop on athlete safeguarding will also be held alongside the programme, adding an important dimension to the initiative by promoting awareness of safe and supportive sporting environments.
The second phase builds on the programme’s first phase, which covered five educational governorates Al Batinah North, Al Batinah South , Al Dhahirah, Al Buraimi and Muscat and reached more than 150 students. The expansion reflects the organisers’ continued commitment to increasing girls’ participation in school sport and developing a new generation of confident young sports leaders.